When my tennis coach organized a Laver Cup–style tournament at our local club, I jumped at the chance to create a custom trophy. Below is a quick look at how I brought this 3D-printed trophy to life!
Design Phase (12 Hours)
- I spent around 12 hours designing the trophy in SolidWorks, aiming to capture the elegance of the real Laver Cup.
- My goal was to balance authenticity with a personal touch that would make the trophy stand out.
Test Print (40% Scale)
- Before committing to a full-scale print, I printed a smaller version at 40% scale.
- This allowed me to check dimensions, proportions, and overall fit.
- After seeing the test print, I made small adjustments to ensure the final piece would look and function perfectly.
Final Print (30 Hours)
- I chose Graphine Silver filament to closely mimic the metallic finish of the original Laver Cup.
- The trophy was printed in three separate parts, taking 30 hours in total.
- Once the prints were done, I glued the main sections together for a seamless look.
Magnetic Base
- The base features a screw-on design with integrated magnets, which I sourced from Temu at a budget-friendly price.
- These magnets let me swap out player cards depending on the winning team—a fun and customizable feature.
Handling Tips
- At large scales, the trophy’s handles can be quite fragile. If the trophy is shaken too hard, there’s a chance of breakage.
- For this reason, you might consider printing at a smaller scale or slicing it into more parts in your slicer to add extra reinforcement.
Download the 3D Model
Below is the 3D model for anyone interested in printing their own Laver Cup–inspired trophy. You can purchase the STL file here and adapt it to your needs. Just keep in mind the scaling and handle fragility when deciding on print size or slicing strategy.
Wrapping It Up
Designing this trophy was a rewarding challenge—from initial sketches to final assembly. If you’re a tennis fan or just someone who loves making unique 3D prints, I hope this inspires you to try your own trophy project. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or want to share your own 3D printing adventures!
