In 2003, the Show Court One at the National Tennis Center at Flinders Park in Melbourne was renamed the Margaret Court Arena. "I'm glad they did it before I died. It's a great honor and I'm just thrilled about it. I think it will be a great statement for women's tennis," Margaret told the press at the time. In 1970, Margaret became the 2nd woman player in the world to win the calendar Grand Slam of tennis. It was noted 3 of the 4 major titles at the time were played on grass.
Margaret told Associated Press in 1973, "Going for the 'Slam' has kept me keen again this year. I think I need an incentive to play really well these days . . . When you go for the 'Slam', the French title is the toughest one to win but Wimbledon is the big one – the tournament every player most wants to win." Margaret won 5 French Open singles titles and 3 Wimbledon singles titles. "The fact that I have won it 3 times already doesn’t alter anything. I am still desperately keen to win it again," Margaret confessed in 1973.
Margaret played amateur and professional tennis from 1960 to 1976. When she retired, A. C Nielsen estimated there were 35 million tennis players in the United States compared to 5 million in 1960. In all Margaret had won 24 Grand Slam singles championships, of which 11 were at the Australian Open (7 in a row 1960-66 and the last 3 more also in a row 1969-71). In 1973 Margaret defeated Rosemary Casals to win her 11th Australian Open singles championship. Rosemary said afterward, "This proves once again that without question Margaret Court is the greatest in the world and will continue to be as long as she continues to play." On reflection, Margaret remarked, "I guess I must think it (greatest player) within myself, otherwise I wouldn't have the drive that I do. I think I have a gift and I enjoy using it and showing others how to do it."
Margaret maintained, "When you're gifted, you should make the best of your talent . . . I made up my mind to be the first woman from Australia to win at Wimbledon. Then I wanted to win the Grand Slam. I'd won 3 of the 4 titles, and in 1970, I took them all." Ann Jones defeated Margaret in the semifinals of Wimbledon in 1969 conceded, "In terms Wimbledon of tennis, Margaret is the greatest player I have competed against in these last 8 or 9 years (since 1960)." In her prime, other players reportedly said "she plays like a man." Margaret was said to have hit the hardest serve in women's tennis at the time (clocking at 92.6 miles per hour, the fastest in women's tennis at the time).
In 1966, Margaret took a break from tennis to run a dress shop in Western Australia. Then in 1967, she married the son of the Premier in Western Australia Barry Court. Margaret Smith became Margaret Court. Born in 1942 in the town of Albury, the farm country of New South Wales, Margaret told the press she was "just a country girl. As a little girl, I lived across the road from public grass courts. The man who taught me the ropes of the sport charged 20 cents a lesson. That same man is still there today (in 1975), but now he charges 50 cents. I could have been an athlete or a tennis player, I ran the 200-meter. But at 15, I decided I'd have to choose and develop one talent. So I chose tennis."
In 1971, Margaret also took another hiatus to give birth to her baby. Jim Murray of the 'Los Angeles Times' noted in 1973, "Margaret Court gets about as much attention as a guy riding in a car with the Pope. Her face is as forgettable as a waiter's. She draws about as much notice to herself as a pickpocket in a crowd. She's not the type for gold pants. Her quotes are as steady, predictable, and non-headliney as her game. She's like a great diamond cutter at work. She may not draw a crowd, but if you want to see someone doing something she's best at in the world, you might check this reigning royal Court.
"She's the only woman I know of who got to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon pregnant (at the time). Her play is, like the player, refined, unflamboyant, matter of fact – and good. She does not play with the icy aloofness of a Helen Wills Moody but she appears to be no more emotionally involved than the head lion. Where a Billie Jean King plays as if a calliope were playing, Margaret's court game runs more to organ music. She never appears to be straining. She never seems to have to reach for a ball. She is there when it is.
"Where an Evonne Goolagong survives on sheer exuberance and overcoming mistakes, Court's game is patience and not making any. She shows up in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon as regularly as the Queen. It's only when you open a record book you realize how gifted a player is this Australian matron. She is neither a picture of grace nor of furious energy on court. She has the long legs of a thoroughbred filly and she can cover more ground at a stride than Billie Jean is a sprint."
When Margaret retired in 1976 after 17 years of playing tennis, 'United Press International' understood Margaret "has become deeply religious." Margaret told the Australian press in March 1976, "I have been having visions . . . I feel that I have touched by God in many ways. I had my first vision 5 months ago (in October 1975). I was going up to the children's room one night and I saw Our Lady above the door. Next day I was praying in our bedroom and I felt an urge to put a hand to my face. I had my eyes closed and when I put my hand over my face I saw through them . . . I saw a church." It was then reported Margaret experienced her 3rd vision of the earth through a window the next day, "I was looking down at the earth. I saw an archway, clouds and flashing lights."
Margaret was 28 years old when she won the Grand Slam of tennis in 1970 at Forest Hills in New York, "We (Rosemary Casals and Margaret) both have played better, we were awfully tense out there. The tension was especially hard on me going for the Grand Slam. Thank God I won in the end." At the time only Maureen Connolly had won the Grand Slam of tennis in 1953. The first male player to win the Grand Slam of tennis was Don Budge in 1938 (the year Rod Laver was born) and Rod Laver in 1962 as an amateur player and in 1969 as a pro.
In winning her 5th U.S. Open women's singles championship in 1970, Margaret also won the top prize of $7,500. Margaret told Joan Ryan in 1973, "Women's tennis just can't match the depth seen in the men's game. When I started in tennis, the women were paid one-fourth what the men were getting. We've improved our game, but we're still not equal. Women in tennis should get half to three-quarters what the men get. A 12th ranked woman couldn't draw as many as a 12th ranked man. There are only about 5 good women tennis players (excluding Margaret) now (in 1973)." Those players included Billie Jean King, Chris Evert and Evonne Goolagong. After losing to Margaret at the 1973 French Open, Chris told the press, "I wish Margaret Court had been in this form when she played Bobby Riggs. She would have hit him off the court."
In 1970, the revolutionary sudden-death tie break scoring system was introduced to tennis to reportedly "effect a terminal point in tennis" (also known as the turning point of the match). In 1969, after the 31-year-old Rod Laver won the Grand Slam of tennis, he told the press, "I live for tennis." In that year, the U.S. Open championships drew a crowd of over 100,000 people for the 11 days of play. Rod won $16,000 first prize and was awarded the Tennis Player of 1969 by sports writers around the world. He received a $4000 Tiffany-designed Gold Racket, made of solid silver and plated with gold. The prize was presented by Martini & Rossi. Before he completed the Grand Slam of tennis, Rod said, "I don't know what the names (the players in his draw) will be but it makes no difference. You have to win 7 tough one or you're finished." In 2000, the main stadium at the National Tennis Center was renamed the Rod Laver Arena. Margaret told the press in 1967 before returning to the game, "Besides my tournament purses and endorsements of athletic equipment, I have a line of tennis clothes, own a boutique and plan to market a special women's barbell."
Margaret told Associated Press in 1973, "Going for the 'Slam' has kept me keen again this year. I think I need an incentive to play really well these days . . . When you go for the 'Slam', the French title is the toughest one to win but Wimbledon is the big one – the tournament every player most wants to win." Margaret won 5 French Open singles titles and 3 Wimbledon singles titles. "The fact that I have won it 3 times already doesn’t alter anything. I am still desperately keen to win it again," Margaret confessed in 1973.
Margaret played amateur and professional tennis from 1960 to 1976. When she retired, A. C Nielsen estimated there were 35 million tennis players in the United States compared to 5 million in 1960. In all Margaret had won 24 Grand Slam singles championships, of which 11 were at the Australian Open (7 in a row 1960-66 and the last 3 more also in a row 1969-71). In 1973 Margaret defeated Rosemary Casals to win her 11th Australian Open singles championship. Rosemary said afterward, "This proves once again that without question Margaret Court is the greatest in the world and will continue to be as long as she continues to play." On reflection, Margaret remarked, "I guess I must think it (greatest player) within myself, otherwise I wouldn't have the drive that I do. I think I have a gift and I enjoy using it and showing others how to do it."
Margaret maintained, "When you're gifted, you should make the best of your talent . . . I made up my mind to be the first woman from Australia to win at Wimbledon. Then I wanted to win the Grand Slam. I'd won 3 of the 4 titles, and in 1970, I took them all." Ann Jones defeated Margaret in the semifinals of Wimbledon in 1969 conceded, "In terms Wimbledon of tennis, Margaret is the greatest player I have competed against in these last 8 or 9 years (since 1960)." In her prime, other players reportedly said "she plays like a man." Margaret was said to have hit the hardest serve in women's tennis at the time (clocking at 92.6 miles per hour, the fastest in women's tennis at the time).
In 1966, Margaret took a break from tennis to run a dress shop in Western Australia. Then in 1967, she married the son of the Premier in Western Australia Barry Court. Margaret Smith became Margaret Court. Born in 1942 in the town of Albury, the farm country of New South Wales, Margaret told the press she was "just a country girl. As a little girl, I lived across the road from public grass courts. The man who taught me the ropes of the sport charged 20 cents a lesson. That same man is still there today (in 1975), but now he charges 50 cents. I could have been an athlete or a tennis player, I ran the 200-meter. But at 15, I decided I'd have to choose and develop one talent. So I chose tennis."
In 1971, Margaret also took another hiatus to give birth to her baby. Jim Murray of the 'Los Angeles Times' noted in 1973, "Margaret Court gets about as much attention as a guy riding in a car with the Pope. Her face is as forgettable as a waiter's. She draws about as much notice to herself as a pickpocket in a crowd. She's not the type for gold pants. Her quotes are as steady, predictable, and non-headliney as her game. She's like a great diamond cutter at work. She may not draw a crowd, but if you want to see someone doing something she's best at in the world, you might check this reigning royal Court.
"She's the only woman I know of who got to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon pregnant (at the time). Her play is, like the player, refined, unflamboyant, matter of fact – and good. She does not play with the icy aloofness of a Helen Wills Moody but she appears to be no more emotionally involved than the head lion. Where a Billie Jean King plays as if a calliope were playing, Margaret's court game runs more to organ music. She never appears to be straining. She never seems to have to reach for a ball. She is there when it is.
"Where an Evonne Goolagong survives on sheer exuberance and overcoming mistakes, Court's game is patience and not making any. She shows up in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon as regularly as the Queen. It's only when you open a record book you realize how gifted a player is this Australian matron. She is neither a picture of grace nor of furious energy on court. She has the long legs of a thoroughbred filly and she can cover more ground at a stride than Billie Jean is a sprint."
When Margaret retired in 1976 after 17 years of playing tennis, 'United Press International' understood Margaret "has become deeply religious." Margaret told the Australian press in March 1976, "I have been having visions . . . I feel that I have touched by God in many ways. I had my first vision 5 months ago (in October 1975). I was going up to the children's room one night and I saw Our Lady above the door. Next day I was praying in our bedroom and I felt an urge to put a hand to my face. I had my eyes closed and when I put my hand over my face I saw through them . . . I saw a church." It was then reported Margaret experienced her 3rd vision of the earth through a window the next day, "I was looking down at the earth. I saw an archway, clouds and flashing lights."
Margaret was 28 years old when she won the Grand Slam of tennis in 1970 at Forest Hills in New York, "We (Rosemary Casals and Margaret) both have played better, we were awfully tense out there. The tension was especially hard on me going for the Grand Slam. Thank God I won in the end." At the time only Maureen Connolly had won the Grand Slam of tennis in 1953. The first male player to win the Grand Slam of tennis was Don Budge in 1938 (the year Rod Laver was born) and Rod Laver in 1962 as an amateur player and in 1969 as a pro.
In winning her 5th U.S. Open women's singles championship in 1970, Margaret also won the top prize of $7,500. Margaret told Joan Ryan in 1973, "Women's tennis just can't match the depth seen in the men's game. When I started in tennis, the women were paid one-fourth what the men were getting. We've improved our game, but we're still not equal. Women in tennis should get half to three-quarters what the men get. A 12th ranked woman couldn't draw as many as a 12th ranked man. There are only about 5 good women tennis players (excluding Margaret) now (in 1973)." Those players included Billie Jean King, Chris Evert and Evonne Goolagong. After losing to Margaret at the 1973 French Open, Chris told the press, "I wish Margaret Court had been in this form when she played Bobby Riggs. She would have hit him off the court."
In 1970, the revolutionary sudden-death tie break scoring system was introduced to tennis to reportedly "effect a terminal point in tennis" (also known as the turning point of the match). In 1969, after the 31-year-old Rod Laver won the Grand Slam of tennis, he told the press, "I live for tennis." In that year, the U.S. Open championships drew a crowd of over 100,000 people for the 11 days of play. Rod won $16,000 first prize and was awarded the Tennis Player of 1969 by sports writers around the world. He received a $4000 Tiffany-designed Gold Racket, made of solid silver and plated with gold. The prize was presented by Martini & Rossi. Before he completed the Grand Slam of tennis, Rod said, "I don't know what the names (the players in his draw) will be but it makes no difference. You have to win 7 tough one or you're finished." In 2000, the main stadium at the National Tennis Center was renamed the Rod Laver Arena. Margaret told the press in 1967 before returning to the game, "Besides my tournament purses and endorsements of athletic equipment, I have a line of tennis clothes, own a boutique and plan to market a special women's barbell."
