Australian great Margaret Court has delivered a jarring interview in the aftermath of Serena Williams’ farewell match, lamenting the disdain she believes the American legend and tennis world have for her.
“Serena — I’ve admired her as a player,” Court told UK publication The Telegraph.
“But I don’t think she has ever admired me.”
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Court’s raw comments followed Williams’ third-round exit at the US Open, in which the 23-time singles grand slam champion was eliminated by Australian Ajla Tomljanović.
Williams’ final hurrah came about a month after she announced her retirement in a left-field but fitting manner, revealing in American lifestyle magazine Vogue that she would “evolve away from tennis” after this year’s US Open.
The 40-year-old ousted Danka Kovinić in the first round and Anett Kontaveit in the second, before the loss to Tomljanović ended her last chance to equal Court’s record number of singles major titles.
Court won 24 singles grand slam crowns across the 1960s and 1970s, yet at the US Open all signs pointed to the departing Williams being the GOAT.
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“It’s very sad, because a lot of the press and television today, particularly in tennis, don’t want to mention my name,” Court said.
“It’s only when they have to, because I still hold so many records.
“In 2020, I was meant to be coming to Wimbledon for the 50th anniversary of my calendar grand slam. But then COVID hit, so the honour never happened. The French Open didn’t invite me, the US Open didn’t invite me.
“Rod Laver had won the slam and I was going to be honoured in the same way, but no.
“I didn’t lose any sleep over it, but the honour has not been there for what I did do.
“In my own nation, I have been given titles, but they would still rather not mention me.”
Court’s condemnation of the gay community is a major reason why she’s fallen out of favour with the tennis world.
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Court, who turned 80 in July, is a devout Christian and is never afraid to share her controversial views.
In 2012, she publicly opposed same-sex marriage in Australia, before in 2017 saying she would refuse to fly with Qantas due its support for the cause.
The decision in 2021 to award Court the Companion of the Order of Australia, the highest category of prestige handed out in Australia Day honours, sparked outrage.
Late in Court’s interview with The Telegraph, she rued an attitude she believed was held by many current-day players — not just Williams.
“That’s what disappoints me — that players today don’t honour the past of the game,” Court said.
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