“Very, very wrong”: Margaret Court hits back at McEnroe and Navratilova
Tennis legend Margaret Court has slammed tennis stars John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova for their protest, saying that their actions were “very, very wrong”.
Court has developed into a controversial figure due to her views on homosexuality and transgender athletes, which lead to McEnroe and Navratilova protesting for a name change of the Margaret Court Arena.
McEnroe and Navratilova held a homemade sign which read “Evonne Goolagong Arena” as the Australian Open was celebrating Court’s achievements in the world of tennis.
Court spoke to Nine News about the incident, saying that she “felt sorry” for McEnroe.
“I always got on quite well with John McEnroe. I always thought we got on and I’ve always respected him,” Court said.
“I feel sorry for him that he can’t separate one part of life to another.”
She also labelled their actions as “very, very wrong” as Court feels that they should not have protested the way that the pair did on Australian soil.
“I’d never go to another nation, whatever I thought of a person, I would never say, ‘Hey, you should take their name off a building’,” Court said.
“She is a great Australian and a great tennis player… but Margaret Court still doesn’t acknowledge the damage she’s done with her opinions about homosexuals and same-sex marriage.” #9Today pic.twitter.com/DEPt87kXpk
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) February 4, 2020
“I would never do that … I think that was very, very wrong.”
Court has also slammed Tennis Australia for the treatment of her, labelling it “very sad”.
"I think they said they were going to honour me but not celebrate me," the 77-year-old told 9News' Georgie Gardner.
"Because of my stance and my views on gay marriage and all of those areas, and I've got nothing against people.
"From the tennis side they've pointed the finger at me and tried to discriminate in everything that I've done and I think that's very sad."