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SPORTS A23
Saturday 13 January 2018
Billie Jean King backs calls to rename Margaret Court Arena
By JOHN PYE tralian title. Billie Jean King, former ladies singles champion holds the Daphne standing invitation to the
AP Sports Writer King said if she was still com- Akhurst Memorial Cup during a press conference ahead of the season-opening major,
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) peting, she wouldn’t play Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia and would be welcome in
— Billie Jean King thinks one on Margaret Court Arena. Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. the future as she had been
of the main venues at the King said she wouldn’t in the past.
Australian Open should be promote a boycott of the Associated Press He said there had been
renamed because of Mar- stadium, but encouraged “conversation” among
garet Court’s comments players to “seek their own ments about gay people Goolagong Cawley. stakeholders of Melbourne
about the lesbian, gay, heart and mind” before before Australia voted in King said she lobbied on Park regarding the issue,
bisexual and transgender making a decision. favor of legalizing same- Court’s behalf after Mel- but there was no process in
community. Organizers have recog- sex marriage were heavily bourne Park’s center court place to change the name
King, a trailblazer for equal- nized the American ten- criticized last year. Court was named for Rod Laver of the stadium. He said Ten-
ity and diversity in tennis, nis great as the Australian also has called transgender in 2000. Her show court was nis Australia — a tenant at
said she had initially been a Open Woman of the Year children the work of “the recently upgraded to add the venue — would take
proponent of having Mar- and launched its “Ope- devil.” Martina Navratilova, a roof and bigger capac- the lead of the govern-
garet Court Arena named n4All” initiative to promote an 18-time Grand Slam sin- ity. ment on the issue.
in 2003 in recognition of the equality, diversity and in- gles winner, wrote an open Court is a regular at the In 2006, the U.S. Tennis As-
24-time Grand Slam singles clusion to coincide with letter last year criticizing event, but is not attending sociation named the site of
winner’s contribution to the King’s visit. Court and recommended this year’s Australian Open, the U.S. Open, located in
sport. King, one of the original that tennis officials rename which starts Monday. a public park in New York,
“I was fine until lately when professionals in women’s the arena after another Tournament director Craig the Billie Jean King National
she said so many deroga- tennis and winner of 12 ma- Australian great, Evonne Tiley said Court had a Tennis Center.
tory things about my com- jor singles titles in the Open King said she wished Court
munity — I’m a gay woman era, said she had regularly was in Melbourne so they
— about the LBGTIQ com- met with Court at tourna- could continue the conver-
munity,” King said at news ments in the years since sation.
conference Friday. “That they retired after “we grew “You can have discussion
really went deep in my up together playing each around it. I would be very
heart and soul. other.” welcome to Margaret,” the
“I personally don’t think she The 75-year-old Court, who 74-year-old King said. “It’s
should have (her name on holds the record for most really important if you’re
the stadium) anymore.” Grand Slam singles titles going to have your name
King is attending the Aus- across the amateur and on anything that you’re
tralian Open for the first Open eras, is a Christian hospitable, you’re inclu-
time in eight years, marking pastor who lives in Perth, sive, you open your arms to
the 50th anniversary of her Western Australia. everyone that comes. It’s a
win over Court for the Aus- Court’s negative com- public facility.”q
Angelique Kerber wins 8th match
in a row, into Sydney final
SYDNEY (AP) — Angelique 6-4, 6-2 in the other semifi- racket. In men’s semifinals, Angelique Kerber of Germany celebrates her win over Camila
Kerber won her eighth con- nal. In a match that includ- Russian qualifier Daniil Med- Giorgi of Italy in their women’s semifinal singles match at the
secutive match of the new ed 11 breaks of serve, Barty vedev booked a spot in the Sydney International tennis tournament in Sydney, Friday, Jan.
season, coming from 3-1 needed just one in the third final by upsetting fourth- 12, 2018.
down in the final set to beat set. seeded Fabio Fognini of
qualifier Camila Giorgi 6-2, “It’s nice getting a bit of Italy 2-6, 6-4, 6-1. Associated Press
6-3 to reach the Sydney In- confidence going into our Medvedev will next play
ternational final on Friday. biggest tournament for us,” Australian 18-year-old Alex
Kerber, a former No. 1 and Barty said of next week’s de Minaur, who defeated
the 2016 Australian Open Australian Open. Benoit Paire of France 4-6,
champion, won all four Gavrilova’s frustration with 6-1, 6-1.
singles at the Hopman Cup her serving were evident in The 167th-ranked de
and now all four in Sydney the ninth game of the set Minaur, who will play his first
en route to the final. when, soon after leveling ATP Tour final on Saturday,
She will face Ashleigh Barty, at 4-4, she double-faulted advanced to the Brisbane
who beat Australian com- twice and received a code International semifinals last
patriot Daria Gavrilova 3-6, violation for smashing her week.q
