MELBOURNE: Billie Jean King thinks one of the main venues at the Australian Open should be renamed because of Margaret Court's comments about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
King, a pioneer for equality and diversity in tennis, said she had initially been a proponent of having Margaret Court Arena named in recognition of the 24-time Grand Slam singles winner's contribution to the sport.
"I was fine until lately when she said so many derogatory things about my community — I'm a gay woman — about the LBGTIQ community," King said at news conference Friday. "That really went deep in my heart and soul.
"I personally don't think she should have (her name on the stadium) anymore."
King is attending the Australian Open for the first time in eight years, marking the 50th anniversary of her Australian title.
She said if she was still competing, she wouldn't play on Margaret Court Arena.
Organizers have recognized the American tennis great as the Australian Open Woman of the Year and launched its "Open4All" initiative to promote equality, diversity and inclusion to coincide with King's visit.
King, one of the original professionals in women's tennis and winner of 12 major singles titles in the Open era, said she had regularly met with Court at tournaments in the years since they retired after "we grew up together playing each other."
The 75-year-old Court, who holds the record for most Grand Slam singles titles across the amateur and Open eras, is now a Christian pastor who lives in Perth, Western Australia.
Court's comments before Australia voted in favour of legalizing same-sex marriage were heavily criticized last year, with 18-time Grand Slam singles winner Martina Navratilova writing an open letter condemning the remarks and urging officials to rename the arena at Melbourne Park.
King said she lobbied on Court's behalf after the center court at Melbourne Park was named as a tribute to Rod Laver. The show court was named after Court in 2003 and was upgraded recently to have a roof and bigger capacity.
Court is not attending this year's Australian Open, which starts Monday.
Tournament director Craig Tiley said Court had a standing invitation to the season-opening major and would be welcome in future as she had been in the past.
He said there had been "conversation" among stakeholders of Melbourne Park regarding the issue, but there was no process in place to change the name of the stadium. He said Tennis Australia — a tenant at the venue — would take the lead of the government on the issue.
King said she wouldn't promote a boycott of the stadium, but encouraged players to "seek their own heart and mind" before making a decision.
King said she wished Court was in Melbourne so they could continue the conversation.
"You can have discussion around it. I would be very welcome to Margaret," the 74-year-old King said. "It's really important if you're going to have your name on anything that you're hospitable, you're inclusive, you open your arms to everyone that comes. It's a public facility."
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