Murray responds after Court says tennis is ‘full of lesbians’
sydney — Australian great Margaret Court on Wednesday claimed “tennis is full of lesbians” and transgender children were the work of “the devil”, adding fuel to a simmering row over her views on homosexuality.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion, now a Christian pastor, has been the brunt of a fierce backlash after announcing last week she would stop flying Qantas “where possible” in protest at the airline’s support of same-sex marriage.
It sparked calls, led by Martina Navratilova and supported by Richel Hogenkamp, one of the few openly gay players in tennis, for the Australian Open to take her name off one of its flagship stadiums.
“I mean, tennis is full of lesbians, because even when I was playing there was only a couple there, but those couple that led took young ones into parties and things,” she said. Navratilova and others have called for her name to be stripped from the arena at Melbourne Park, where the first Grand Slam event of the season takes place in January.
There have also been rumblings about players boycotting the court.
World number one Andy Murray said at the French Open on Tuesday he hoped the issue could be resolved long before next year’s Australian Open.
“For players to be in a position where you’re in a slam and kind of boycotting playing on the court, I think would potentially cause a lot of issues,” he was cited as saying by Australian media. “So I think if something was going to be happening and the players come to an agreement, if they think the name should be changed or whatever, that should be decided before the event — before the event starts.”
But Australian star Samantha Stosur said on Wednesday that competitors at next year’s Australian Open will play on whatever court they are told to, a day after suggesting some might boycott the stadium named after Margaret Court. “I’ve never said I was going to boycott or anything like that,” Stosur told a news conference after reaching the third round of the French Open with a 6-2 7-6(6) win over Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens.
“I’m going to head down to the Australian Open when it rolls around next year, and we’ll get on whatever court we have to play on. But obviously I don’t agree with what she’s coming out with saying.”
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