Margaret Court = GOAT?

[dscw]

Can anyone tell me more about Margaret Smith Court? I was watching a tv program few weeks ago about famous Australian Tennis players and they stated she was probably G.O.A.T.

Wikipedia says: "Between 1960 and 1975, she won a record 62 Grand Slam titles – 24 singles, 19 women's doubles and 19 mixed doubles.....she is the only athlete in history to have won all 12 Grand Slam events atleast twice........Court is the only player to have won the calendar year Grand Slam in both singles and mixed doubles."

I never heard of her before or seem to read about her on these forums so what kind of player was she? What kind of strengths/weaknesses did she have etc

62 GS titles is INSANE...

 

[sandiegotennisboy]

no one gives a crap about her because we all know that back in the day (around the same time your grandpa had to walk through 3 feet of snow everyday to get to school), it was easier to accomplish what she did. after all, 3 of the majors were on grass

 

[FiveO]

no one gives a crap about her because we all know that back in the day (around the same time your grandpa had to walk through 3 feet of snow everyday to get to school), it was easier to accomplish what she did. after all, 3 of the majors were on grass

Remarkably easier. Which is why so many players in the 3 to 1, grass to clay major ratio era, won them all in a single year.

The answer is one, Maureen Connolly.

Since the surface changes at the AO and US Open, one, Steffi Graf.

Rare events whether you know the history or not. So rare that it necessitated recognizing non-calendar and career slams even in the women's game:

Non calendar-year Grand Slams

Martina Navratilova (USA) - 1983 Wimbledon / US / Australian & 1984 Roland Garros
Steffi Graf (GER) - 1993 Roland Garros / Wimbledon / US / 1994 Australian
Serena Williams (USA) - 2002 Roland Garros / Wimbledon / US / 2003 Australian

Career Grand Slams

Doris Hart (USA) - 1949 Australian / 1950 Roland Garros / 1951 Wimbledon / 1954 US
Shirley Fry (USA) - 1957 Australian / 1951 Roland Garros / 1956 Wimbledon / 1956 US
Billie Jean King (USA) - 1968 Australian / 1972 Roland Garros / 1966 Wimbledon / 1967 US
Chris Evert (USA) - 1982 Australian / 1974 Roland Garros / 1974 Wimbledon / 1975 US
Martina Navratilova (USA) - 1981 Australian / 1982 Roland Garros / 1978 Wimbledon / 1983 US

So yeah it was alot easier to win a slam, calendar, non-calendar or career when three majors were on grass than now.

3 grass 1 clay: 5

since the surface changes: 6

To the OP yes she is one of the All Time Greats who not only won a natural slam in singles, almost always competed in the women's and mixed at the same event while winning singles majors. She is also the only female I am aware of off the top of my head, who came back from childbirth, to win majors.

Not knowing the history of tennis doesn't diminish the accomplishments.

 

[Duzza]

She's Australian. Does that mean that Australia should be the GOAT?

 

[helloworld]

who cares about WTA slams ?

 

[Duzza]

30% Of the Tennis Watching World. Or is it less now?

 

[Yours!05]

Remarkably easier. Which is why so many players in the 3 to 1, grass to clay major ratio era, won them all in a single year.

The answer is one, Maureen Connolly.

Since the surface changes at the AO and US Open, one, Steffi Graf.

Rare events whether you know the history or not. So rare that it necessitated recognizing non-calendar and career slams even in the women's game:

Non calendar-year Grand Slams

Martina Navratilova (USA) - 1983 Wimbledon / US / Australian & 1984 Roland Garros
Steffi Graf (GER) - 1993 Roland Garros / Wimbledon / US / 1994 Australian
Serena Williams (USA) - 2002 Roland Garros / Wimbledon / US / 2003 Australian

Career Grand Slams

Doris Hart (USA) - 1949 Australian / 1950 Roland Garros / 1951 Wimbledon / 1954 US
Shirley Fry (USA) - 1957 Australian / 1951 Roland Garros / 1956 Wimbledon / 1956 US
Billie Jean King (USA) - 1968 Australian / 1972 Roland Garros / 1966 Wimbledon / 1967 US
Chris Evert (USA) - 1982 Australian / 1974 Roland Garros / 1974 Wimbledon / 1975 US
Martina Navratilova (USA) - 1981 Australian / 1982 Roland Garros / 1978 Wimbledon / 1983 US

So yeah it was alot easier to win a slam, calendar, non-calendar or career when three majors were on grass than now.

3 grass 1 clay: 5

since the surface changes: 6

To the OP yes she is one of the All Time Greats who not only won a natural slam in singles, almost always competed in the women's and mixed at the same event while winning singles majors. She is also the only female I am aware of off the top of my head, who came back from childbirth, to win majors.

Not knowing the history of tennis doesn't diminish the accomplishments.

No. Well said FiveO, but check this out re. childbirth:
http://www.tennisfame.org/enshrinees/evonne_goolagong.html
We're tough down here.

 

[baseliner]

There is always a tendency for the younger set who have not observed first hand the achievements of the veterans to down play their accomplishments. Margaret Court Smith's record speaks for itself. She was ranked #1 in the world at the time she answered the challenge of Bobby Riggs and thus participated in the famous "Mother's Day Massacre". Her record of Grand Slam singles titles may never be equalled (Detractors will point to the many Australian titles and try to lessen the import of them). Actually to be more accurate I should refer to her as Reverand Court Smith. I believe she is a rector of a local church today.

 

[sureshs]

Margaret Court is the GOAT, considering male and female players. She has more titles than anyone else, including Laver, and won the calendar Slam, like him.

 

[helloworld]

Margaret Court is the GOAT, considering male and female players. She has more titles than anyone else, including Laver, and won the calendar Slam, like him.

Yeah right, she can't even beat an old Bobby Riggs. lol!!

 

[Duzza]

Yeah right, she can't even beat an old Bobby Riggs. lol!!

Wasn't that Billie Jean King?

 

[helloworld]

Wasn't that Billie Jean King?

Old man Bobby Riggs beat Mararet Court and lost to Billie Jean King both in prime form.

 

[AndrewD]

Better question: Would we even need to have this discussion if Margaret Court had been born in America?