Published 19:42 IST, January 22nd 2021
Margaret Court to be recognised in Australia Day 2021 honours, tennis fans SLAM decision
Australian tennis legend Margaret Court gets severely criticised after getting recognised to be honoured at the Australia Day 2021 honours ceremony.
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Australian tennis legend Margaret Court is due to get her country’s highest recognition as part of the Australia Day 2021 honours ceremony on January 26. The 78-year-old, who retired from professional tennis back in 1977, is to be awarded a Companion in the General Division of the Order of Australia. As soon as the news became public through the Australian media, several fans and Australian citizens have been expressing their rage online for Court’s controversial views on the LGBT community in the past.
Margaret Court LGBT controversy haunts her prior to receiving country’s highest honour
In 2019, Margaret Court criticised transgender athletes at a church based in Perth where she is a pastor. Court also slammed the teachings of LGBT materials in schools. She was later subjected to severe backlash from the community with tennis legends John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova lambasting her for her comments.
Quite recently, Victoria state leader Daniel Andrews, without naming Margaret Court, slammed the tennis legend after her looming Australia Day 2021 honours recognition news became public. After Andrews' statement on social media, several Australian fans and supporters of the LGBT community echoed his views and criticised the Australian government’s decision of granting the highest civilian honour to Court.
Here is a look at some of the fans' most aggressive reactions to Margaret Court LGBT controversy and her getting recognised for the top honour.
If Margaret Court were to be honoured for her tennis career one would think it would have happened years ago. Leads me to believe she is really being honoured for her homophobic beliefs and statements.
— lorraine (@lorrainewhat) January 22, 2021
Margaret Court hasn't played professional tennis since 1977. Let's not pretend this award is for anything other than hating the same people the Federal government hate.
— Riff Raff (@RichardAOB) January 22, 2021
And we all know Margaret Court isn't being honoured for her former tennis skills.
— Margaret Morgan ✒📚🌈 (@Monocotyledon) January 21, 2021
So basically everyone stands with Dan on Margaret Court. Great to have a leader who speaks up against abhorrent discrimination. Your move, @ScottMorrisonMP.
— PRGuy (@PRGuy17) January 22, 2021
To those that don't understand; we're not trying to punish Margaret Court for her beliefs, we're asking the Government not to honour her in our name.
— Carrick Ryan (@realCarrickRyan) January 22, 2021
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Margaret Court Grand Slam wins
The Margaret Court Grand Slam wins and other statistics make for a staggering read. Between 1960 and 1977, she won 24 Grand Slam women’s singles titles. Moreover, she has also won 19 Grand Slam doubles and another 21 in mixed doubles. Her singles career includes 11 Australian Open titles, five each of French Open and US Open and three Wimbledon Championships.
Australian Open 2021
Just a few days after Margaret Court receives her country’s highest honour, Melbourne will host the first Grand Slam of the year with the Australian Open 2021. Several players have already arrived in the city for the tournament scheduled to take place between February 8 and 21.
The world's best tennis players are arriving, ready to fight for the first Grand Slam title of 2021. Before the battle can begin they must quarantine for 14 days, take daily COVID-19 tests, physically distance, and practice & train under strictly controlled COVIDSafe conditions. pic.twitter.com/XrJDmc9vCi
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 15, 2021
Image source: AP
19:42 IST, January 22nd 2021