Tennis great John McEnroe has mocked 24-time grand slam winner Margaret Court in a jokey video ridiculing the Australian’s views on homosexuality and same sex marriage.
The controversial Court, now a Pentecostal pastor in Western Australia, has likened LGBTQ teaching in schools to the work of “the devil” and previously said tennis is “full of lesbians”.
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The 77-year-old won all four grand slams in 1970, and while she has been invited to this year’s tournament in honor of the milestone, Tennis Australia added that it did not agree with her “demeaning” personal views.
“This year marks the 50th anniversary of Margaret Court’s grand slam and Tennis Australia is facing a dilemma. What do they do with their crazy aunt?” seven-time major champion McEnroe said in his Eurosport segment entitled the “Commissioner of Tennis”.
The former player turned pundit called on 23-time grand slam winner Serena Williams, who was knocked out in the third round of the Australian Open, to better Court’s number of major titles.
“Serena, do me a favor. Get two more grand slams this year and get to 25 so we can leave Margaret Court and her offensive views in the past where they both belong,” said McEnroe, who was dressed as a medical doctor sitting behind a desk while wearing a lab coat and stethoscope.
Court, who has a stadium named after her at Melbourne Park, has also attracted criticism from fellow former players Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova.
To mark her achievement, Court, was presented with a trophy by Australian great Rod Laver ahead of the fourth-round match between Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios in Melbourne Monday.
She won her record haul of grand slams between 1961 and 1975, eight of which came at the Australian Open.
“To the credit of Tennis Australia, Margaret Court’s tribute is counter-balanced by the organization of the biggest LGBTIQ tennis tournament in the world at Melbourne Park,” McEnroe added, referencing the glam slam tournament which is in its third year.
“Organizers call it the glam slam. Margaret would probably call it hell on earth.”
During a sermon at the Victory Life Centre church in Perth last month, Court hit out at people who change their birth sex genders.
“You know, even that LGBT in the schools, it’s the devil, it’s not of God,” she added.
“Children are making the decision at seven or eight years of age to change their sex, no, just read the first two chapters of Genesis, that’s all I say. Male and female.”