But there’s been no reply. We’re not exactly sitting by the phone. Tiley cannot win when it comes to Court, and he knows it.
Tiley likes to please. He likes those fawning speeches at the end of the Open in which the winner says thanks, Craig. You’re the best tournament director in the world, Craig. He does a sterling job in giving everyone what they want at Melbourne Park. Prizemoney and amenities and facilities and free restrings and all the creature comforts otherwise seen in a five-star hotel. Music and hospitality and accessibility and convenience and reasonable prices for meals and beverage.
Praise God, he gives free beer to the journalists at 5pm every day, harming the quality of evening copy. The man’s a damn saint in all these regards, but now he has to piss someone off. And that’s not where he likes to be.
My view? 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. Jesus on a bike, 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.
The reason for Tiley’s arrival in Perth, of course, is the Fed Cup final this weekend. That’s become a little complicated after Court’s treat-me-like-you-treat-Rod ultimatum.
Alicia Molik’s team will be Australia’s biggest sporting darlings since the women cricketers if they beat France. Ash Barty can’t be more popular if she teams up with Ellyse Perry or Alyssa Healy in the doubles. They’ve all been expecting a joy ride in Perth. Barty is the major-winning, WTA Finals-clinching, cashed-up world No 1 and Australia can win a prestigious trophy for the first time since 1974. But discussions are about to be ambushed by another topic, one that will make them slightly uncomfortable.
They’re playing in Court’s home town, by the way. Anyone inviting her along?
Sam Stosur’s same-sex relationship has been well documented. Her personal life has been no secret, and regarded as no one’s business. Barty is a close friend of Casey Dellacqua, who’s relationship has been singled out by Court in the past. Dellacqua has tweeted “enough is enough” to Court’s claim that she’s doing the wrong thing by raising a child with her female partner.
In 2017, when Court versus Dellacqua raged, Barty said: “Case’ did a damn good job last week to stay strong. It was a big week for her … not just for Casey, but everyone in Australian tennis. I personally respect and admire Margaret for what she did as a tennis player. She’s probably one of the biggest champions and most accomplished sportswomen out of Australia, not just of tennis. In my point of view, I certainly disagree with her views and everybody is entitled to their views but when there was a bit of a personal attack on someone so close to me, I don’t think that’s right. It was time for us to stand up, not only for ‘Case’ but for everyone. As the tweet said, ‘Enough is enough’.”
Treat Court like Laver? He appeared everywhere bar the Comedy Club last year. The complications are obvious. Everyone thumping the table is making a decent point. If you reckon Court’s commentary is out of touch with the modern world, we see where you’re coming from. If you reckon Court’s calendar-year accomplishment deserves to be recognised purely as a colossal sporting achievement, we see where you’re coming from, too. They should rename Margaret Court Arena the Court of Public Opinion. For that is what this has become. A fighter as a player, she remains doggedly determined. She will not back down.
If Tiley reaches out to Court, brings her to next year’s Open, rolls out the red carpet and gives her the stage and the microphone, all of which he did for Laver, he will be howled down.
If he downplays or ignores her, he will dissatisfy those who think her playing days and her pulpit are separate entities.
He will invite her to the tournament, always does. But there may not be the Laver-scale bells and whistles. They need to break bread, find common ground. Tiley should get to her church while he’s in Perth. Sit down with the woman. Amen! And if Court wants to be honoured for her tennis, she has to return the favour by sticking to the tennis at the Open. The difficulty? Biting the tongue is not what she believes in.
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Australian Open boss Craig Tiley will be under the bed of his Perth hotel room until further notice. Curled up in the foetal position. He’s been directly approached for reaction to Margaret Court’s decision to throw the ball in his arena — are my achievements to be celebrated, or not?