At Wimbledon, why does the women's champion receive a plate while the men's champion receives a trophy cup? - Quora Quora No Particular Reason..other than Tradition..!! But here are some insights- The Women's plate is technically a Pewter which is used in the 19th century for household purposes mainly used after eating to catch rosewater poured from warm or cold ewers over the hands to wash them, a daily ritual in medieval England. Since in the olden times, women were associated with household chores and was interested in decoration of houses, a Pewter may have inspired the designers. The Men's trophy has something to do with the tradition of British navy captains putting a pineapple atop their gateposts on returning home from sea. In the first Wimbledon championships there was only one event, the Gentleman’s Singles. As it was not permissible for women to enter the tournament in 1877. The winner was to take home a 25-guinea trophy. The tickets to watch this first ever event was priced at just 1 shilling and 200 people bought them in order to watch the finals. The All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Champion of the World.

The Gentlemen's Singles champion receives a silver gilt cup. The trophy has been awarded since 1887 and bears the inscription: "All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Championship of the World." It replaced the Field Cup (1877-1883) and the Challenge Cup (1884-1886) which were both won by William Renshaw after twice winning the gentlemen's title three times in succession. Around the bowl are engraved the dates and names of the Champions. In 2009, there being no space left to engrave the names of the Champions, a black plinth with an ornamented silver band was designed to accompany the Cup. The Champions receive a three-quarter size replica of the Cup bearing the names of all past Champions. Apparently, it is not clear why there is a carving of a pineapple atop the magnificent cup. Why not strawberry, the official fruit of Wimbledon? One theory says it has to do with the tradition of British navy captains putting a pineapple atop their gateposts on returning home from sea. Another theory is back in the 17th century, Pine Apple was a highly sought-after commodity.

It was very rare (in England) and therefore very expensive, and was the crowning fruit of only the most lush feasts; a symbol of significant wealth. In 1884, the Lady’s Singles was introduced at Wimbledon. In the same year, the Gentlemen's Doubles event was also started. The Ladies' Singles Trophy or Venus Rosewater Dish The Ladies' Singles champion receives a sterling silver salver commonly known as the "Venus Rosewater Dish" and was introduced in 1886 i.e; one year before the current Gentle Men's trophy. The trophy is a copy of an electrotype by Caspar Enderlein from a pewter original in the Louvre. A Rosewater dish is a ceremonial platter or basin used after eating to catch rosewater poured from warm or cold ewers over the hands to wash them, a daily ceremony in England. Later, such dishes were used for display only. The theme of the decoration is mythological.

The central boss is NOT VENUS BUT Greek goddess SOPHROSYNE- a representation of temperance and moderation, seated on a chest with a lamp in her right hand and a jug in her left, with various attributes such as a sickle, fork and caduceus around her. Around her central image are four 'reserves' depicting classical gods with the four elements. The rim of the dish depicts Minerva presiding over the seven classical liberal arts- astrology, geometry, arithmetic, music, rhetoric, dialectic and grammar, each with relevant attribute. It's usually presented by a real duke and duchess (of Kent, to be specific). Some Other Facts which are Interesting about the Wimbledon The Club: It was The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club until 1882, when it was decided that lawn tennis would be the only activity of the Club, thereafter. Consequently, the word 'croquet' was removed from the name of the Club.

However, with the intention of not hurting the sentiments of the people associated with the Club, the word 'croquet' was restored to the name of the club in 1899, this time, with a slight change in the phrasing - the Club now came to be called The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. "All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Championship of the World."- That's right: single handed. There wasn't really such a thing as a double-handed backhand during the 1880's. Only lawn tennis of the Grand Slams: Of the four major annual tennis tournaments known as the ‘Grand Slams’, Wimbledon is the only one to still be played on grass, which is where the name lawn tennis originated. Strawberries & Cream: Strawberries are one of the traditional symbols of the championships of which a staggering 28,000 kg are consumed during Wimbledon fortnight, served with over 7,000 liters of fresh cream. They come from the "Garden of England," the southern county of Kent, and are freshly picked the day before, arriving in the early hours of the morning.

They are part of a Wimbledon catering operation which is the biggest for a sporting event in Europe. The green green grass A team of 45 ground staff lovingly tend the 19 courts which are all made of 100 per cent rye grass which is chosen for its ability to stand wear and tear. According to the official Wimbledon website, no less than one ton of grass seed is used every year. During the championship all courts are mown, rolled and re-lined each day with 3,000 gallons of water used as part of the preparation process. The grass is cut to 8mm for matches to ensure regular bounce for the elite of world tennis. Rufus the Hawk Wimbledon has its own resident hawk, who goes by the name of Rufus. The Harris Hawk visits the All England club most weeks of the year with the main aim of deterring local pigeons from doing their worst. During the championships, Rufus' patrols are stepped up and he flies for one hour most mornings before the gates open to the public. Written Jul 14, 2015 All the trophies are awarded as per the tradition.

Men's Singles champion receives a silver gilt cup.The winners of the men's Doubles, Ladies' Doubles, and Mixed Doubles events also receives silver cups. But Ladies singles champions alone receives a sterling silver salver also known as Venus Rosewater Dish. There is no precise answer for why women alone receive this eminent and prestagious plate. This is the significant tradition which is being followed since 1886. It is not just a normal silver plate they receive. A Rosewater dish is a ceremonial platter or basin used after eating to catch rosewater poured from warm or cold ewers over the hands to wash them, a daily ceremony in England. Later, such dishes were used for display only. This one includes an image of the goddess Venus. A salver (Latin salva, save from risk) was originally used by food tasters who tested food for poison. A rosewater dish was considered a salver by extension. These dishes were made of pewter, silver, or gold.

The winner does not keep the trophy, which remains in the museum at the All-England club, but from 1949 to 2006 all Champions have received a miniature replica of the trophy (diameter 8 inches), and from 2007 all Champions have received a three-quarter replica of the trophy, bearing the names of all past Champions (diameter 14 inches). The theme of decoration is unrelated to tennis or sport, but is mythological. The central boss depicts the figure of sophrosyne (not Venus), the personification of temperance and moderation, seated on a chest with a lamp in her right hand and a jug in her left, with various attributes such as a sickle , fork and caduceus around her. The four reserves on the boss of the dish each contain a classical god, together with elements. ​ However, women's champion receives equal amount of prize money as men's, even though they play best of 3 sets. where as men's play best of five sets. Even in those five sets, fifth set is considered as a marathon set. This is the reason why men's matches prolongs for many hours. Women do not even play marathon final set.

Trophies - The Championships, Wimbledon 2017 - Official Site by IBM Information about the five Championship trophies. READ MORE Gentlemen's Singles Championship Gentlemen's Singles Trophy first presented by the All England Club in 1887. It replaced the Field Cup (1877-1883) and the Challenge Cup (1884-1886) which were both won by William Renshaw after twice winning the gentlemen's title three times in succession. The AELTC spent 100 guineas to purchase a trophy as the Club was not prepared to risk losing a third Cup to a future three-times Champion so the decision was taken that the new trophy would never become the property of the winner. The Cup, which is made of silver gilt, stands 18 inches high and has a diameter of 7.5 inches. The inscription on the Cup reads: "The All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Championship of the World". Around the bowl are engraved the dates and names of the Champions. In 2009, there being no space left to engrave the names of the Champions, a black plinth with an ornamented silver band was designed to accompany the Cup.

The Champions receive a three-quarter size replica of the Cup bearing the names of all past Champions (height 13.5 inches). Ladies' Singles Championship The Ladies' Singles Trophy is a silver salver, sometimes referred to as the Rosewater Dish or Venus Rosewater Dish, which was first presented to the Champion when the challenge round was introduced in 1886. The salver, which is made of sterling silver, partly gilded, is 18.75 inches in diameter. The theme of the decoration is mythological. The central boss has a figure of Temperance, seated on a chest with a lamp in her right hand and a jug in her left, with various attributes such as a sickle, fork and caduceus around her. The four reserves on the boss of the dish each contain a classical god, together with elements. The reserves around the rim show Minerva presiding over the seven liberal arts: astrology, geometry, arithmetic, music, rhetoric, dialectic and grammar, each with relevant attribute. The rim of the salver has an ovolo moulding. The Champions receive a three-quarter size replica of the Cup bearing the names of all past Champions (height 14 inches).

Doubles and Mixed Championships The Gentlemen's Doubles Trophy is a silver challenge cup for the Gentlemen's Pairs' competition. When the doubles moved to Wimbledon in 1884 the Oxford University Lawn Tennis Club presented the trophy to the All England Club. The Ladies' Doubles Trophy is an elegant silver cup and cover, known as The Duchess of Kent Challenge Cup, presented to the Club in 1949 by HRH The Princess Marina, President of the All England Club. The Mixed Doubles Trophy is a silver challenge cup and cover presented to the All England Club by the family of the late S.H. Smith. S.H. Smith won the doubles title in 1902 and 1906, in partnership with the late F.L. Riseley. The Championship trophies are displayed for several months of the year in the Museum. Wimbledon Follow us on Twitter Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon (20 June – 3 July in 2011), is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877.

It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors being the Australian Open, French Open and US Open. Wimbledon is the only Major still played on grass, the game's original surface, which gave the game of lawn tennis its name. Television coverage For over 70 years, the BBC has broadcast the tournament on television in the UK, starting in 1937. The matches covered are split between its two main terrestrial channels, BBC 1 and BBC 2. The BBC holds the broadcast rights for Wimbledon until 2014 and it distributes its commercial-free feed to outlets worldwide. During the days of British Satilite Broadcasting, its sports channel carried extra coverage of Wimbledon for subscribers. One of the most notable British commentators was Dan Maskell, who was known as the BBC's "voice of tennis" until his retirement in 1991. Other regular commentators on UK television include British ex-players Greg Rusedski, Andrew Castle, Tim Henham and Annabel Croft; and guest veterans such as Boris Becker, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Tracy Austin. The coverage is presented by Sue Barker and highlights with John Inverdale.

Previous BBC presenters include Des Lynam, David Vine and Harry Carpenter. Trophies and prize money The Gentlemen's Singles champion receives a silver gilt cup 18.5 inches (about 47 cm) in height and 7.5 inches (about 19 cm) in diameter. The trophy has been awarded since 1887 and bears the inscription: "All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Championship of the World." The Ladies' Singles champion receives a sterling silver salver commonly known as the "Venus Rosewater Dish", or simply the "Rosewater Dish". The salver, which is 18.75 inches (about 48 cm) in diameter, is decorated with figures from mythology. The winners of the Gentlemen's Doubles, Ladies' Doubles, and Mixed Doubles events receive silver cups. The runner-up in each event receives an inscribed silver plate. The trophies are usually presented by the President of the All England Club, The Duke Of Kent. Prize money was first awarded in 1968, the first year that professional players were allowed to compete in the Championships.

Prior to 2007, among grand slam tournaments, Wimbledon and the French Open awarded more prize money in men's events than in women's events. In 2007, Wimbledon changed this policy, giving the same money for both events. The decision has been controversial as women spend approximately half the amount of time on court as men during the tournament due to them playing only three sets, therefore earning considerably more per hour than their male counterparts In 2009, a total of £12,500,000 in prize money was awarded with the singles champions receiving £850,000 each, an increase of 13.3 percent on 2008. For the 2010 Championships, the total prize money increased to £13,725,000, and the singles champions received £1,000,000 each. For the 2011 Wimbledon Championships it has been announced that the total prize money will be £14,600,000 an increase of 6.4% from 2010.

Both male and female singles champions prize money will also increase to £1,100,000, a rise of 10% on the previous year. Events Wimbledon Women's Singles Trophy - Silver Trophy Blog | Silver Trophy Blog Wimbledon Women’s Singles Trophy Posted on 11th July 2013. Marion Bartoli’s second Wimbledon final was considerably more successful than the first, as she wiped the highly fancied – in every sense of the word! – Sabine Lisicki off the court in ninety minutes, finally claiming the Wimbledon women’s singles trophy that she’d wanted for over a decade of her career. It was ironic that the scoreline, 6-1, 6-4, was a mirror image of her previous final against Venus Williams, as the match itself was the polar opposite of that occasion, with Bartoli overpowering the maiden Grand Slam finalist Lisicki, much as she was summarily dispatched by Williams six years ago. This year’s women’s singles tournament was notable for many British observers, though, for the emergence of Laura Robson as a credible Grand Slam contender.

Robson had already signalled indication of this in New York last year, when she beat former Grand Slam winners Kim Clijsters and Li Na, and former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in Australia. But you’ve never truly arrived on the British sporting stage as a tennis player until you do it at Wimbledon, so Robson’s immensely impressive first-round victory over the number 10 seed Maria Kirilenko, and gutsy run to the fourth-round, gave the British public the first opportunity to acclaim the teenager’s already impressive ability, and seemingly limitless potential. It already seems clear that after Andy Murray’s historic Wimbledon triumph, Britain will have two serious contenders for Wimbledon singles titles in the coming years. The shock of the tournament was the exit of the tournament favourite Serena Williams at the quarter-final stage. Williams had been odds on to carry off the Ladies’ Singles trophy long before she reached the last eight with routine ease, and it has been automatically assumed by virtually every observer that she would progress as serenely as her name to a seventeenth Grand Slam title. Few people counted on the almost superhuman performances that Sabine Lisicki produced to beat her.

Lisicki was so overwhelmed by her achievement that she was moved to tears, for far from the last time in the tournament. The German was really the player of the tournament, and quite possibly deserved to have her name etched on the trophy , after back-to-back titanic efforts to triumph over Williams and the fourth seed Agnieszka Radwańska. Lisicki had also beaten Francesca Schiavone and Sam Stosur in the earlier rounds, meaning that the German had beaten four former Grand Slam champions on the way to the final. Unfortunately, her thank was seemingly empty by the time she faced Bartoli, and Lisicki struggled to cope with the enormity of the occasion, being visibly distressed throughout the second set, and bursting into tears on more than one occasion. It was fitting that Lisicki managed a mini recovery to at least make the scoreline respectable, having trailed 6-1, 5-1 at one stage, but ultimately Bartoli was a deserved recipient of the Venus Rosewater Dish trophy . The Venus Rosewater Dish is a unique Wimbledon trophy, not least because it has a distinct name!

The men’s singles title bears no such moniker, but the ladies singles trophy has a much more idiosyncratic appearance and history. The trophy was first presented to the winner of the Ladies' Singles at the Wimbledon Championships in the 19th century, with Blanche Bingley Hillyard being the first woman to receive the trophy way back in 1886. Unlike most sporting trophies, the Venus Rosewater Dish does not depict sporting excellence, instead depicting scenes from Greek mythology. The central portion of the trophy, depicts the figure of Sophrosyne, considered to be the personification of temperance and moderation within Greek mythology. The figure is seated on a chest with a lamp in her right hand and a jug in her left, surrounded by various implements such as a sickle, fork and caduceus. Elsewhere within the trophy, the four reserve sections held on the boss of the dish each contain a classical God, while the reserves around the rim depict Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom presiding over the seven liberal arts: astronomy, geometry, arithmetic, music, rhetoric, dialectic and grammar. This is a truly distinctive and unique trophy, which only helps contribute to the reputation and image of the Wimbledon championships.

The trophy measures 18 3/4 inches in diameter, and is a sterling silver salver, which was originally constructed in 1864 by Elkington and Co. Ltd of Birmingham. In common with the men’s’ singles trophy, Ms. Bartoli will not be lucky enough to take the trophy home with her; the Venus Rosewater Dish is permanently situated within the museum at the All-England tennis club. All champions received a three-quarter replica of the trophy beating the names of all the previous Ladies’ Singles champions. With the emergence of Robson, British tennis fans will have serious hopes that for the first time in decades a British woman’s name can be added to the trophy. After the feat of Andy Murray, anything seems possible. Wimbledon Championships Trophies Wimbledon Wimbledon Championships Trophies Every year two players have the opportunity to lift two of the most coveted prizes in the game of tennis. While the Wimbledon prize money is incentive enough for victory, the men’s trophy and the women’s Rosewater dish are both iconic, and have been lifted by only the finest players in the game’s history.

Gentlemen’s Singles Trophy Arguably one of the best loved images of the Wimbledon Championships is that of the victor raising the famous sliver gilt cup to the roaring fans of centre court. For over 130 years this stylised, ornate cup with the legend “The All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Champion of the World” inscribed on it has been handed to amateur and professional winners alike. The trophy is 18 &frac12; inches tall, is of classical style with two large handles and a raised platform. The lid has the form of a pineapple, and sports a head covered with a winged helmet underneath each handle. It is highly decorative inside and out. Ladies Singles Trophy The Ladies Singles champion is rewarded with a sterling silver salver, known as the Venus Rosewater Dish. Made in 1864, it is a copy of a pewter original which lies in the Louvre in France, and has a mythological theme. The figures of Temperance, Minerva and classical gods are featured, as well as the elements and the seven liberal arts of Astrology, Geometry, Arithmetic, Music, Rhetoric, Dialectic and Grammar.

Gentlemen’s Doubles Trophy The winners of the Gentlemen’s Doubles are presented with a silver challenge cup which was donated by the first sponsors of the event in 1879, the Oxford University Lawn Tennis Club. The remarkable Australian duo of Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde have claimed this Wimbledon Championship trophy on no fewer than six occasions, five of which were back-to-back wins from 1993 to 1997. Ladies Doubles Trophy The Duchess of Kent Challenge Cup, an elegant silver cup and cover was first presented in 1949 by the then president of the All England Club, the Princess Marina. The current Duchess of Kent is presently Duchess Katherine, wife of the Duke of Kent, and she now does the honours. Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver were the recipients of this award a remarkable six times in the 1980s. Mixed Doubles Trophy The final trophy in this impressive collection of silverware is a second silver challenge cup and cover which was presented to the All England Club by the family of Sydney Smith.

Smith, together with partner Frank Riseley, captured the doubles in 1902 and 1906 and he was a member of the British Davis Cup team. Free Bets The Championships, Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon U.S. Open The Championships, Wimbledon, commonly referred to as simply "Wimbledon", is the oldest and arguably the most prestigious event in the sport of tennis . Held every June and July in London , United Kingdom , the tournament is the third Grand Slam event played each year, preceded by the Australian Open and the French Open, and followed by the U.S. Open . The tournament lasts for two weeks, subject to extensions for rain, and is the only Grand Slam event currently played on grass surface (although there are other surfaces played on in the tournaments as well, such as Queens and Halle) . Separate tournaments are simultaneously held, all at the same venue, for Gentlemen's Singles, Ladies' Singles, Gentlemen's Doubles, Ladies' Doubles and Mixed Doubles. Youth tournaments — Boys' Singles, Girls' Singles, Boys' Doubles and Girls' Doubles — are also held.

Additionally, special invitational tournaments are held: the 35 and over Gentlemen's Doubles, 45 and over Gentlemen's Doubles, 35 and over Ladies' Doubles and wheelchair doubles. History Sébastien Grosjean takes a shot on Court 18 during the 2004 championships The Championships were first played under the control of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 1877 at a ground near Worple Road, Wimbledon; the only event held was Gentlemen's Singles. In 1884, the All England Club added Ladies' Singles and Gentlemen's Doubles. Ladies' Doubles and Mixed Doubles were added in 1913. The Championships moved to their present location, at a ground near Church Road, in 1922. As with the other three Grand Slam events, Wimbledon was contested by top-ranked amateur players until the advent of the open era in tennis in 1968.

Britons are very proud of the tournament but it is a source of national anguish and humour — no British man has won the singles event at Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936, and no British woman since Virginia Wade in 1977. Events There are five main events held at Wimbledon: Gentlemen's Singles, Ladies' Singles, Gentlemen's Doubles, Ladies' Doubles and Mixed Doubles. In addition, four events are held for juniors: Boys' Singles, Girls' Singles, Boys' Doubles and Girls' Doubles. (The Mixed Doubles event is not held at the junior level.) Finally, four invitational events are held: the 35 and over Gentlemen's Invitation Doubles, the 45 and over Gentlemen's Invitation Doubles, the 35 and over Ladies' Invitation Doubles and the Wheelchair Gentlemen's Invitation Doubles. Matches in the Gentlemen's Singles and Gentlemen's Doubles competitions are best-of-five sets; matches in all other events are best-of-three sets. Most events are single-elimination tournaments; in other words, a player who loses a single match is immediately eliminated from the tournament.

However, the 35 and over Gentlemen's Invitation Doubles and the 35 and over Ladies' Invitation Doubles are both round-robin tournaments. Up until 1921, the winners of the previous year's competition (except in the Ladies Doubles and Mixed Doubles) were automatically granted byes into the final round (then known as the challenge round.) This led to many winners retaining their titles for successive years, as they were able to rest while their opponent competed from the start of the competition. From 1922, the title holders played through from the start of the championships. Each year, the tournament begins on the Monday falling between 20 and 26 June (six weeks before the first Monday in August). It is held two weeks after the Queen's Club Championships, which are considered the major warm-up for Wimbledon for male players. Another important warm-up tournament for the men is the Gerry Weber Open, which is held in Halle, Germany at about the same time as the Queen's Club Championships. Wimbledon usually lasts for two weeks; the main events span both weeks, but the junior and invitational events are for the most part held during the second week.

Traditionally, there is no play on the "Middle Sunday", which is considered a rest day. However, rain has forced play on the Middle Sunday thrice in the Championship's history: in 1991, 1997, and 2004. On each of these occasions, Wimbledon has staged a "People's Sunday", with unreserved seating and readily available, inexpensive tickets. Players and seeding A total of 128 players feature in each singles event, 64 pairs in each single-sex doubles event, and 48 pairs in Mixed Doubles. Players and doubles pairs are admitted to the main events on the basis of their international rankings, with consideration also given to their previous performances at grasscourt events. Currently 32 male and female players are given seedings in the Gentlemen's and Ladies' singles while 16 teams are seeded in the doubles events. The Committee of Management and the Referee evaluate all applications for entry, and determine which players may be admitted to the tournament directly. The committee may admit a player without a high enough ranking as a wild card. Usually, wild cards are players who have performed well during previous tournaments, or would stimulate public interest in Wimbledon by participating.

The only wild card to win the Gentlemen's Singles Championship was Goran Ivanisevic ( 2001); no wild card has ever won the Ladies' Singles Title. Players and pairs who neither have high enough rankings nor receive wild cards may participate in a qualifying tournament held one week before Wimbledon at the Bank of England Sports Ground in Roehampton. The singles qualifying competitions are three-round events; the same-sex doubles competitions last for only one round. There is no qualifying tournament for Mixed Doubles. No qualifier has won either the Gentlemen's Singles or the Ladies' Singles tournaments. The furthest that any qualifier has progressed in the main draw of a Singles tournament is the semi-final round: John McEnroe in 1977 and Vladimir Voltchkov of Belarus in 2000 (Gentlemen's Singles), and Alexandra Stevenson in 1999 (Ladies' Singles). Players are admitted to the junior tournaments upon the recommendations of their national tennis associations, on their International Tennis Federation world rankings and, in the case of the singles events, on the basis of a qualifying competition. The Committee of Management determines which players may enter the four invitational events.

The Committee seeds the top players and pairs (thirty-two players in each main singles events, and sixteen pairs in each main doubles event) on the basis of their rankings. A majority of the entrants are unseeded. Only two unseeded players have ever won the Gentlemen's Singles Championship: Boris Becker in 1985 and Goran Ivanisevic in 2001. No unseeded player has captured the Ladies' Singles title; the lowest seeded female champion was Venus Williams, who won in 2005 as the fourteenth seed. Unseeded pairs have won the doubles titles on numerous occasions; the 2005 Gentlemen's Doubles champions were not only unseeded, but also (for the first time ever) qualifiers. See article: Women's Seeds at The Championships, Wimbledon Grounds The order of play for all courts is displayed on boards around the grounds The nineteen courts used for Wimbledon are all composed purely of rye grass. The speed and the low bounce of grass courts favours serve and volley players, such as former champions Rod Laver, John McEnroe , Boris Becker , Stefan Edberg and Pete Sampras .

However, baseliners such as Björn Borg have also performed very well, as have all-court players like Roger Federer. Among women, the serve and volley strategy has been less common since around 1980. One of the few female serve and volleyers of the last 25 years, Martina Navrátilová , won the Wimbledon singles titles a record nine times. The main show courts, Centre Court and No. 1 Court, are normally used only for two weeks a year, during the Championships, but play can extend into a third week in exceptional circumstances. The remaining seventeen courts are regularly used for other events hosted by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. The show courts will, however, be pressed into action for the second time in three months in 2012 as Wimbledon will host the tennis events of the 2012 Olympic Games. Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam event played on grass courts. At one time, all the other Grand Slam events were played on grass. The French Open abandoned grass for its current red clay in 1928, while the U.S. and Australian Opens stayed with grass for decades longer. The U.S.

Open abandoned grass for a synthetic clay surface in 1975 and changed again to a hard surface with its 1978 move to its current venue. The Australian Open abandoned grass for Rebound Ace, a different type of hard surface, in 1988. The main court, Centre Court, was opened in 1922 when the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club moved from Worple Road to Church Road. Due to possibility of rain during Wimbledon, a retractable roof is planned for the court, which is expected to be completed in 2009. The court has a capacity of almost 14,000. At its south end is the Royal Box, from which members of the Royal Family and other dignitaries watch matches. Centre Court usually hosts the finals and semifinals of the main events, as well as many matches in the earlier rounds involving top-seeded players or local favorites. No.1 Court The second most important court is No. 1 Court. The court was constructed in 1997 to replace the old No. 1 Court, which was adjacent to Centre Court (similar to how the Grandstand at Flushing Meadows is adjacent to Louis Armstrong Stadium). The old No.

1 Court was demolished because its capacity for spectators was too low. The court was said to have had a unique, more intimate atmosphere and was a favourite of many players. The new No. 1 Court has a capacity of approximately 11,000. The third-largest court, No. 2 Court, has been dubbed the "Graveyard of Champions" due to its reputation as the court on which many seeded players have been eliminated during the early rounds. Famous players who have lost on the Graveyard during early round play include John McEnroe , Pete Sampras , Venus Williams, and Serena Williams. The court has a capacity of about 3,000. At the northern end of the grounds is a giant television screen on which important matches are broadcast. Fans watch from an area of grass officially known as Aorangi Park, but more commonly called Henman Hill. The "hill" takes its name from local favourite Tim Henman , who many fans hope will become the first British man to win the tournament since Fred Perry did so in 1936.

When other Brits do well at Wimbledon, the hill attracts fans for them, and is often re-named by the press for them: Greg Rusedski's followers convened at "Rusedski Ridge," and the young Scotsman Andy Murray has had the hill nicknamed "Murray Mound," "Mount Murray," or "Murray Field" (after the Scottish rugby stadium). Traditions Court 10 - on the outside courts there is no reserved seating Evening on the first Friday of the 2004 championships Men's doubles winners, 2004. Dark green and purple (sometimes also referred to as mauve) are the traditional Wimbledon colours. Green apparel was worn by the chair umpire, linesmen, ball boys and ball girls through the 2005 Championships; however, beginning with the 2006 Championships, officials, ball boys and ball girls were outfitted in new navy blue and cream coloured uniforms from American designer Ralph Lauren. This marked the first time in the history of the Championships that an outside company was used to design Wimbledon apparel. As of June 2006, Wimbledon's contract with Ralph Lauren is set to last until 2009.

The All England Club requires players to wear "almost entirely white" clothing during matches, a reason why a young Andre Agassi boycotted the tournament in the early 1990s. No other Grand Slam tournament has such a strict dress code for players. During matches, female players are always referred to with the title "Miss" or "Mrs". (Formerly, married female players were referred to by their husband's names: for example, Chris Evert-Lloyd appeared on scoreboards as "Mrs. J. M. Lloyd" during her marriage to John M. Lloyd. However, this custom has been abandoned.) On the other hand, the title "Mr" is never used for male players. Previously, players bowed or curtsied to members of the Royal Family seated in the Royal Box upon entering or leaving Centre Court. In 2003, however, the President of the All England Club, HRH The Duke of Kent, decided to discontinue the tradition. Now, players are required to bow or curtsy only if the Queen or the Prince of Wales is present. For the spectators, strawberries and cream is the traditional snack at Wimbledon.

Approximately 62,000 pounds of strawberries and 1,540 gallons of cream are sold each year during the Championships. Since 1992, Radio Wimbledon - an on-site radio station with a studio in the Centre Court building - has broadcast commentary, music and speech from 8am to 10pm daily throughout the championship. They also broadcast the draw on the Friday prior to the start of the tournament. Radio Wimbledon can be heard within a five-mile radius on 87.7 FM, and also online. It operates under a Restricted Service License and is arguably the most sophisticated RSL annually in the UK. The main presenters are Sam Lloyd and Nick Dye - typically they work alternate four hour shifts - reporters and commentators include Gigi Salmon, Nick Lestor, Rupert Bell, Nigel Bidmead, Guy Swindells, Lucie Ahl, Nadine Towell and Helen Whitaker. Often they will report from the 'Crow's Nest' - an elevated building housing the court 2 and 3 scoreboards which affords views of most of the outside courts. Regular guests include Sue Mappin.

In recent years Radio Wimbledon acquired a second low-power FM frequency (within the grounds only) of 96.3 FM for uninterrupted Centre Court commentary, and, from 2006, a third for coverage from No. 1 Court on 97.8 FM. Hourly news bulletins and travel (using RDS) are also broadcast. For over 60 years, the BBC has broadcasted the tournament on television in the UK, splitting time for the many matches it covers between its two main terrestrial channels, BBC One and BBC Two. During the days of British Satellite Broadcasting, its sports channel carried extra coverage of Wimbledon for subscribers, and the Beeb annually distributes its commercial-free feed to outlets worldwide. Americans have made a tradition of NBC's " Breakfast at Wimbledon" specials on the weekends, where live coverage starts early in the morning (the US being a minimum of 5 hours behind the UK) and continues well into the afternoon, interspersed with commentary and interviews from Bud Collins, whose tennis acumen and (in)famous patterned pants are well-known to tennis fans Stateside.

Trophies and prize money The Gentlemen's Singles champion receives a silver gilt cup 18.5 inches (about 47 cm) in height and 7.5 inches (about 19 cm) in diameter. The trophy has been awarded since 1887. It bears the inscription: "The All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Champion of the World." The Ladies' Singles champion receives a sterling silver salver commonly known as the "Venus Rosewater Dish", or simply the "Rosewater Dish". The salver, which is 18.75 inches (about 48 cm) in diameter, is decorated with figures from mythology. The winners of the Gentlemen's Doubles, Ladies' Doubles, and Mixed Doubles events receive silver cups. The runner-up in each event receives an inscribed silver plate. The trophies are usually presented by the President of the All England Club, The Duke of Kent, and by his sister, Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy. At Wimbledon, more prize money is awarded in the Gentlemen's events than in the Ladies' events.

The French Open also offered higher prize money for men until 2006, when it joined the Australian Open and the U.S. Open in offering equal prize money (but only for the Champions). In 2005, Wimbledon prize money exceeded £10 million (the exact amount was £10,085,510) in total for the first time. The sums awarded to the winners of each of the main events in 2006 are as follows (the amounts shown for the doubles events are per pair): Gentlemen's Singles: £655,000($1,208,726) The History Of The Championships, Wimbledon, Wimbledon History How did it all begin? The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club was founded in 1868 and is responsible for the world's leading tennis tournament. Lawn tennis, originally known as ‘Sphairistike, was invented by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield and was introduced at the Club in 1875. Two years later, the Club was renamed “The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club” and the first ever Lawn Tennis Championship took place.

A new code of laws was drawn up and most of these laws still stand today. During this first Championship, only one event took place; the Men’s Singles, which was won by Spencer Gore. Around 200 spectators paid one shilling each to watch the final. Just five years later, in 1882, the Club’s main activity became lawn tennis and so in 1884, the All England Club (by this point the word “croquet” had been dropped from their name) decided to add two further events; the Ladies' Singles and Gentlemen's Doubles (Ladies' Doubles and Mixed Doubles were added in 1913). By the early 1900s the Club had outgrown its home in Worple Road , Wimbledon , where it had been since its formation. A lot had changed since the first ever Lawn Tennis Championship in 1877 (in which the final attracted 200 spectators) and the old grounds were no longer able to cope with the huge crowds who flocked to the event each year. And so, in 1920, the decision to move was taken.

A site was chosen just a mile or so from the Worple Road site – and the major undertaking of designing and constructing the new Centre Court began. Well known architect Captain Stanley Peach was commissioned to design the new Centre Court . To convince the Club’s Committee, he built a huge scale model of Centre Court . His original blueprints for the Centre Court still exist (discovered recently in a basement storage area of the offices of Stanley Peach & Co). A driving force throughout the project was Commander George Hillyard, secretary of the Club since 1907 and once a men’s doubles finalist. Hillyard collaborated with Peach on the ambitious design and his mission for the Club was clear: ‘‘Let us look to it that we construct and equip our ground that it will immediately be recognised as the finest, not only in England Wimbledon is acknowledged to be the World’s premier tennis tournament and a Long Term Plan was unveiled in 1993 by the All England Lawn Tennis Club, which will improve the quality of the event for spectators, players, officials and neighbours in years to come. The first stage of the Plan was completed in time for the 1997 Championships and involved building the new No.

1 Court, a Broadcast Centre, two extra grass courts, and a tunnel under the hill to link Church Road Somerset Road . The second stage involved the removal of the old No. 1 Court complex in order to make way for the new Millennium Building to provide extensive facilities for the players, press, officials and Members, and also the extension of the West Stand of Centre Court, creating a further 728 seats. The third stage is currently under way with the recent redevelopment of the turnstile area, the construction of the new Museum Building at Gate 3, a permanent 2,600 sq ft Wimbledon Shop, Club offices and Ticket Office, an increase in Centre Court capacity from 13800 to 15000, and a new restaurant and bars. Rain has frequently interrupted play at The Championships and so this year, for the first time, a new retractable roof will be in use on Centre Court . During The Championships, this roof is to be kept primarily closed in an attempt to protect play from inclement. 2009 also sees an increase in the court’s capacity to 15,000 and the installation of new, wider padded seating for the comfort of the spectators.

Wimbledon Over the years, Wimbledon has developed many unique traditions, including: strawberries and cream , royal patronage, a strict dress code for competitors, and ball boys and girls. However, one not so popular tradition of the rain stopping play should hopefully be avoided in 2009, with the installation of a retractable roof on Centre Court . This will come as a relief after the 2008 Men’s Final lasted 7 hours, ending in darkness and making it the longest Men’s Final in history. The British are very proud of the tournament and such unique traditions help emphasise this fact but something we are no doubt less proud of is the fact that the Singles event hasn’t actually been won by a British man since Fred Perry in 1936 or a British woman since Virginia Wade in 1977. Previous FRED PERRY 1934, 1935, 1936 Ever since becoming world table-tennis champion as a 20-year-old in 1929 Fred Perry, the son a Labour MP, had set his sights on becoming as dominant on the larger stage.

He had been playing the game for only seven years when in 1934, aged 25, he won the first of his three consecutive singles titles at Wimbledon . His 1934 victory was against Crawford, the holder, in three sets in the final. The following year, he mastered the German, Baron Gottfried von Cramm, in the final in three sets. In 1936, Perry beat Don Budge in the semi-finals and in the final (the last singles Perry played in the Championships) he again beat von Cramm in straight sets. There never was a more effectively forceful British player. At Wimbledon he took three successive titles and won 21 consecutive singles. The record stood until Björn Borg, arrived on the scene in the 1970s and Perry was the first to congratulate him. BJöRN BORG 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980 Never in the history of lawn tennis did any player accomplish so much and in so brief a time as the Swede, Björn Borg.

He was more coolly dominating and ruthless at Wimbledon than any previous modern challenger, precociously successful in Paris and on clay courts, clinically efficient in the Davis Cup and entirely a sporting phenomenon. Only the US title was to escape his grasp: he lost in the final four times. Having won the junior tournament at Wimbledon in 1972 aged 16, it was in 1976 at his fourth attempt that Borg wove the first major strands in his unique Wimbledon tapestry. He lost a set to no-one, his victims including Guillermo Vilas, the hard serving Roscoe Tanner in the semis and the touch genius Ilie Nastase in the final. It would not be until 1981 that he next lost at Wimbledon . The span was from 1st July 1975, when Ashe beat him in the quarter finals, to 4th July 1981 with McEnroe his victor in the final: 41 matches in a continuity of victory and five successive titles! After the first Borg’s subsequent titles were more onerously gained. In 1977, he overcame the American Vitas Gerulaitis in a brilliant five set semi final.

In the final he survived in a five-setter against Jimmy Connors. In 1978 Borg made an awkward start in his opening match but proceeded dominantly to the final beating Connors again, this time quite easily. In 1979, the final also had the champion against the ropes, before Borg beat Tanner in five sets. In 1980 Borg had his notable confrontation with McEnroe in the final. It was among the best ever played at that stage. Borg won the final set by 8-6 to be champion for the fifth time. In 1981, though McEnroe at last got his hands on the famous gold cup with a victory in four sets. For Borg it was virtually the end. Only 25, the years of intense effort had taken their toll. Later, in 1981, he suddenly retired from the mainstream. Idolised by young spectators and awesomely admired by all, Borg’s legacy was immense. His example made the double fisted backhand and patience an orthodoxy.

His coolness under pressure, his speed about the court, his utter dependability from the back of the court through the use of heavy topspin, his fast reflexes on the volley, his formidable serve, his bloody-minded refusal to lose – all these attributes, honed to perfection by coach Lennart Bergelin – pointed the way forward. Björn Borg ranks as one of the giants of the game. PAT CASH 1987 Born in Melbourne, Australia in 1965, Patrick Hart Cash first came into the tennis spotlight in the early 1980s, and in 1981, he was ranked the top junior tennis player in the world. The following year, Cash won the junior titles at both Wimbledon and the US Open and the same year, he turned professional, going on to win his first top-level singles title in Melbourne. He soon established a reputation as a hard-fighting serve-and-volleyer and for wearing his trademark black-and-white checked headband and his cross earring.

In 1983, aged just 17, he became the youngest player ever to win a singles Davis Cup final and a year later he reached the men’s singles semi-finals at both Wimbledon and the US Open, losing to John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl respectively. He was also the runner-up in the Men’s Doubles competition at Wimbledon with McNamee and again the following year with Fitzgerald. In 1986, Cash claimed a 3-2 victory over Swede, Mikael Pernfors, in the Davis Cup and just a year later came the crowning in moment of his career, his triumph at the 1987 Wimbledon Championship, beating World No.1, Ivan Lendl in straight sets. This victory made him one of only a handful of players to win junior Wimbledon and senior Wimbledon singles titles (others include Stefan Edberg and Roger Federer). Pat Cash continued on the full-time circuit until his retirement in 1997, despite Achilles tendon, knee and back injuries. Since retiring, Cash now lives in London and has coached many top players, including Greg Rusedski and Mark Philippoussis.

Also during his retirement, he has opened a number of tennis academies and for The 2009 Championships, Keith Prowse is delighted to offer the exclusive opportunity for our guests to play tennis with Pat Cash on the morning of their visit to The Championships at the Speakeasy venue ; thereafter, Pat will join guests to discuss the order of play, his thoughts on the current players and sign autographs. ROGER FEDERER 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 The career of Roger Federer is still unfinished. By the close of 2008, still only 27, the Swiss superstar has already achieved tennis immortality. His total of 13 Grand Slam victories among the men is second only to Pete Sampras’s 14. By reaching the final of ten consecutive Grand Slam championships and winning Wimbledon and the US Open back-to-back four times in a row, he set records that may never be equalled. Until overtaken by Rafael Nadal in August 2008, Federer had been ranked number l in the world for 237 consecutive weeks.

There was early evidence that Roger had exceptional talent: in 1998 he won the junior singles and doubles titles at Wimbledon (only two others have done that). He also beat 17 times champion Pete Sampras in the fourth round at Wimbledon Two years later he joined Björn Borg, Pat Cash and Stefan Edberg as Wimbledon ’s only junior champions who went on the win the men’s singles. His victories over Andy Roddick in the semi final and Mark Philippousis now placed him at the top of the game. Between 2004 and 2007, the confidence factor lifted Federer to another level. His further Wimbledon final victims have been Andy Roddick (2004 and 2005) and Rafael Nadal (2006 and 2007). His five wins in a row equalled Björn Borg’s record in the 1980s and the Swede was present on Centre Court in the Royal Box to witness Federer’s feat in 2007.

Even when his reign came to an end in 2008 at the hands of an inspired Nadal, Federer produced a performance of heroic proportions as he came back from two sets down and saved two match points in the fourth-set tiebreak before going down 9 7 in the fifth set of a compelling battle full of glorious shot making. Two months later, a fifth consecutive US Open triumph saved Federer’s year. A natural athlete, Federer’s speed of thought and movement, when allied to an abundant talent with the racket, give him options that others envy. Many consider that we have been witnessing the greatest striker of a tennis ball who ever lived. As with Sampras, however, there is one piece still missing; the French Open title on clay has eluded his grasp, losing three finals in a row to Rafael Nadal. Perhaps his two finest weapons are his serve and his forehand. Both are hit with easy grace; both are deadly. A strong right wrist allows him to apply fizzing topspin on the forehand when necessary to create sharp angles; it also produces heavy slice or topspin on the serve. Federer has reminded us all how beautiful this game can be.

British Tennis Players As one of the four major tennis tournaments, and possibly the toughest, Wimbledon is the tournament that all players set out to win during their career. Winning a singles title at the Championships automatically assures that a player goes down in Wimbledon tennis history. The first Wimbledon Men’s Singles champion was British player, Spencer Gore, who won the first title back in 1877 and for the next 40 years, British males dominated the title. This was probably due to that fact that it was predominantly British males who entered the Championships in its early years. However, between 1907 and 1912 this trend changed and Australian players, Norman Brookes and Arthur Wilding, kick-started the dominance of international male players. Since then, few British tennis players have earned the title Men’s Singles Champion. Fred Perry was the last British Men’s Singles Champion, winning the title for the third and final time in 1936. This is something which has become a long-standing joke among the British media in the weeks preceding the Championship as over the years, many British players have tried and failed to win the title.

Virginia Wade was the last British tennis player to win Wimbledon , winning the Ladies Singles title in the tournament’s centenary year. Throughout her long and successful career she won three Grand Slam singles titles and four Grand Slam doubles titles but winning Wimbledon in 1977 was the pinnacle of her career Since Wade, no British play has won the Championships but perhaps the player who has come closest to claiming the title in recent years is Tim Henman. Henman appeared in four semi finals of Wimbledon ; however, he never managed to get into a final. Andy Murray is currently ranked the highest British player. In 2006, Murray reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time and last year he was knocked out at the quarter finals stage by eventual champion, Rafael Nadal. Could he become Britain ’s next Wimbledon Champion in 2009? When Does The Tournament Take Place ? Every year, the tournament begins on the Monday which falls between 20 and 26 June and is scheduled to last 14 days. Traditionally, there is no play on the “Middle Sunday” as this is considered to be a rest day.

This tradition has only been broken three times in the history of the Championships; in 1991, 1997 and 2004, when rain forced play. The Grounds All of the nineteen courts which are used for Wimbledon are made of rye grass and the two main courts, Centre Court and No. 1 Court, are usually only used for the two weeks of the Championships (although under exceptional circumstances, play can be extended into a third week). The other seventeen courts are used throughout the year for other events. Today, Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam event still played on grass courts. opened in 1922 when the Club moved from Worple Road to Church Road . It usually plays host to both the semi-finals and the finals of each of the main events, as well as many of the earlier matches. At the south end of the court is the Royal Box from which members of the Royal Family and other dignitaries are able to watch. No.1 Court The second most important court is No. 1 Court.

The current court was built in 1997 with an increased capacity of 11,000 Ball boys and ball girls Each year, ball boys and girls play an essential role in the smooth running of The Championships and since 1969 have been provided by local schools, having an average age of 15. Prospective candidates are nominated by their headteacher and must undergo and series of written and fitness tests before being selected Wimbledon Dark green and purple are the traditional colours of Wimbledon . Until 2005, Green clothing was worn by the chair umpire, linesmen, ball boys and ball girls but in 2006 a new navy blue and cream uniform designed by Ralph Lauren was introduced. Trophies The Men’s Singles champion receives a silver gilt cup. This trophy has been awarded since 1887 and bears the inscription: "The All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Champion of the World." The Ladies' Singles champion receives a sterling silver salver commonly known as the "Venus Rosewater Dish". The salver is decorated with figures from mythology. Winners of the Men's Doubles, Ladies' Doubles, and Mixed Doubles events receive silver cups.

The runner-up in each event receives an inscribed silver plate. The trophies are usually presented by the President of the All England Club, The Duke of Kent, and by his sister, Princess Alexandra, the Honourable Lady Ogilvy. Hospitality at WIMBLEDON WIMBLEDON The Championships, Wimbledon, commonly referred to as simply "Wimbledon", is the oldest and arguably most prestigious event in the sport of tennis . Held every June or July (starts 6 weeks before the first Monday in August), the tournament is the third Grand Slam event played each year, preceded by the Australian Open and the French Open, and followed by the U.S. Open. The tournament (which is the only one of the Grand Slam events played on grass) lasts for two weeks, subject to extensions for rain. Separate tournaments are simultaneously held for Gentlemen's Singles, Ladies' Singles, Gentlemen's Doubles, Ladies' Doubles and Mixed Doubles. Youth tournaments ï¿½ Boys' Singles, Girls' Singles, Boys' Doubles and Girls' Doubles ï¿½ are also held.

Additionally, special invitational tournaments are held: the 35 and over Gentlemen's Doubles, 45 and over Gentlemen's Doubles, 35 and over Ladies' Doubles and wheelchair doubles. Wimbledon Championships close of play 2004 History The Championships were first played under the control of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 1877 at a ground near Worple Road, Wimbledon; the only event held was Gentlemen's Singles. In 1884, the All England Club added Ladies' Singles and Gentlemen's Doubles. Ladies' Doubles and Mixed Doubles were added in 1913. The Championships moved to their present location, at a ground near Church Road, in 1922. As with the other three Grand Slam events, Wimbledon was contested by top-ranked amateur players until the advent of the open era in tennis in 1968. Britons are very proud of the tournament but it is a source of national anguish and humour ï¿½ no British man has won the singles event at Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936, and no British woman since Virginia Wade in 1977.

Events There are five main events held at Wimbledon: Gentlemen's Singles, Ladies' Singles, Gentlemen's Doubles, Ladies' Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. In addition, four events are held for juniors: Boys' Singles, Girls' Singles, Boys' Doubles, and Girls' Doubles. (The Mixed Doubles event is not held at the junior level.) Finally, four invitational events are held: the 35 and over Gentlemen's Invitation Doubles, the 45 and over Gentlemen's Invitation Doubles, the 35 and over Ladies' Invitation Doubles, and the Wheelchair Gentlemen's Invitation Doubles. Matches in the Gentlemen's Singles and Gentlemen's Doubles competitions are best-of-five sets; matches in all other events are best-of-three sets. Most events are single-elimination tournaments; in other words, a player who loses a single match is immediately eliminated from the tournament. However, the 35 and over Gentlemen's Invitation Doubles and the 35 and over Ladies' Invitation Doubles are both round-robin tournaments. Each year, the tournament begins six weeks before the first Monday in August.

It is held two weeks after the Queen's Club Championships, which is considered the major warm-up for Wimbledon for male players. Another important warm-up tournament for the men is the Gerry Weber Open, which is held in Halle, Germany at about the same time as the Queen's Club Championships. Wimbledon usually lasts for two weeks; the main events span both weeks, but the junior and invitational events are for the most part held during the second week. Traditionally, there is no play on the "Middle Sunday," which is considered a rest day. However, rain has forced play on the Middle Sunday thrice in Championships history: in 1991, 1997, and 2004. On each of these occasions, Wimbledon has staged a "People's Sunday", with unreserved seating and readily available, inexpensive tickets. Players and seeding A total of 128 players feature in each singles event, 64 pairs in each single-sex doubles event, and 48 pairs in Mixed Doubles. Players and doubles pairs are admitted to the main events on the basis of their international rankings. The Committee of Management and the Referee evaluate all applications for entry, and determine which players may be admitted to the tournament directly.

The committee may admit a player without a high enough ranking as a wild card. Usually, wild cards are players who have performed well during previous tournaments, or would stimulate public interest in Wimbledon by participating. The only wild card to win the Gentlemen's Singles Championship was Goran Ivanisevic (2001); no wild card has ever won the Ladies' Singles Title. Players and pairs who neither have high enough rankings nor receive wild cards may participate in a qualifying tournament held one week before Wimbledon at the Bank of England Sports Ground in Roehampton. The singles qualifying competitions are three-round events; the same-sex doubles competitions last for only one round. There is no qualifying tournament for Mixed Doubles. No qualifier has won either the Gentlemen's Singles or the Ladies' Singles tournaments; in 1977, John McEnroe went farther than any other qualifier in history by reaching the semifinals. Players are admitted to the junior tournaments upon the recommendations of their national tennis associations, and, in the case of the singles events, on the basis of a qualifying competition. The Committee of Management determines which players may enter the four invitational events.

The Committee seeds the top players and pairs (thirty-two players in each main singles events, and sixteen pairs in each main doubles event) on the basis of their rankings. The defending champion is normally, but not always, seeded first. A majority of the entrants are unseeded. Only two unseeded players have ever won the Gentlemen's Singles Championship: Boris Becker in 1985 and Goran Ivanisevic in 2001. No unseeded player has captured the Ladies' Singles title; the lowest seeded female champion was Venus Williams, who won in 2005 as the fourteenth seed. Unseeded pairs have won the doubles titles on numerous occasions; the 2005 Gentlemen's Doubles champions were not only unseeded, but also (for the first time ever) qualifiers. Grounds The nineteen courts used for Wimbledon are all composed purely of rye grass. The speed and the low bounce of grass courts favours serve and volley players. Serve and volleyers such as Rod Laver, John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, and Pete Sampras have all won the Championships.

However, baseliners such as Bjï¿½rn Borg have also performed very well, as have all-court players like Roger Federer. Among women, the serve and volley strategy is less common; one of the few female serve and volleyers, Martina Navrï¿½tilovï¿½, won Wimbledon on a record nine occasions. The main show courts, Centre Court and No. 1 Court, are used only for two weeks a year, during the Championships. The remaining seventeen courts, however, are regularly used for other events hosted by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam event played on grass courts. At one time, all of the other Grand Slam events were played on grass. The French Open abandoned grass for its current red clay in 1928, while the U.S. and Australian Opens stayed with grass decades longer. The U.S. Open abandoned grass for a synthetic clay surface in 1975, and changed again to a hard surface with its 1978 move to its current venue. The Australian Open abandoned grass for a different type of hard surface in 1988.

The main court, Centre Court, was opened in 1922 when the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club moved from Worple Road to Church Road. Due to possibility of rain during Wimbledon, a retractable roof is planned for the court; it is expected to be completed in 2009. The court has a capacity of almost 14,000; at its south end is the Royal Box, from which members of the Royal Family and other dignitaries watch matches. Centre Court usually hosts the finals and semifinals of the main events, as well as many matches in the earlier rounds involving top-seeded players. The second most important court is No. 1 Court. The court was constructed in 1997 to replace the old No. 1 Court, which was adjacent to Centre Court, but was demolished because its capacity for spectators was too low. The original No. 1 Court was said to have a unique, more intimate atmosphere, and was a favourite of many players. The new No. 1 Court has a capacity of approximately 11,000. The third-largest court, No.

2 Court, has been dubbed the "Graveyard of Champions" due to its reputation as the court on which many seeded players have been eliminated during the early rounds. Famous players who have lost on the Graveyard during early round play include John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, and Serena Williams. The court has a capacity of about 3,000. At the northern end of the grounds is a giant television screen on which important matches are broadcast. Fans watch from an area of grass officially known as Aorangi Park, but more commonly called Henman Hill. The "hill" takes its name from local favourite Tim Henman, whom many fans hope will become the first British man to win the tournament since Fred Perry did so in 1936. Due to Tim Henman's early exit and British newcomer Andy Murray's relative success in the 2005 Championship, the hill may be renamed as Murray Mound, Mount Murray, or Murray Field (after the Scottish rugby stadium). The order of play for all courts is displayed on boards around the grounds Dark green and purple (sometimes also referred as mauve) are the traditional Wimbledon colours.

Green apparel is worn by the chair umpire, linesmen, ball boys, and ball girls. The All England Club requires players to wear "predominantly white" clothing during matches. No other Grand Slam tournament has such a strict dress code for players. During matches, female players are always referred to with the title "Miss" or "Mrs". (Formerly, married female players were referred to by their husband's names: for example, Chris Evert-Lloyd appeared on scoreboards as "Mrs. J. M. Lloyd" during her marriage to John M. Lloyd. However, this custom has been abandoned.) On the other hand, the title "Mr" is never used for male players. Previously, players bowed or curtsied to members of the Royal Family seated in the Royal Box upon entering or leaving Centre Court. In 2003, however, the President of the All England Club, HRH The Duke of Kent, decided to discontinue the tradition. Now, players are required to bow or curtsy only if the Queen or the Prince of Wales is present. For the spectators, strawberries and cream is the traditional snack at Wimbledon.

Approximately 28,000 kilograms of strawberries and 7,000 litres of cream are sold each year during the Championships. Since 1992 Radio Wimbledon has broadcast commentary, speech and music from 7am to 10pm daily throughout the championship. It can be heard within a four-mile radius on 87.7 FM and also online Trophies and prize money The Gentlemen's Singles champion receives a silver gilt cup 18.5 inches (about 47 cm) in height and 7.5 inches (about 19 cm) in diameter. The trophy has been awarded since 1887. It bears the inscription "The All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Champion of the World." The Ladies' Singles champion receives a sterling silver salver commonly known as the "Venus Rosewater Dish," or simply the "Rosewater Dish." The salver, which is 18.75 inches (about 48 cm) in diameter, is decorated with figures from mythology. The winners of the Gentlemen's Doubles, Ladies' Doubles, and Mixed Doubles events receive silver cups. The runner-up in each event receives an inscribed silver plate.

The trophies are usually presented by the President of the All England Club, HRH The Duke of Kent, and by his wife, HRH The Duchess of Kent. At Wimbledon, more prize money is awarded in the Gentlemen's events than in the Ladies' events. This is justified by the rules that men must win 3 out of 5 sets to win a match, whereas women only need to win 2 out of 3. The French Open also offered higher prize money for men until 2006, when it joined the Australian Open and the U.S. Open in offering equal prize money. In 2005 Wimbledon prize money exceeded ï¿½10 million (the exact amount was ï¿½10,085,510) in total for the first time.

The sums awarded to the winners of each of the main events in 2005 are as follows (the amounts shown for the doubles events are per pair): 2005 Prize Money Summary: Gentlemen's Singles: ï¿½650,000 Ladies' Singles: ï¿½625,000 Gentlemen's Doubles: ï¿½218,500 Ladies' Doubles: ï¿½203,250 Mixed Doubles: ï¿½90,000

Question: What is the name of the sterling silver salver awarded to the Wimbledon Ladies' Singles champion?
Answer: Venus Rosewater Dish