Sunday, July 5, 2009

What is the Wimbledon Trophy called?

Q: What is the name of the Wimbledon trophy?

A: The Gentlemen's Singles champion of Wimbledon receives a silver gilt cup 18.5 inches in height and 7.5 inches in diameter. The trophy bears the inscription: "The All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Champion of the World."

What makes the Wimbledon trophy unique? A fruit sits atop the cup! The symbol of the pineapple harks back to 17th century England where it was a sought-after commodity. Today, a silver pineapple is atop the Wimbledon trophy.

The men's trophy has been awarded since 1887 but has no formal designation or nickname.

In contrast, the sterling silver salver awarded to the Ladies' Singles champion is called the "Venus Rosewater Dish." The salver is 18.75 inches in diameter and is decorated with figures from mythology.

In the middle is the figure of Sophrosyne (the personification of temperance and moderation) seated on a chest with a lamp in her right hand and a jug in her left. A sickle, fork and caduceus are present. Around this center are four reserves each containing a classical god. There are seven reserves around the plate inside the outer rim showing Minerva presiding over the seven Liberal Arts: Astrology, Geometry, Arithmetic, Music, Rhetoric, Dialectic and Grammar.

The winners of the Gentlemen's Doubles, Ladies' Doubles and Mixed Doubles events receive silver cups.

The Wimbledon trophies are usually presented by the President of the All England Club. In 2009, that person is Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent.

Roger Federer won his fifth straight Wimbledon men's title on July 5. Serena Williams won the 2009 Wimbledon women's final on July 4 over her older sister Venus.

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