Controversial tennis great Margaret Court to attend week two of the tournament

The Pentecostal minister and winner of a ­record 24 singles titles is on her way to Melbourne to attend the Australian Open for the first time in four years.

Divisive Aussie grand slam great Margaret Court is set to attend the Australian Open for the first time in four years.

Court – the winner of a ­record 24 singles titles – has not attended the Melbourne event since 2020 amid repeated calls for the showcourt named in her honour to be renamed.

But the Herald Sun can ­reveal Court, a Pentecostal minister who has drawn criticism for her views on homosexuality, transgender people and same-sex marriage, will ­arrive in Melbourne next week for the tennis.

Fellow Aussie greats Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall and Frank Sedgman will also attend the second week of the Open.

Margaret Court has drawn criticism for her views on homosexuality, transgender people and same-sex marriage. Picture: Getty

US great Billie Jean King called for Margaret Court Arena to be renamed after Australia’s greatest female player in 2017 said tennis was “full of lesbians”.

And US Indie rock artist Phoebe Bridgers slammed Court to a sold-out concert crowd at the venue last year, renewing calls for a name change that will surely resurface once the tennis legend ­arrives in Melbourne.

“F--- that stupid c---, change your name,” Bridgers told the crowd. “Who wants to say f--- Margaret Court?’’

Court has previously ­described gay marriage as a “trend”.

“I think there will be a price to pay for it in the future in the nation and people will see it’s not about marriage,” she said.

“There will be a genderless generation. My thing was a marriage is between a man and a woman.”

Court last attended the Open to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her 1970 Grand Slam, when she won all four majors in a calendar year.

Court with her 1970 Wimbledon trophy. Picture: Getty

But fellow tennis legends John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova used the same event to stage a protest proposing her name be removed from Melbourne’s second-biggest show court.

They were criticised by Tennis Australia for carrying a sign suggesting it be renamed Evonne Goolagong Arena after the Aussie great being feted this year on the 50th ­anniversary of her first Australian Open title.

McEnroe at the time described Court as a “crazy aunt’’.

“There’s only one thing longer than a list of Margaret Court’s tennis achievements, it’s her list of offensive and homophobic statements,” he said.

There have been calls for Court’s name be removed from Melbourne’s second-biggest show court. Picture: Danella Bevis

Navratilova accused Court of “hateful and hurtful speech”.

“When Margaret goes out of her way to single out a group of people and tell them they don’t deserve equal rights, that they are less than good parents, that they are not godly, that’s not merely free speech,” she said. “Why not pick someone whom every child can look up to and want to emulate – a champion who inspires and motivates young and old to do their best and be their best every day?

“For me, that person is Evonne Goolagong.”

There have also been calls to rename Melbourne Park’s second-biggest stadium after Ash Barty, the last Aussie to win the Open on home soil, in 2022.

Fellow Aussie greats Wendy Turnbull, Neale Fraser, Mark Edmondson and Judy Dalton are also expected at the tennis next week. And former Australian Open winners Li Na and Thomas Johansson will headline a series of legends matches alongside Mark Philippoussis, Marcos Baghdatis, Daniela Hantuchova and Tommy Haas.