Tennis legend John McEnroe smacks down Margaret Court

Tennis legend John McEnroe has smacked down controversial Aussie great Margaret Court ahead of her “historically awkward” Aussie Open ceremony.

John McEnroe and Margaret Court.

Tennis legend John McEnroe has delivered a stinging takedown of Australian Margaret Court ahead of a ceremony recognising her achievements today.

Court, who sealed the Grand Slam by winning all four majors in 1970, will be honoured on the 50th anniversary of her achievement before Nick Kyrgios’ match against Rafael Nadal on Rod Laver Arena.

Court has caused controversy in recent years with her vocal opposition to same-sex marriage and comments about transgender people.

It led Tennis Australia to say while it would honour Court’s sporting achievements, it does not agree with her personal views.

In a scripted video, McEnroe slammed Court’s views on the LGBTIQ community and urged Serena Williams to win two more majors so she would overtake Court as the leading grand slam winner in women’s tennis.

Roger Federer with Johnny Mac.

“There’s only one thing longer than a list of Margaret Court’s tennis achievements — it’s her list of offensive and homophobic statements,” McEnroe said in his Commissioner of Tennis video published by Eurosport.

"Please win two more Grand Slams so we can leave Margaret Court and her offensive views in the past where she belongs"

John McEnroe aka the Comissioner of Tennis is back and he's got a request for @SerenaWilliams 🙏 pic.twitter.com/3TeKa8JS2B

— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) January 26, 2020

“Margaret Court is actually a ventriloquist, using the bible of the dummy to say whatever she wants.

“Tennis Australia is facing a dilemma – what do they do with their crazy aunt?

“They finally decided to invite her (to the Australian Open) but it came with a twist – ‘We will recognise what she did in 1970 but we won’t celebrate the person’. Huh? It doesn’t work that way. You can’t separate the person from her achievements.

“Look at me. If you recognise the fact that I won seven grand slams, guess what? Then you’ve got to celebrate the fact that I had the loudest mouth in the history of the tennis tour.

“Serena (Williams), do me a favour, get two more grand slams this year and get to 25 so we can leave Margaret Court and her offensive views in the past, where they both belong.”

The video was published on the eve of Court’s day of being honoured at her home slam, a prickly situation that has been described as “one of the more awkward moments in tennis history”.

Christopher Clarey, global sports columnist and tennis writer, The New York Times said on ABC Radio on Monday morning Tennis Australia’s attempts to honour Court while condemning her views is a recipe for a “downbeat ceremony”.

Margaret Court has tried to keep her head down in Melbourne this week.

“I think this is one of the more awkward moments in tennis history... you have Margaret Court’s 50th Anniversary Grand Slam...Tennis Australia doesn’t agree with her views,” he said.

“It’s clearly an extraordinary situation. I’ve never seen anything like it. I think it will be a very downbeat and awkward ceremony when the time comes on court.”

The Australian Open last week also introduced gender-neutral bathrooms for the first time and the new toilet block at Rod Laver Arena came on the same morning Court spoke out after returning to Melbourne Park as a special guest of Tennis Australia.

Court made headlines late last year when she condemned transgender athletes during a fiery address at church, claiming young people should not change their assigned sex because “God made us that way”.

Court attended Rod Laver Stadium on Monday morning but the stadium named in her honour — Margaret Court Arena — does not have any gender-neutral bathrooms.