SUMMARY
- Margaret Court's surprise appearance at the 2024 Australian Open with a disruption during Novak Djokovic's match, led to renewed controversy.
- Court's polarizing views, particularly against the LGBTQ+ community had sparked a backlash from the tennis community in 2020.
The Australian Open 2024 took an unexpected turn recently as the legendary Margaret Court emerged in the front row of Rod Laver Arena during Novak Djokovic’s match. It wasn’t long before her phone rang, disrupting Novak Djokovic’s match and making her presence felt.
Seated alongside her husband, Barrymore Court, and tennis great Rod Laver, Margaret Court’s presence in the front row was a reminder of her illustrious history in the sport. However, Margaret Court’s return to the Australian Open after four years was a controversial incident that caught the tournament organizers off guard.
Tennis Australia’s lack of prior knowledge about Court’s attendance sparked speculation about her unofficial presence and the controversies surrounding her exclusion from official announcements. The incident reignited calls to ban the 81-year-old tennis icon due to her polarizing views, particularly her public stance against the LGBTQ+ community.
This controversy echoed the events of 2020, when a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of her Calendar Grand Slam and renaming a Melbourne Park arena in her name stirred an extensive backlash, prompting Tennis Australia to issue a statement distancing themselves from her personal views. In 1970, she became the first woman in the Open Era to win a Calendar Grand Slam.
However, Margaret Court’s history of gender-phobic remarks and opposition to LGBTQ+ rights became a focal point of being a polarizing figure in the sport. In 2017, she boycotted Australian airline Qantas for supporting same-sex marriage, and in a subsequent Christian radio show appearance, she made inflammatory comments about the LGBTQ+ community.
Despite her GOAT status, the tension between her personal beliefs and the values of equality, diversity, and inclusion as championed by Tennis Australia deepened the controversy surrounding Margaret Court at the Grand Slam.
Tennis community backlash
The controversy surrounding Margaret Court’s presence during the Australian Open dates back to her age-old homophobic remarks. Many in the tennis community had sought to distance the sport from her controversial views. The arena, named after the 11-time AO champion, served as a constant reminder of Court’s contributions to tennis.
However, high-profile figures and retired players, including John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova, advocated for the renaming of the arena in 2020 to Goolagong Arena, shedding light on the ongoing tension surrounding the issue. They held a signboard in the name of Evonne Goolagong, who was another Australian tennis legend with a distinguished career, winning four Australian Open titles.
Andy Murray voiced his opinion too, stating, “I don’t know who makes the final decision on that, but I don’t think her values are what tennis stands for.” Andy Murray’s endorsement of doing away with Court’s name from the arena emphasized aligning sports with progressive views.
What were Margaret Court’s controversial views?
In 2017, she openly boycotted Australian airline Qantas, stating, “I am disappointed that Qantas has become an active promoter for same-sex marriage.” On a Christian radio show, she made headlines with statements such as “Tennis is full of lesbians” and “Transgender children are the work of the devil.”
In 2020, while honoring Margaret Court, Tennis Australia categorically clarified its position. The Australian Open tournament director, Craig Tiley, announced that the decision to rename the arena in Court’s name was solely based on her tennis achievements.
