Martina Navratilova, John McEnroe launch extraordinary on-court Margaret Court protest
Martina Navratilova has been reprimanded for her extraordinary on-court Australian Open protest, apologising for her actions but still standing by her message.
Tennis
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Martina Navratilova has apologised for her on-court protest against Margaret Court, saying if she had known it would be a breach of tournament protocol then she would have chosen a different path.
The 18-time grand slam winner said she “got in trouble” for the action and was “sorry I broke protocol”.
Navratilova – a long-time critic of Court’s divisive views on homosexuals and transgender people – launched the action at the Australian Open on Tuesday after feeling like she had tried every other avenue to make her point heard.
After her legends doubles match with Daniela Hantuchova on 1573 Arena, Navratilova took to the microphone and invited fellow grand slam winner and Court-opposer John McEnroe to the court.
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The pair displayed a sign saying “Evonne Goolagong Arena” in reference to the Czech-born American’s calls for Court’s name to be stripped from Margaret Court Arena.
But she is adamant that she stands by her statement and would have made the stand again, albeit in a different manner.
“I had no idea there was this kind of protocol,” she told the Tennis Channel today.
“Had I known, I would have done it differently. I would have still tried to make my statement, which is that you name buildings after not what people did on the court, but also off the court, the whole body of work.
“I said my piece. You can see my whole statement. I stand by that. But I apologise about breaking protocol. I did not need to do that.”
McEnroe also apologised on Wednesday, saying he was not aware of “rules and protocol for issuing credentials”.
It has sparked suggestions that perhaps the pair were forced to apologise in order to maintain their tournament access.
“Admittedly I was never one to study the rule book carefully or for that matter, even at times abide by the rules,” McEnroe said.
“In this case, I was not aware of the Tennis Australia rules and protocol for issuing credentials. For that I apologize to Tennis Australia and recognize and appreciate the great job they have done to make the Australian Open a great event for the fans, players and myself”.
Neither player has been excluded from the Legends doubles event and are in the frame to play tomorrow depending on broadcast commitments.
This came after. I don't know who to credit the picture to. pic.twitter.com/EOECYF10yR
— Lee (@yelnats_eel) January 28, 2020
Earlier, Navratilova opened up on her decision to stage an explosive on-court protest against Margaret Court, revealing she even bought the art supplies and created the homemade banner herself.
Navratilova – a long-time critic of Court’s divisive views on homosexuals and transgender people – launched the action at the Australian Open on Tuesday after feeling like she had tried every other Ave to make her point heard.
“I thought we got it (the conversation) going a couple of years ago,” Navratilova said in an interview with BBC Sport.
“I thought Tennis Australia would do something – or the government of Victoria, as apparently they are the ones that make the decision – but nothing has happened. And Margaret keeps doubling down in basically attacking the gay and lesbian community.
“My wife Julia said you’re complaining about it, but what are you going to do?
“And I’m like, I’ve done everything I can do. I’ve written a letter, I’ve been very vocal, and then when I landed here, and I came to the courts, I had this idea.”
Navratilova said she stopped in a Melbourne art shop and created the banner herself, in tribute to Goolagong-Cawley who she feels should be honoured.
“I stopped in an art shop and got a canvas and some coloured pens and started colouring ‘Evonne Goolagong Arena’ in the aboriginal version – a very amateur version of aboriginal art – as an honour to Evonne Goolagong and where she came from,” the 18-time slam winner explained.
Here you have it. John McEnroe had *things* to say about Court and Tennis Australia... pic.twitter.com/aijiAoAELs
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 26, 2020
“John, I ran into him, and on the spur of the moment I asked him because he also talked about renaming the arena. He’s been very supportive of social change in tennis, so it was perfect.
“I wanted to be respectful, but most of all I just wanted to push the conversation forward again. I have no doubt it’s the right thing to do.”
Court was honoured by Tennis Australia on Monday to mark the 50th anniversary of her 1970 slam sweep.
Navratilova said she did not attend.
“You don’t want to diminish in any way Margaret Court’s achievements,” she said.
“She was celebrated (on Monday) for winning the Grand Slam 50 years ago – absolutely. But when buildings are named after you, or airports, or streets, it’s the body of work, it’s not just one part of your life and then ignore the rest.
“I did not watch it, I did not partake. I did not go. I’m protesting by absence. But the correct thing to do, I think, is to honour her win.”
Tennis Australia said on Tuesday night that it was “working through” what it described as a breach of protocol with Navratilova and McEnroe – who did not address the issue in his commentary position on Channel 9 on Tuesday night.
“We embrace diversity, inclusion and the right for people to have a view, as well as their right to voice that view,” the statement read.
“But the Australian Open has regulations and protocols with respect to how any fan, player or guest can use our facility, the event and the global stage it provides. This is to ensure the integrity of our event.
“Two high-profile guests have breached these protocols and we are working through this with them.”
Navratilova, a proud lesbian, wrote that she considered Goolagong to be “the embodiment of what a role model or hero truly is”.
“Her heritage, her success against the odds, her Hall of Fame career and her exemplary life off-court, in which she has given so much of herself to so many causes, are all attributes we can celebrate wholeheartedly,” she wrote.
“In our tennis ‘family,’ we celebrate the good values of our sport and we love how democratic and inclusive it has become, the way it has driven out prejudice and unfair exclusion.
“Yes, we have free speech in a democracy, but that doesn’t mean that free speech doesn’t have consequences. 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. It’s hateful and hurtful speech and it’s injurious to countless vulnerable people.
“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.
“Evonne Goolagong Arena.
“Perfect.”