John McEnroe has called on Serena Williams to wipe Margaret Court from the history books this year by winning two Grand Slams. McEnroe became the biggest name at the Australian Open to take aim at Court this year, slamming her ‘offensive views’ on the same day she was honoured by the tournament.
Ahead of Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal’s clash on Monday night, a special ceremony was held in honour of Court’s achievements on the Rod Laver Arena in recognition of her Calendar Grand Slam 50 years ago.
Court has won more major titles, 24, than any other player – man or woman – but Williams – who was beaten in the third round in Melbourne by China’s Wang Qiang – is just one shy of that total.
While on paper Court is one of Australia’s greatest athletes, she has courted controversy since ending her playing days with a string of controversial comments on a range of subjects.
And McEnroe wants to see her ‘offensive and homophobic statements’ banished to the past by his compatriot Williams.
‘Win two more so we can leave her in the past!’ Tennis great McEnroe pleads with Serena over ‘crazy aunt’ Margaret Court
Famed former tennis ‘superbrat’ John McEnroe has admonished 24-time Grand Slam winner Margaret Court as the sport’s ‘crazy aunt’, mocking her stance on homosexuality and pleading with Serena Williams to “leave her in the past”.
Court has consistently received heavy criticism from LGBT groups for her views and comments, including stating that “tennis is full of lesbians” and homosexuality is the work of “the devil”.
Now a Pentecostal pastor in her Australia homeland, the 77-year-old was the subject of celebrations at the Australian Open in Melbourne – where she has a stadium named in her honor – to mark the 50th anniversary of her winning all four Grand Slam titles in 1970, a ‘calendar slam’ which forms part of Court’s record haul.
But in a scathing satirical video addressed to those “who still have their own teeth, don’t use a hearing aid or go to the bathroom three times a night”, self-appointed ‘Commissioner of Tennis’ McEnroe has pleaded with Serena Williams, who currently sits on 23 major wins, to equal and overtake Court’s record this season to relieve the sport of her “offensive views”.
“There’s only one thing bigger than the list of Margaret Court’s tennis achievements: it’s her list of offensive and homophobic statements,” McEnroe, sitting at a desk in medical scrubs complete with stethoscope, says in the ESPN spoof video on Twitter, before listing Court’s remarks about apartheid in South Africa and transgender children.
“Please win two more Grand Slams so we can leave Margaret Court and her offensive views in the past where she belongs”John McEnroe aka the Comissioner of Tennis is back and he’s got a request for
“We will recognise what she did in 1970 but we won’t celebrate the person. Well it doesn’t work that way,” the New Yorker says of Tennis Australia’s decision to honor Court.
The most successful women’s player ever was presented with an award by fellow Australian great Rod Laver before Rafael Nadal’s 4th round win against Nick Kyrgios on Monday.
However a disgruntled McEnroe, whose tumultuous on-court tantrums and inflammatory persona made him one of the most recognisable sports stars of the 1980s, took issue with any ceremony of distinction for Court.
“You can’t separate the person from their achievements. Look at me. If you recognise that I won seven Grand Slams, then you gotta celebrate the fact I have the loudest mouth in the history of the tennis tour.”
McEnroe spectacularly concludes his rant with the message to the younger Williams sister: “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 we’re they both belong.”
Tennis Australia has been quick to distance itself from Court’s opinions. “As often stated, Tennis Australia does not agree with Court’s personal views, which have demeaned and hurt many in our community over a number of years,” the organization said in a statement in November. “They do not align with our values of equality, diversity and inclusion.”
Serena Williams, 38, suffered a shock third-round exit from the 2020 season-opening Australian Open at the hands of China’s Wang Qiang as her record-equalling 24th Grand Slam remains elusive. Ironically, her last major championship win came in Melbourne in 2017.
