Margaret Court in her playing days and, inset, as she is today. She is now a Pentecostal minister. ,,,
The most successful women’s tennis player of all time has revealed how she’s shunned within the game for sharing her Christian views.
Margaret Court won 24 major titles, a feat unlikely to be beaten any time soon after Serena Williams hinted at her retirement from the game while stuck on 23 majors.
Australian Court, now aged 80, is a Pentecostal pastor who has attracted controversy over her views on same-sex marriage, with the LGBT community among the fiercest critics amid a campaign to have Melbourne Park’s Margaret Court Arena renamed. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull rejected those calls, saying the name celebrated Margaret Court as a tennis player.
But tennis great Martina Navratilova joined the detractors, declaring Court’s “myopic view is truly frightening”, and was joined by legendary player John McEnroe. Google Maps, meanwhile, quietly changed the court’s name to the Evonne Goolagong Arena.
Such public disapproval continues behind the scenes of tennis, said Court, who has served as pastor at Victory Life Centre, Perth, Western Australia, since 1995.
“I was at Wimbledon this year and nobody even spoke to me,” she told the Daily Telegraph. “The French Open didn’t invite me, the US Open didn’t invite me.
“I think people worry that I’m going to preach the gospel or something. But I love just helping young people. I’ve helped people overcome depression, helped repair broken lives. There are many people in sport who need help. But in sport, it’s as if they’re fearful of somebody being a Christian. How sad.”
She added: “A lot of the press and television today, particularly in tennis, don’t want to mention my name. It’s only when they have to, because I still hold so many records.
“But the honour has not been there for what I did do. In my own nation, I have been given titles, but they would still rather not mention me.
“I think a lot of it is because of being a minister and making a stand for my beliefs. I have had a lot of bullying. But we should be able to say what we believe.
“You still get bullied by LGBT groups. Even when I’m helping the poor, some companies are not allowed to give my church things because of my name.”
The public comments that prompted the backlash included announcing a boycott of Australian national airline Qantas for its backing of same-sex marriage.
Despite the controversy, Court’s sticking to her views.
“I became a Christian when I was No 1 in the world. You will never change me from that. This is what I believe and what the Bible says. People miss out on the reality, which can be so wonderful in your life.
“I loved my tennis days; I believe it was a gift from God. And I love what I do today.”
