‘I pray for her’: Court defends record after King hit

Margaret Court responds to Billie Jean King, saying she “prays for the critics trying to discredit her’’.

Tennis great Margaret Court. Picture: Colin Murty

Tennis great Margaret Court has said she prays for her critics as tension builds over celebrations next year for the 50th anniversary of her grand slam sweep.

The 24-time grand slam title winner yesterday responded to an attack from rival Billie Jean King over her record. King has called for Margaret Court Arena at Melbourne Park, home of the Australian Open, to be renamed.

Court — a Pentecostal preacher whose vocal opposition to gay marriage and her commentary on transgender issues have caused outrage, upset and hurt — said King and others were trying to discredit her. “I pray for her (King), I have always held respect for her,” she said. “It’s because our beliefs are so different.”

King’s comments came after Wimbledon marked the 50th anniversary of Rod Laver’s 1969 grand slam by presenting him with a replica trophy. It is expected Court will get similar recognition next year. Only three women in history have lifted all four majors in the same season; Steffi Graf and Maureen Connolly are the others.

Court won 24 major titles, one more than Serena Williams, but King questioned Court’s claim to the record. “You gotta remember we didn’t play the Australian Open for many, many years — we played the Virginia Slims in San Francisco. We also played Team Tennis during the French Open,” King said on Sunday.

“I think (Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova) would have had a lot more than 24, quite frankly.”

Court, who runs a church in Perth, said her critics “just want to discredit my name”.

She said Australia had three women in the top 10 in the years when King did come to Australia. “Billie Jean did come down in the early years (and) she got beaten by one of them,” Court said.

Court said she had not been formally approached about events to mark the anniversary.

Australian doubles star Rennae Stubbs backed King’s stance on Court’s record but former Australian doubles champion Todd Woodbridge said he believed Court should be lauded for her achievements.

“What I do want to say is, as a sport, we still do want to acknowledge how good a performer and how good a record that Margaret had,” Woodbridge said.

Stubbs said Court’s achievements were remarkable. But the close friend of 22-time grand slam title winner Graf feels a distinction can be made between Open-era deeds and those of Court, whose career began in amateur ranks.

“I believe Margaret won 11 Australian Opens — there were some good players there — but it wasn’t the full field,” Stubbs said. “I think that what Serena has done by surpassing Steffi at 23 is really the true indicator of the ­record.