History has a haunting way of repeating itself, and once again, it has caught the tennis world off guard. Not long ago, Coco Gauff’s dream moment at Roland Garros was shattered when she realized the French Open trophy she’d lifted wasn’t actually hers to keep. Now, it’s happened again, but this time, under the pristine skies of Wimbledon. And the name at the center of the shock? Iga Świątek, the reigning queen of clay… and now, the newest champion with a missing prize. What? Well, you read it right!

On July 12, 2025, Świątek stepped onto Centre Court and delivered what can only be described as a tennis annihilation. Her opponent, American Amanda Anisimova, barely stood a chance. In just 57 minutes, Swiatek sealed a mind-numbing 6-0, 6-0 victory—a double bagel in a Wimbledon final, something so rare it left the crowd breathless. The cheers were deafening. Cameras captured every second as Swiatek stood tall, hoisting the iconic Venus Rosewater Dish high above her head. But little did she know… she wouldn’t be holding it for long. With the trophy in hand, Swiatek made her way to the southeast balcony, ready to show it off to the world. What she didn’t realize was that her time with it was already ticking away.

Snap. The magic cracked. Marion Bartoli, 2013 Wimbledon champion, dropped a bomb that froze the moment in time: “But she can’t keep it…This one goes back into the trophy gallery.” Wait… what? The trophy Iga Świątek had just fought for, crushing her opponent, wasn’t hers to keep? Exactly. Why?

Like every Wimbledon champion before her, Iga Świątek learned the hard way that the real Venus Rosewater Dish never leaves the All England Club. Only one original exists, locked away in the trophy gallery. What would she get instead? A replica, three-quarters the size. Why this rule?

It all started back in the 1880s; legends like William Renshaw won consecutive titles and kept the trophies permanently, including the original Field Cup and its successor. Faced with the loss of these irreplaceable trophies, the All England Club decided in 1887 to introduce “perpetual” trophies—the originals remain on-site forever, securely housed in Wimbledon’s trophy gallery. Today, this tradition continues: champions are celebrated on court with the actual trophies, photographed and cheered, but then the trophies are gently returned to Wimbledon staff.

So yes, after basking in her hard-earned triumph, trophy in hand, Iga Świątek’s fairytale moment took an unexpected turn. Almost as if scripted by fate, All England Club CEO Sally Bolton quietly approached and took the trophy from her hands. Bartoli chuckled, “You have to give it back now!” Świątek, of course, still goes home with a symbol of her triumph, a beautifully engraved replica bearing the names of past legends. “It’s only three-quarters size,” Bartoli confirmed, “but it’s still beautiful.” Beautiful, yes. After a win as ruthless and historic as hers, Świątek’s brief time with the trophy may now feel like the only thing that was truly fleeting. And surprisingly, she’s not alone; just weeks earlier, Coco Gauff experienced the exact same thing.

The trophy was Coco Gauff’s until history stepped in

On June 8, 2025, Coco Gauff claimed her first Grand Slam singles title by defeating Iga Świątek in the French Open final at Roland Garros. It was a landmark moment, not only for Gauff’s career but also for American tennis, as she became the first American woman since Serena Williams to win the French Open. During the post-match ceremony, Gauff was handed the Coupe Suzanne-Lenglen, the iconic trophy awarded to the women’s singles champion in Paris. She smiled, posed with it, and lifted it high for the world to see. But just like Wimbledon, the French Open follows a long-standing tradition: the trophy awarded on-court is not the one the champion gets to keep.

A few days after the final, Coco Gauff revealed this in a playful yet slightly shocked TikTok video that went viral. In it, she held up the tiny version of the trophy she received and said: “This is the trophy that you guys see… but actually, we don’t get to take this home… It’s like a mini replica of the trophy… Really small… It’s the memories that matter the most.” The replica she showed was barely bigger than a water bottle, leaving many surprised that such a monumental achievement came with such a modest keepsake. It sparked curiosity and debate across social media, with many asking the same thing: Can athletes refuse to give back the original trophy?

If an athlete ever refused to return the original Wimbledon trophy, the tournament organizers would have the legal and logistical authority to reclaim it immediately, likely with the help of staff or security. Such an act could result in serious consequences, including fines, suspension, or even a ban from future events. While no champion has ever taken that route, Roger Federer did push for change in 2018, not through rebellion, but by action, personally funding a larger, three-quarter-sized replica after calling the original one “very small.” Thanks to him, champions like Iga Świątek now receive a more fitting version of tennis glory.

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