Sports Media: Margaret Court set to receive top Australian award

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia media are reporting that controversial former tennis champion Margaret Court will receive the country’s top award in the Australia Day honours list, and the apparent decision is already being criticized.

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The 78-year-old’s appointment as Companion of the Order of Australia was due to be revealed late on Monday, but it was leaked on social media. Australia Day is on Tuesday.

The award is to recognize Court’s “eminent service to tennis” as winner of a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles and a mentor for young athletes.

But Court’s tennis achievements have more recently been overshadowed by her views on homosexuality, conversion therapy, same-sex marriage and transgender people.

Australian Open qualifying complete; 15 charters to arrive

Nearly 12,000 kilometres (7,500 miles) from Melbourne, the qualifying tournament has been completed for the Australian Open, with 16 men and 16 women set to join the singles main draw beginning Feb. 8. That’s a three-week delay from the original start date for the season-open tennis major at Melbourne Park because of quarantine protocols in place in the COVID-19 pandemic. The qualifiers join the group of players who'll begin arriving Thursday onThat’s a three-week delay from the original start date for the season-open tennis major at Melbourne Park because of quarantine protocols in place in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tennis legend Margaret Court to receive top Australian honor; faces massive backlash over The decision to award Margaret Court a top award in the 2021 Australia Day honours has sparked a Margaret Court defends right to religious freedom of speech, slams media over 2021 Australia Day

Tennis legend Margaret Court to receive top Australian honor; faces massive backlash over anti-LGBT views. Margaret Court , an Australian record breaker known for her homophobic comments, is set to receive the nation's highest public *service* award .

Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews said he did not support Court receiving the honour.

“I don’t believe that she has views that accord with the vast majority of people across our nation that see people, particularly from the LGBTQ community, as equal and deserving of dignity, respect and safety,” he said.

Court, a Pentecostal minister who runs the Victory Life Centre church in Perth, Western Australia, said she won’t change her opinions.

“All my life I’ve had those views and I was just saying what the Bible says,” Court told Australian Associated Press this week. “I should always be able to say my views biblically, being a pastor and helping people with marriages and family. And I’ll never change those views.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who would not comment on Court’s possible honour, said compilation of the Australia Day list was separate from the government.

Players arrive for Australian Open; straight into quarantine

Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka was among the earliest arrivals into Melbourne on one of the 15 charter flights bringing players and officials into the city for the first Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year. And she wanted everyone to know she was pleased to be in Australia despite all the COVID-19 restrictions around the world and a tournament-enforced 14-day quarantine period in Melbourne. Azarenka, who won theAnd she wanted everyone to know she was pleased to be in Australia despite all the COVID-19 restrictions around the world and a tournament-enforced 14-day quarantine period in Melbourne.

Australian tennis great Margaret Court has been acknowledged for her on- court achievements, despite what a fellow tennis legend calls her "offensive views". In a ceremony at Rod Laver Arena on Monday night, Court received a special trophy presented by Rod Laver. The ceremony marked 50

Margaret Court says she is honoured to receive Australia 's highest honour, but others are angry about it. The decision to award Margaret Without naming her, Victoria state leader Daniel Andrews said on social media : "Grand Slam wins don't give you some right to spew hatred and create division".

“This is a completely independent set of processes," Morrison said. “It is an announcement that will be announced on that day. It is a system that recognizes the full spectrum of individuals across this country."

In 2020, Court was honoured for the 50th anniversary of completing a calendar year Grand Slam — winning all four major tournaments in 1970.

But former tennis stars including Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe and current player Andy Murray have all led calls for Court’s name to be removed from Margaret Court Arena at Melbourne Park because of her views.

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