Margaret Court boycotts Australian Open after gay marriage

Tennis legend Margaret Court will not be in attendance at this year’s Australian Open – despite having one of the arenas named in her honour.

Court embroiled herself in controversy earlier this year when the 24-time Grand Slam winner said she would avoid Qantas ‘where possible’ because of their support for same-sex marriage.  

‘I am disappointed that Qantas has become an active promoter for same sex marriage,’ the Perth resident said in the letter published in The West Australian newspaper.

On the eve of the 2018 edition of her home slam, the 75-year-old has announced she will not be in attendance – instead the Christian pastor will go crabbing with her family.

‘I don’t run from things, I face them,’ she told the Herald Sun.

‘I decided not to come across this year and do more crabbing.’ 

Tennis legend Margaret Court will not be in attendance at this year’s Australian Open despite having one of the arena’s named in her honour

On the eve of the 2018 edition of her home slam, the 75-year-old has announced she will not be in attendance - instead the Christian pastor will go crabbing with her family

On the eve of the 2018 edition of her home slam, the 75-year-old has announced she will not be in attendance – instead the Christian pastor will go crabbing with her family

Court, an 11-time winner at the Australian Open, had Show Court One re-named to Margaret Court Arena in 1998, as the most successful tennis player of any gender in the tournament.

There has been talk of some players, particularly gay and lesbian tennis players, refusing to play in the stadium – a possibility Court dismissed as ‘childish’.  

‘I think that is petty if they do that and it says what’s in their heart,’ she said.

‘I think that’s very childish, but that’s not up to me and it doesn’t affect me.’

Court will be heading to her holiday home and will be watching the tennis on TV instead.

There has been talk of some players, particularly gay and lesbian tennis players, refusing to play in the stadium, a possibility Court dismissed as 'childish'

There has been talk of some players, particularly gay and lesbian tennis players, refusing to play in the stadium, a possibility Court dismissed as ‘childish’

She said she was deeply offended by the backlash to her comments, after people called for her name to be stripped from the arena.

Court denied that she is homophobic or hates gay people, but instead said as a deeply religious person she would follow the scriptures. 

She is the most decorated player in grand slam tennis history, winning a record 24 major titles from 1960 to 1973.



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