Autographed photo of tennis player Virginia Wade

Virginia Wade is a former British professional tennis player, then a sports commentator. In 1982, Virginia Wade became the first woman in history to join the organizing committee of the Wimbledon tournament. She continued her administrative activities after finishing her sports career.

In 1977, Virginia Wade became the champion of the Wimbledon tournament. This year, two important dates fell at once: the centenary of the tournament and the 25th anniversary of the reign of Elizabeth II. In this regard, the queen herself attended the game, although she never hid her lack of interest in this sport. It was only the second time that Elizabeth II visited Wimbledon. Having beaten her Dutch opponent Betty Stove in two sets out of three, Virginia Wade became the first British champion of the tournament in the last eight years. The Rosewater dish (a trophy at the Wimbledon Championships) was personally presented to the tennis player by Elizabeth II. The victory was celebrated all over Britain, and Virginia Wade herself was recognized as the Athlete of the Year in the UK. Later in an interview, the tennis player confessed: "Winning Wimbledon was what made my career worthwhile."