Excited for Australian Open 2024

Sipho

Rookie
Why would she get boos from Aussies of all people? If Americans don't boo Serena, don't see why Australians would act different with their biggest female tennis legend.
Well, in regard to Margaret Court, a quick search will tell you (from 2021)...

Why is she controversial?​

Court, 78, is now a Pentecostal minister at a church in Perth and has drawn repeated criticism over recent years for her outspoken position on the LGBTIQ+ community.

Court has publicly opposed same-sex marriage, condemned transgender athletes and said LGBTIQ+ school lessons are "of the devil" - comments which have been denounced as homophobic.

In 2013, she wrote a letter to a newspaper decrying the birth of Australian tennis player Casey Dellacqua's child in a same-sex relationship.

'Personally, I have nothing against Casey Dellacqua or her "partner",” she wrote.

“It is with sadness that I see this baby has seemingly been deprived of his father.”
Several years later, Court sparked another media storm after declaring in a letter to a local paper
that she would no longer fly with Qantas over the airline's support for gay marriage.
At the time, Australia was yet to legalise gay marriage, though opinion polls had shown the majority of Australians supported it.

"I am disappointed that Qantas has become an active promoter for same-sex marriage," Court said in the letter published in The West Australian newspaper.

"I believe in marriage as a union between a man and a woman as stated in the Bible.

"Your statement leaves me no option but to use other airlines where possible for my extensive travelling."

In 2019, Court took aim at trans athletes and trans children in a sermon at the Pentecostal church where she is a minister.
"Because we are living in a season ... even that LGBT and the schools - it's of the devil, it's not of God," Court told her congregation at the time.

"And when children are making the decision at seven or eight years of age to change their sex ... no, just read the first two chapters of Genesis, that's all I say. Male and female.

"It's so wrong at that age because a lot of things are planted in this thought realm at that age. And they start to question 'What am I?' and if you are a Christian... you believe the word of God, this is our TV guide to life...

"And you know with that LGBT, they'll wish they never put the T on the end of it because, particularly in women's sports, they're going to have so many problems."

Court's sermon came a month before her Grand Slam was due to be honoured by Tennis Australia.
The governing body was torn over how to commemorate its greatest woman player
but agreed to "recognise but not celebrate" Court's achievement, while distancing itself from her personal views.

"As often stated, Tennis Australia does not agree with Margaret's personal views, which have demeaned and hurt many in our community over a number of years," TA said in a statement at the time.

"They do not align with our values of equality, diversity and inclusion.

"Our sport welcomes everyone, no matter what gender, ability, race, religion or sexuality, and we will continue to actively promote inclusion initiatives widely at all levels of the sport."
Margaret Court is of course fully within her rights to hold those views, and I'm sure millions of people agree with her.

At the same time, millions of people don't share those views, so I wouldn't be surprised if she did get booed at the Australian Open.

I believe there's a number of prominent former tennis greats, like Billie Jean King, that want Margaret Court Arena to be renamed in honor of Evonne Goolagong Cawley or someone else.

It's a situation. :giggle:

Obviously someone with her views wouldn't be welcomed or honored at the US Open. And I imagine the same holds true at the Australian Open.
 

nolefam_2024

Bionic Poster
Well, in regard to Margaret Court, a quick search will tell you (from 2021)...




Margaret Court is of course fully within her rights to hold those views, and I'm sure millions of people agree with her.

At the same time, millions of people don't share those views, so I wouldn't be surprised if she did get booed at the Australian Open.

I believe there's a number of prominent former tennis greats, like Billie Jean King, that want Margaret Court Arena to be renamed in honor of Evonne Goolagong Cawley or someone else.

It's a situation. :giggle:

Obviously someone with her views wouldn't be welcomed or honored at the US Open. And I imagine the same holds true at the Australian Open.

Keep politics out of sports.
 

nolefam_2024

Bionic Poster
So this is the status for top 15.

Djokovic - having wrist injury
Alcaraz - haven't played
Medvedev - haven't played
Sinner - haven't played
Rublev - won hong kong open
Zverev - beat Tsitsipas and lost to ADM
Tsitsipas - lost to Zverev
Rune - Brisbane final but loss to Dimitrov
Hurkacz - lost multiple matches in united cup
ADM - beat 3 top 10 players including Zverev and Djokovic
Ruud - won 3 hc matches for first time since 2023 start
Dimitrov - won Brisbane title after 5 year draught.
 

Sputnik Bulgorov

Professional
Let's give context first.

Djokovic after USOpen took extended break. And came back and despite not playing his best, won Paris masters.

In ATP finals he was already near his year end, but had 1 task only to win year end number 1. He beat rune and won it.

Then a match where Djokovic won more pts, he barely lost to sinner. The first set at 4-4 Djokovic played one of the shaky games and sinner went 1 set up. From there onwards they were very even. 1 bad game won't dictate his fate in BO5.

Still he won sf and final in dominant fashion. 3 2 3 3.

Now davis cup was another tough battle in Italy in a court similar to ATP finals court. Djokovic squandered match points to lose that match.

In united cup he is carrying some niggle.

But all in all post USOpen Djokovic won a masters and ATP finals while losing a rr match, DC and united cup.

He’s definitely still the favorite. It just isn’t as overwhelming as it felt last year. Think about it this way - last year, Nadal was on a losing streak, Medvedev was in a slump, Zverev was still coming back from injury, Alcaraz was missing and Rune and Sinner were too immature. Djokovic ended up facing Rublev-Paul-Tsitsipas from QF onwards, all of whom were no challenge.

Fast forward a year, and everything feels different and everyone has progressed and is in better form, except for Nadal and Tsitsipas. It’s feels like a real possibility that Djokovic might have to win 2 to 3 tough matches in a row to win the title, which is a tough ask for anyone in their late 30s.
 

ChaelAZ

G.O.A.T.
Alcaraz, Sinner, Rune, and the like are the story for the season for sure. These new players at the end of the Fedal era are where the excitement is at!

Certainly didn't mean to forget other mentionable players that have an impact and are always a threat, like Dimitrov, Med, and those bit older, but still relevant guys grinding it out there.

It is just awesome to see those true sportsman of the day and new talent sliding off the tail-end of history GOATs like Nadal and Federer.
 

pirhaksar

Professional
So this is the status for top 15.

Djokovic - having wrist injury
Alcaraz - haven't played
Medvedev - haven't played
Sinner - haven't played
Rublev - won hong kong open
Zverev - beat Tsitsipas and lost to ADM
Tsitsipas - lost to Zverev
Rune - Brisbane final but loss to Dimitrov
Hurkacz - lost multiple matches in united cup
ADM - beat 3 top 10 players including Zverev and Djokovic
Ruud - won 3 hc matches for first time since 2023 start
Dimitrov - won Brisbane title after 5 year draught.
Are you implying ADM is the red hot favorite. Imagine the plight of TTW if he ends up winning LOL..some of the guys will need to be admitted
 

Genie Of the Bank

Hall of Fame
Get ready to NAP my dude!
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