Wimbledon Championship is annual tennis tournament which takes place at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London. It began back in 1877 making it the oldest of the four grand slam taking place every year. Wimbledon is widely considered as the most prestigious tennis event in calendar year due to longevity and the admiration it has among tennis players.
We take a look at Wimbledon Trophy given to men’s single champion every year and the Dish handed to women’s single champion.
Wimbledon Trophy Material and Structure:
The trophy handed to men’s single champion every year comes in a Cup shape standing at 18.5″ inches tall with a 18.5″ inches tall with the diameter of 7.5″. The cup comes with the classic style with two handles on the sides and lid on top and a raised foot at the bottom. There is a pineapple shaped structure at the top of the lid giving it a very unique look. The cup itself is made of silver gilt
The cup comes with writing “The All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Champion of the World” . Around the bowl the dates and names of the past champions are engraved.
Wimbledon Championship Trophy History:
The story of Wimbledon Championship trophy is interesting to say the last. The first trophy ever presented to singles champion was called Field Cup (1877 to 1883). However at that time there was a rule that player who wins the trophies three times in a row gets to keep it and William Renshaw did exactly that forcing authorities to introduce a new one called Challenge Cup (1884-86). William Renshaw won that trophy outright as well winning Wimbledon singles title three times in a row.
From 1887 new rule was devised ensuring trophy will never become property of champion and since than we have our Wimbledon Championship Trophy which saw slight change in 2009 as they ran out of place to engrave winners names. a black plinth is handed out with the trophy since 2009 which has the names and dates of past champions.
So there that about Men’s trophy, Wimbledon also have women’s singles event which is as prominent today as the men’s game. Which was not the case a century ago. In traditional British style of gender inequility at that time, Women’s single champion were handed out a dish instead of a trophy/cup it is now widely called “Venus Rosewater Dish”
Wimbledon Women’s Singles Trophy – (Venus Rosewater Dish)
The dish is designed in a mythological decoration and comes with a pure sterling silver with a 18.7″ diameter. The central figure is of temperance which has light lamp in her right hand and a jug in her left hand.