Margaret Court finally gets some tennis love

Margaret Court attends the 2019 Fed Cup Final official dinner in Perth last month. Picture: Getty Images

Benign words, Tim Blair, The Daily Telegraph, November 10:

Along with the nearly five million Australians who voted no in 2017’s postal survey, tennis great Margaret Court is not a fan of same-sex marriage. “On the issue of marriage, I think the reality is there is a cultural, religious, historical view around that which we have to respect,” Court said a few years ago. “This is an institution that is between a man and a woman.”

Peter FitzSimons is accused of arrogance, news.com.au, Sunday:

Things turned spicy on Channel 9 this morning during a heated debate about Australian tennis legend Margaret Court ... Australian tennis great Todd Woodbridge praised Tennis Australia’s handling of the situation, as did Sydney Morning Herald rugby writer Georgina Robinson, before she took exception with the attitude of former Wallaby Peter FitzSimons ... who asked Woodbridge whether he’d ever tried to talk to Court and tell her she was wrong, which Robinson said was a “hugely arrogant” position to take. FitzSimons: “Why?” Robinson:  “Because it’s her religious belief.” FitzSimons: “It’s homophobic gibberish.” Robinson: “For sure it might be, but it’s her religious belief.”

Well done Georgina Robinson for speaking in a reasonable way about Margaret Court to the intolerant and arrogant Peter Fitzsimons

— Pierre Tennant (@pierret43) December 1, 2019

Fox Sports, November 7:

Margaret Court has issued a blunt ultimatum to Tennis Australia ahead of the 50th anniversary of her 1970 grand slam — honour me like Rod Laver or I won’t come. Tennis Australia celebrated Laver’s 1969 Grand Slam ... at this year’s Australian Open ... Tennis Australia finds itself in a difficult situation with Court, whose outspoken comments on homosexuality and gay marriage have put her at odds with ... Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova.

The ABC, November 11:

A regional sporting club in Western Australia has come under fire following its decision to invite Margaret Court to open its new tennis centre ... The former world star is set to cut the ribbon at the new multi-million-­dollar Busselton Tennis Club later this month. It is a move that has divided the community on social media

Tim Elbra, Nine’s Wide World of Sports, November 12:

Margaret Court’s tennis achievements should be recognised in isolation from her views on same-sex marriage, NRL legend and boxer Paul Gallen says. “Why can’t they separate the two issues? Why can’t we all be mature enough to separate the two ­issues? Why do you have to hate so much on things?”

Paul Gallen weighs in on Margaret Court furore, ahead of bout at Melbourne arena https://t.co/8zB7DcoRX1 At last someone with some sense. Yes a little kindness .

— Tina (@nimba) November 13, 2019

Will Swanton, The Weekend Australian, November 7:

Give Court the red carpet at next year’s Open, the 50th anniversary of her grand slam. Don’t pull it out from under her ... give the woman some cred­it — it’s one of the mightiest sporting feats Australia has ever seen. She’s 77 years old. You may dismiss the Bible as being fictitious from Genesis at the front to the maps at the back, but her accomplishment is fact.  

Gideon Haigh, ABC Offsiders, Nov­ember 10:

Court is tennis’s racist grandpa at Christmas. She’s a bit embarrassing, but, you know, you still love your grandpa and it is Christmas. Court is a very great champion ... You might find her opinions antediluvian but if we anathematised every great athlete who had unfortunate opinions ... then we might not have too many left.

"I think kudos to them for doing a good job in a really difficult issue": Kim Brennan discusses Tennis Australia's plans to mark the 50th anniversary of Margaret Court's 1970 Grand Slam at next year's Australian Open #offsiders pic.twitter.com/4EHGTbxKN8

— Offsiders ABC (@OffsidersABC) November 30, 2019

Wally Mason, The Weekend Australian, November 30:

Tennis Australia has invited Margaret Court to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her grand slam year as a special guest in January.