As the 139th Wimbledon Championships approach, tennis fans worldwide are gearing up for one of the sport’s most prestigious and eagerly anticipated tournaments.

This year, Jannik Sinner must be considered the stand-out favourite to claim the coveted Gentlemen’s Singles title, especially given Carlos Alcaraz won’t be playing due to injury. However, the Italian himself was not at his full fitness during the recent French Open, which saw him eliminated in the early rounds.

With the tournament promising high drama and fierce competition, it also invites curiosity about one of tennis’ most distinctive symbols, the pineapple atop the Wimbledon men’s singles trophy.

So why does this trophy, unlike any other in sport, feature a pineapple as its centrepiece?

Pineapple on Top of Wimbledon Trophy

The answer lies deep in British history and tradition. In 19th-century Britain, pineapples were rare and highly prized as symbols of wealth, prestige, and hospitality.

Imported at great expense, they were often displayed at grand events as a sign of welcome and honour, an embrace worthy of the landed gentry, if you would.

Incorporating a pineapple into the design of the Wimbledon trophy was a nod to this symbolism, representing the warm reception and high esteem afforded to the tournament’s champion.

Additionally, the pineapple was a popular decorative motif in British silverware and architecture during the era when the trophy was first created. Its inclusion was likely both a fashionable flourish and a meaningful emblem, giving the Wimbledon trophy a unique identity.

As the 2026 Championships unfold on the grass courts of SW19 this week, fans will not only witness thrilling contests between tennis’ top-ranked stars, but also see the awarding of a trophy steeped in tradition and rich symbolism.

Whether captivated by the action on the court, or intrigued by the story behind the trophy’s pineapple, Wimbledon offers a blend of history, prestige, and sporting excellence like no other.

The pro-wrestling industry has been very vocal in its praise following Sami Zayn‘s crowning as WWE Champion, who became the company’s 19th Grand Slam champion in the process.

On Saturday afternoon in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Zayn came up against and defeated both Cody Rhodes and Gunther in a triple threat match in the main event of the Night of Champions to secure his first world title in WWE.

Towards the end of what was a high-octane, entertaining match, it looked like Zayn was going to get dropped with a Cross Rhodes. However, the Canadian wrestler managed to counter it into a pin and get the three-count to claim the victory, sending him and the crowd into raptures.

Fellow WWE Superstars React to Sami Zayn’s Historic Win

Following his victory, stars across the wrestling world have come out to heap praise and congratulations on Zayn. Chief among those was Kevin Owens.

Owens and Zayn have a storied history together over their time in WWE, and even well before that. They established themselves in the wrestling industry at the same time and have been both rivals and partners at various stages over their years as wrestlers.

After Zayn secured the win, Owens posted a heartwarming message to congratulate his longtime friend.

“I’ve missed a lot of things I wish I hadn’t in the last 15 months because of this injury, but today is, by far, the one I wish I had been there for the most,” Owens wrote on X.

Owens has been out of action since April 2025 as he recovers from a neck injury and the subsequent surgery, but to see his friend win the world title has clearly given him a great deal of happiness and cause to rejoice.

Owens is not the only one who took to social media to show their support and love for Zayn. Becky Lynch wrote: “I was crying tears of joy then, and I’m crying tears of joy now! So well deserved! Congratulations Sami Zayn!”

Matthew Rehwoldt wrote: “Underdog from the underground… now on top of the world. Congrats champ. Sami Zayn Forever”

On the Night of Champions post-show, Big E, a former WWE Champion himself, weighed in on El Generico’s victory and rise to the top.

“Sami’s overcome a lot of nevers. When I was in the locker room for the longest time, we knew who El Generico was, we knew about his work on the indies, but there was always, ‘He’s not the WWE mould. He’ll never be signed here.’

”He finally comes to WWE: ‘Okay, he’s a good hand. He can put on these great matches in the mid-card, but he’ll never be World Champion.’

The overarching theme of Zayn’s victory and the praise he has received, is how much of an underdog story it is. He entered at the bottom where most didn’t give him a chance and came out on top. The eloquent, heartfelt messages he has received, with Kevin Owens’ standing out, highlight the indelible mark he has made on the industry and why he is a well-deserved champion.

Plenty of names were thrown into the conversation about who is the best player in the world heading into the 2026 World Cup, with several of the usual stars catching the eye and forcing their way into discussions.

Performances from the usual suspects in the group stage from players like Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Vinicius Junior have the debate among pundits as alive as ever over who is truly setting the tournament apart.

One man who certainly isn’t shying away from giving his verdict is former Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and he has been left in no doubt after watching a teenager over the course of the last few years.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Believes Lamine Yamal is the Best

Heiko Becker Via Reuters

That player is Lamine Yamal, who wasted little time announcing himself on the biggest stage. The Barcelona winger needed just 10 minutes to open the scoring in Spain’s 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia, becoming the eighth-youngest player to score at a World Cup.

Having already dealt with fitness concerns heading into the tournament and only managing 19 minutes in Spain’s 0-0 draw with Cape Verde, Yamal’s 45-minute display against the Saudis was enough to convince Ibrahimovic that he’s watching the best player on the planet.

Why Zlatan Rates Lamine Yamal So Highly

Ibrahimovic, never shy about sharing strong opinions, be that as a player or a pundit, explained exactly what sets Yamal apart from his rivals in this conversation, right before his opener in his first World Cup start.

It’s not the first time the Swede has gone out of his way to praise the teenager, either. Before the tournament, Ibrahimovic had already flagged Yamal as the player he was most desperate to watch.

With backing like that from one of football’s best-ever strikers, the rest of the world may need to start catching up to Zlatan’s verdict.