Margaret Court hits back at ‘disrespectful’ interview on The Project

EXCLUSIVE: Margaret Court has hit back at the “disrespectful” panel on The Project, taking aim at presenter Waleed Aly after he cut her off mid-response during an interview about marriage equality.

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EXCLUSIVE: Margaret Court has hit back at a “disrespectful” interview on The Project, taking aim at presenter Waleed Aly.

The tennis star appeared on the program last night to defend her comments on gay marriage.

But Court said the treatment from Aly and the questioning was unfair.

“It’s below the belt stuff really, we have freedom of speech,” she said.

“But I think it’s sad they don’t have a lot of respect for people or what they’ve done or who they are.

“They just laugh because they want it their way.”

Court, 74, said that Aly did not give her a chance to answer his questions.

“He tried to cut me off, I said no, you’re not listening, you’re just making fun,” she said.

“I pray for our nation, I still love representing my nation.”

Margaret Court says the interview on The Project was “below the belt”. Picture: Ross Swanborough

Margaret Court on The Project with host Waleed Aly.

The Project interview started politely when Court was asked by Aly if she was surprised by the reaction to her comments this week.

The tennis great said she had been bullied or intimidated after expressing her opinion.

“The intimidation factor I don’t quite understand,” Aly responded.

“What is wrong with the CEO of a company like Qantas expressing support for a position that had overwhelming majority support amongst the Australian public and hence his customers, his staff and probably his shareholders?”

Court said “perhaps that’s where I don’t agree with you”.

“There’s very many people in this nation, just normal people out there, farmers and mums and dads, I’ve been married for 50 years this year and I think you know I may have been a tennis champion, but even as a young person, I’d agree that marriage is between a man and a woman, if people read the first two chapters...”

But she couldn’t get through her response before she was cut off.

“Margaret, I appreciate that might be your view but there is polling suggesting that 62-64 per cent are in support of this,” Aly stated as Court tried to speak.

The host continued to talk over Court as she protested and asked to be allowed to finish.

She was later cut off again by panellist Meshel Laurie as she tried to justify her stance on the issue.

“Yep, yep, yep, I get all that,” Meshel said over Court, with laughter from the studio audience.

Court found herself on the receiving end of serious criticism this week after she penned an open letter stating she would boycott Qantas in protest over the airline’s support for same-sex marriage.

“Your statement leaves me no option but to use other airlines (where) possible for my extensive travelling,” the letter read.

It caused backlash from the likes of Aussie tennis player Casey Dellaqua, who tweeted “Margaret, enough is enough” and retired tennis player Martina Navratilova, who said “Thank you Qantas for your support. And Margaret - you have gone too far. Shame on you. Maybe it’s time to change the name of Margaret Court Arena then...”.

Aussie actor Jessica McNamee, who is set to play Court in upcoming film Battle of the Sexes, said “This ‘Margaret Court’ believes in marriage equality and any corporation that does the same.”

It's time Margaret Court up with the times. Imagine if only mixed doubles partners could win grand slams...You'd be outraged. #loveislove pic.twitter.com/uhvKkD1Ldk

— Darcy Vescio (@darcyvee) May 25, 2017

Margaret. Enough is enough. pic.twitter.com/Cl1DtC4aSL

— caseydellacqua (@caseydellacqua) May 25, 2017