I won my first @wimbledon women’s singles title on July 2, 1966.

Holding aloft the Venus Rosewater Dish, was truly a dream come true.

The Venus Rosewater Dish was first presented to the women’s champion in 1886. It’s made of sterling silver, and is partially gilded and decorated with an intricate mythological design.

Contrary to what the name implies, none of the mythical figures on the dish is Venus. Instead, the female figure seated in the center of the dish represents temperance. She’s surrounded by the four elements (earth, water, air, and fire), and on the rim are the seven liberal arts: grammar, rhetoric, logic, geometry, arithmetic, music and astrology.

The winner does not keep the trophy, which remains here in the clubhouse. Instead, she receives a smaller replica of it.

Who do you think will hold this beauty in her hands today?

#wimbledon #venusrosewaterdish #historymatters #tennishistory #tennis #Wimbledon

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