Margaret Court set to end Australian Open exile after four years

Divisive tennis figure Margaret Court is set to end her four-year exile from the Australian Open with the move ruffling feathers.

Divisive tennis legend Margaret Court is set to end her four-year Australian Open exile and return to Melbourne Park.

Court, a 24-time grand slam winner, was last seen at the Open back in 2020 as calls continue to mount for the court named in her honour, Margaret Court Arena, to be renamed.

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The 81-year-old pastor has continually sparked controversy over her views on homosexuality, transgender people and same-sex marriage.

Despite the four-year exile, the Herald Sun reports she will return to the Open in 2024 during the second week of the tournament.

News of her return to the opening grand slam on the calendar didn’t sit well with fans and led to a heated debate on Sky News.

Columnist Justin Smith got under the skin of host Liz Storer when he gave his opinions on the tennis icon.

“She is a first class tennis player, beyond first class, she is magnificent,” Smith said on The Kenny Report.

“I happen to also think that she’s a second class human being and has done some dreadful damage and has said some awful things around transgender people and same-sex marriage and I think she is a dillusional Jesus freak.

“But as far as being a tennis player goes, I think she is magnificent.”

Court is set to end her Aus Open exile. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Storer wasn’t impressed by what she had just heard and hit back at Smith for his remarks on the grand slam champion.

“How can you say that about someone’s religious beliefs. That is disgusting, that is religious discrimination,” Storer said.

Steve Price weighed in telling Smith: “Your comments about Margaret Court are just out of line. I mean seriously, the woman is an evangelical preacher in WA and that’s her views. If she’s entitled to her views that’s freedom of speech.

Smith responded: “She has pushed those on other people, and I’m just pushing my views on her – why not.”

Court’s views have caused widespread controversy. Pic Colin Murty The Australian

Court hasn’t been sighted at the Australian Open since 2020 when she was honoured for the 50th anniversary of her calendar year Grand Slam.

Repeated calls have been made for Tennis Australia to distance itself from her, along with a campaign to rename Margaret Court Arena at Melbourne Park.

In an explosive interview she revealed she didn’t receive an invite to attend the tournament in 2021.

The 24-time grand slam champion also claimed she has been unfairly bullied over her beliefs, calling on her outspoken critics to stop.

“Over the years, I’ve taken a lot, and I think I’ve been bullied in one way, and I think, you know, it’s time to stop,” Court said.

“Always remember I’m a minister of the gospel and have been for the last 30 years, I always say what the Bible says.

“I love people, people come in from all backgrounds, I’m there to help, I’m not there to put people down in that way but I’ll always say what the Bible says.”