Launceston, 9 November 2011 | tennis.com.au

After bumping into Melbourne Cup winning jockey, Christophe Lemaire, at the airport last Wednesday, Australian Open Trophies Daphne and Norman jetted off to Launceston to continue their tour around Australia.

First stop Tasmania Zoo, where they meet some endangered Tasmanian devil friends plus some very inquisitive kangaroos.

To celebrate their visit to the apple isle, the newly redeveloped Launceston Regional Tennis Centre played host to a festival of tennis in their honour.

Over 250 school children from around the region attended the event, as well as the Mayor of Launceston, Albert Van Zetten.

“I would like to thank Tennis Australia for this opportunity [Australian Open Trophy Tour] … This is just another reason and why the council and region wanted to develop these tennis courts, to use them and promote them in such a special way.

“Maybe in 10 or 15 years time one of the school kids here today will be holding the Australian Open trophy after winning it because they have been inspired by this experience,” Mayor Van Zetten said.

Daphne and Norman also hit the Launceston radio waves whilst in town, featuring on the ABC and LAFM breakfast shows.

After a short road trip, Daphne and Norman received a warm reception at the Devonport Tennis Club.

Like Launceston, more than 200 school children had the opportunity pick up a racquet and play Hot Shots in Devonport, and feel like a Grand Slam champion by having their photo taken with the Australian Open trophies.

“When I had my photo taken with the trophies I felt like Bjorn Borg but without the talent or fame,” laughed the newly elected Mayor of Devonport, Steve Martin.

“The significance of the Australian Open trophies coming to Devonport is that it will hopefully inspire the young people to get into a sport,” Mayor Martin added.

Whilst in Devonport, Daphne and Norman also paid a visit to a local nursing home and posed for photos with local residents, and again hit breakfast radio with segments on Sea FM and Classic Hits.

This week Daphne and Norman are in Queensland, before heading to Canberra at the end of the week for the next instalment of their journey around Australia.