The Australian Open officially kicks off today, but the lead-up to the competition has already seen a few matches off the courts, mostly surrounding controversial figure Margaret Court.
We've already reported that Court won't be attending this year, instead opting to spend some time at her holiday house. Court said the decision had nothing to do with the criticism she received for her strong, conservative views regarding marriage equality and the wider LGBTQI+ community, though many suspect Court skipped the Grand Slam due to Tennis Australia distancing themselves from her last year.
Now, Court is back in the headlines once again, as longtime tennis rival Billie Jean King has called for Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena to be renamed.
At a press conference last week, King said: "I was fine until lately when she said so many derogatory things about my community -- I’m a gay woman -- about the LBGTIQ community. That really went deep in my heart and soul".
"I personally don't think she should have (her name on the stadium) anymore."
Last year King was the subject of the film Battle of the Sexes, based on the true events leading up to her match with proud chauvinist Bobby Riggs. King, a longtime champion of closing the gender pay gap in tennis, played Riggs to raise awareness for the disparity in competition prizes for men and women.
Before King played and (spoilers) eventually won against Riggs, Riggs sought out the reigning number one champion, who had recently beat King in a match -- and yep, at the time it was Margaret Court.
The film juxtaposed the two women, with Court's emphasis on traditional family values being held up to King struggling with her sexuality.
"I think it’s really important to be your authentic self. It took me a long time with my own sexuality," King said during the press conference, "Until I was 51 to feel comfortable in my own skin, and shame-based things are very difficult. That’s the last thing we need".
Court has antagonised many professional players, including King and Martina Navratilova. Both players said if they were playing today they wouldn't play on the court, however, King refused to call for a boycott, instead saying that players today should "seek out their own heart and mind".
Navratilova also called for the court to change names, saying, "keep her in the Hall of Fame but you do not name a building after her".
During the marriage equality debate, Court was a vocal critic of LGBTQI+ rights, while claiming tennis was "full of lesbians" as well as accusing players of taking "young ones into parties," as well as calling trans children "the work of the devil".
Tennis Australia denied that there were any plans to rename Margaret Court Arena, however, King reiterated her position, saying it was a matter of making people feel welcome.
"If you’re going to have your name on anything that you’re hospitable, you’re inclusive, you open your arms to everyone that comes. It’s a public facility."
