The Australian Open draw came out today and I can’t stop war-gaming the bottom half of the men’s side. The women’s side is a mess too – perhaps a glorious mess where Maria Sharapova could lose in the second round (insert sad clown noise). Of course, it’s also possible that Venus Williams could lose in the first round because she’s up against Belinda Bencic. Juan Martin del Potro could conceivably need to go through… Tomas Berdych, David Goffin, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic… and then play Rafael Nadal in the final. So yes, my mind is going to be elsewhere for the next two weeks. If I write posts that begin and end with “Angelina did something, here are photos, blah,” you’ll know it’s because I’m yelling at tennis players on the TV. Here are the men’s and women’s draws:
Australian Open women's draw pic.twitter.com/LfvMtM9HNB
— Ricky Dimon (@Dimonator) January 11, 2018
Australian Open men's draw pic.twitter.com/9hU2iMHn6A
— Ricky Dimon (@Dimonator) January 11, 2018
I mean… how many times is Del Potro going to play Roger Federer in the quarterfinals of a Slam?? DelPo was the only person to beat Federer in a Slam last year. So… yeah… I’m going to be yelling at the TV.
Guess who else will be yelling at the television because she won’t be there in person? Australian Hall-of-Famer Margaret Court, whose homophobia, racism and bigotry has been well-documented for years. Court has one of the large arenas named after her at the Australian Open, and there’s been a movement for the past year to rename Margaret Court Arena because of Court’s politics and general hatefulness. It still hasn’t been renamed. But now Court – who always attends the Open – says she will boycott this year’s tournament.
Tennis great Margaret Court has turned her back this year’s Australian Open to go crabbing following the controversy her gay marriage comments incited. Australia’s greatest female tennis player has also issued a warning to any players thinking of boycotting playing on the court named after her at Melbourne’s tennis centre.
“I think that is petty if they do that and it says what’s in their heart,” she said. “I think that’s very childish — but that’s not up to me and it doesn’t affect me.”
Despite being smashed globally over her gay marriage comments, Court remains defiant and said gay marriage is a trend and Australia “will pay” for its decision to allow same-sex couples to wed. There were calls last year to rename Margaret Court Arena after she caused outrage with comments she would boycott Qantas as a protest against the airline’s support for same-sex marriage. Politicians, other sporting greats, actors and even the arena operator slammed the Christian pastor over her stance.
But she was unmoved describing those who attacked her opinion as bullies. Court yesterday denied she was avoiding the Australian Open after the controversy and Tennis Australia not backing her comments.
“I don’t run from things, I face them,” she said. “I decided not to come across this year and do more crabbing.”
Court said she had a holiday house which she rarely got to use and January was the perfect time to head there, where she would watch tennis on TV. Court said she did not hate gay people and was angered how she was made out to be homophobic, who no longer deserved credit for her tennis career.
“In many ways they bought my tennis into it and I was speaking from a biblical side,” she said. “Bringing my tennis into it and what I did in my life … they should be ashamed.”
“I don’t run from things, I face them,” she says as she announces that she’s running far away from the controversy she started by being such a homophobic a–hole. I mean, I’m sure Mother and Mother’s Husband agree with Court. But most players have no desire to play on a court named after such a notorious homophobe and bigot. Anyway, at least this year’s women’s singles winner won’t have to see Court’s sour bitchface when receiving the trophy.
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Photos courtesy of Getty.
Is it wrong of me to hope a crab bites her in a sensitive area? Or gives her food poisoning?
She doesn’t come off too well in Battle of the Sexes.
This is just the kind of cognitive dissonance that I expect from someone who’d make such statements. It’s just like those people who call someone “snowflake” and use the word “triggered” ironically, but then can’t handle disagreement.
No, if she is not there, she doesn’t “face” the “challenges”. She’s a coward. And she can blah-blah all she wants, she **is** a **sad** homophobic sorry a**.
I hope that at least some players will boycott that arena and will speak against homophobia. Happy year last year for Oz.
I live in Ireland and proudly we are the first country in the world to have voted in a referendum to allow for gay marriages. This country has not had to ‘pay’ for that. If anything it’s giving us an image of a forward looking progressive place that for so long had been ruled with an iron hand of the Catholic Church. This woman needs to be dragged into the 21st century
I’m an American and was in Dublin for work the week before the Irish referendum. (Luckily my company is very progressive and everyone in our office there was really pumped about the vote). The vote was held on the day before I flew home to the US. I was boarding the plane and had just taken my seat when news of the positive vote outcome was announced. Fully 3/4 of the plane broke out into a cheer and people started hugging each other. It was an amazing moment, even not being Irish.
Sometimes when I’m feeling really overwhelmed about the state of America with our orange dictator, I think about that moment and other moments where justice and love overcame hate and divisiveness, and just try to focus on that.
Not gonna lie, I was a tiny bit envious that the Irish got to vote on it and us Germans didn’t. It took us WAY too long and then it was all done rather quietly in parliament. It’s a little childish but it would’ve been nice to have to opportunity to make that statement as a country.
And this woman can eff off.
To be fair I’m Irish and I’m proud to say I canvassed a lot for a yes vote, and it was so jubilant when we got that resounding yes. But it also made me very uncomfortable that we were voting on whether or not people got rights. There’s pros and cons whether through a referendum or by legislation but it just didn’t seem right to be voting on the rights of other human beings. I think some things shouldn’t be down to a popular vote and human rights are one of those things.
And also co-sign Court can eff off!
I’m proud that Canada didn’t even need a referendum on it – even our extremely Conservative government had the sense to legislate it in 2005. And we are the very first country not to have a residency requirement for it!
Oops – I should proofread. Liberal Government legislated it – Conservative government elected not to appeal the challenge to it that preceded the legislation.
The day Marriage Equality passed was honestly one of the best days. I met up with friends and managed to squeeze into Dublin Castle, and the atmosphere was like nothing else. Uniquely Irish and hugely gay, for the first time together. I still love to think about it!
maybe you are the first voting a referendum in 2015 for gay rights but i remember you Spain allows gay people get married since 2005 , ten years before Ireland…
Court’s court should be repainted with a big rainbow flag. That way her significamt contributions as a tennis player are remembered AND the pushback against her homophobic and ignorant comments are forever tied to it.
I literally laughed outloud at this idea. It’s perfect.
Also, players should wear rainbow pins in solidarity.
Wonderful idea @Yup, Me!
good. GTFOH.
Serena beating her record is gonna be extraordinary.
When I heard about it I was like eh, just because her opinions are wrong doesn’t mean her legacy should be destroyed. Then I actually read the hateful rot that she was spouting. Imagine being a lgbtqi player (or ANY player who respects human rights) and having to step onto a court named after such a homophobic bigot. Go to hell, Margaret.
Am I the only person who thinks Court is deeply closeted?
Nah, she’s just a really awful person who became a born again Christian and decided gay people were evil. Why are born agains often so unChristian? Unpopular too but tolerated through clenched teeth because she was a ‘legend.’ I think the organisers are breathing a sigh of relief, frankly.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, Marg.
I HATE her. People would like her a whole lot better and she’d get more respect for her accomplishments if she weren’t such a horrible person. She’s really practically unknown as a tennis player in the U.S., maybe because to be an icon you have to be so much more than just your playing record. Of course, there is a double standard for the male players.
Can we please talk about how Maria Dopapova was invited to the draw ceremony because Serena wasn’t there and got to bring the ladies trophy out? Disgraceful decision from Tennis Austrailia to allow this convicted doper to take part in the ceremony. Surely they could have found another female player past or present to do the honors instead?
Homosexuality is a fad? Longest running fad of human existence, then.
She looks like a bitter, hateful old woman.
wait, am I understanding this correctly? She’s boycotting/won’t go because Australia now allows gay people to marry one another but is complaining that people who would boycott playing on a court named after her are being petty? Bitch pot meet kettle!
I know, right? The hypocrisy is mind-boggling and every bit as repulsive as that neck (sorry to be petty and superficial but omg–look at it!)
She’s not coming because despite its appearance, that skin is actually quite thin.
She knows that using her platform as a revered sportswoman to spread a message of hate and intolerance (and to try to convince us to join her boycott of our much-more-beloved Qantas) has turned the public against her. Being booed at the tennis would be the ultimate humiliation for her, despite what she says.
Nobody is going to miss you Mags, stay far far away.