Margaret Court urges for Rod Laver like treatment
Tennis legend Margaret Court has called out to Tennis Australia, urging them to give her treatment like the do for fellow Australian and tennis great Rod Laver.
Australian Open 2020 will mark the 50th Anniversary of Court winning all four majors in the same year. Only two other women have achieved the same feat - Maureen Connolly (1953) and Steffi Graf (1988). Yet Court said that she had not heard from Tennis Australia about honouring her at the tournament.
"I think Tennis Australia should sit and talk with me," Court said. "They have never phoned me. Nobody has spoken to me directly about it. I think they would rather not confront it."
She further added, "They brought Rod in from America (where he lives). If they think I'm just going to turn up (in 2020), I don't think that is right," said Court. "I think I should be invited. I would hope they would pay my way to come like they paid for his (Laver), and honour me. If they are not going to do that, I don't really want to come."
Tennis Australia were not available to comment on this but admitted that they are looking for a way to recognise Court’s achievement amidst the controversy surrounding her. “As previously stated, Tennis Australia recognises the tennis achievements of Margaret Court, although her views do not align with our values of equality, diversity and inclusion," it added.
Speaking about her controversial comments, Court added, "I don't feel any of that should be brought into my tennis career. It was a different phase of my life from where I am now and if we are not big enough as a nation and a game to face those challenges there is something wrong."
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/32s0cMD
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