Navratilova takes issue with Court

MELBOURNE, Australia — Martina Navratilova has written an open letter criticizing Margaret Court’s comments about same-sex marriage and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. She is recommending that tennis officials rename the arena that bears the Australian great’s name at Melbourne Park.

Court won a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles in the 1960s and 1970s and is now a Christian pastor. In a letter published in The West Australian newspaper last week, Court wrote that she would stop flying Qantas “where possible” because the Australian airline “has become an active promoter for same-sex marriage.”

Court, 74, has been a critic of homosexuality for decades, and she expanded her comments in a Christian radio station interview this week.

On Thursday, Navratilova’s letter addressed to “Dear Margaret Court Arena” and published by Fairfax Media newspapers in Australia, suggested that sporting venues should be named for a person’s “whole body of work” and “who they areas human beings.”

“When you were named after Margaret Court, it seemed like the right thing to do,” former No. 1-ranked Navratilova wrote. “After all, Rod Laver already had the big stadium and Court is one of the all-time greats. I had long ago forgiven Court for her headline-grabbing comments in 1990 when she said I was a bad role model because I was a lesbian.

“It is now clear exactly who Court is: an amazing tennis player, and ... a homophobe. Her vitriol is not just an opinion. She is actively trying to keep LGBT people from getting equal rights (note to Court: we are human beings, too). She is demonizing trans kids and trans adults everywhere.”

Navratilova said “we should not be celebrating this kind of behavior” and recommended that the No. 2 arena at the Australian Open be given anew name.

“I think the Evonne Goolagong Arena has a great ring to it,” Navratilova wrote, suggesting an alternative to Court. “Now there is a person we can all celebrate. On every level.”

Goolagong Cawley is a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion.