Controversial Court's anniversary is conundrum at Australian Open

Margaret Court is one of Australia's greatest athletes, but celebrating 50 years since she won all four Grand Slam titles in a season is posing a dilemma for Australian Open organisers with her conservative views angering the tennis world.

Court's comments, including that the devil controls the government and media, and that tennis is "full of lesbians", threaten to impinge on a legacy that includes a record 24 Grand Slam titles.

Court, who is now 77 and a church pastor, swept all four majors in 1970 -- a feat matched by only four other players.

But marking the 50th anniversary is not proving straightforward, even at the event where she won 11 of her 24 Grand Slam trophies and where one of the stadiums bears her name.

Court has drawn condemnation for remarks that transgender children are the result of a Nazi-style plot, and that she would boycott national airline Qantas for its CEO's support of same-sex marriage, which Australia introduced in 2017.

Her stances have enraged some of her fellow tennis greats including Billie Jean King, the founder of the Women's Tennis Association who called for Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena to be renamed.

"Shame on Margaret," tweeted Martina Navratilova, after video of Court criticising transgender children and athletes surfaced last month.

"We don't need to change or rewrite history when it comes to anyone's accomplishments but we do not need to celebrate them," added Navratilova, a staunch supporter of gay rights.

"Margaret Court is hiding behind her Bible as many have done before her and will do after her." - Popular Laver -
=================