Jannik Sinner had the iconic Wimbledon winner's trophy taken away from him barely half an hour after receiving it, because players do not get to keep the actual trophy. They are instead gifted a smaller replica of the iconic 18-inch cup which bears the names of all past champions. The All England Lawn Tennis Club decided in the 1880s that the trophy would never become the property of the winner again, after Wimbledon's first two trophies—the Field Cup and the Challenge Cup—were claimed by William Renshaw, who twice won the grass-court Grand Slam three years in a row.
Sinner Becomes Back-to-Back Champion
Sinner became a back-to-back champion on Sunday by beating recent French Open victor Alexander Zverev 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4. But despite having won the major in 2025 and 2026, that does not grant him the right to take the trophy home with him. After the match, Sinner was first shown the updated honour board in the Centre Court tunnel by Debbie Jevans, chair of the All England Club, before being whisked off upstairs by outgoing AELTC chief executive Sally Bolton to speak to Prince William, Princess Kate, and their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Celebration and Trophy Handover
After that, the world No. 1 posed for photographs on the balcony, showing off the shiny golden trophy to a huge crowd gathered below. Sinner then got the chance to enjoy the moment with his team, including coach Darren Cahill. Watching the 24-year-old celebrate with his team, Tim Henman said on BBC One: "He's done well to hold on to the trophy that long." And just as the former British No. 1 said that, Bolton reappeared to take it back off him. Henman added: "Sally Bolton the chief executive, there she goes. 'You've had enough of that!'"
Replica Trophy for Sinner
BBC host Clare Balding chimed in: "That's it for another year! He'll get the three-quarter-sized replica which will go home with him. He can eat pineapples with a smile on his face for the rest of his life." The tradition of keeping the original trophy at Wimbledon dates back to the 1880s, ensuring that the iconic cup remains on display for future generations.
