Martina Navratilova, John McEnroe issue apology for Australian Open renaming campaign

Tennis greats John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova had earlier been slammed by the Australian Open for breaching the tournament's protocol. Both Navratilova and McEnroe made strong statements criticising Margaret Court’s controversial views on the transgender community and different races of society with their on-court campaign to have the Margaret Court Arena renamed. Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe unfurled a protest banner, demanding Margaret Court's name be stripped from the main arena over her controversial views recently.

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Australian Open: Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe breach protocols  

Matina Navratilova and John McEnroe were pictured walking on court with a sign saying, "Evonne Goolagong Arena", calling for Margaret Court Arena to be renamed after 3-time women's singles Grand Slam champion Evonne Goolagong. The protest happened after the 77-year-old Court was honoured on the 50th anniversary of her 1970 Australian Open. Navratilova climbed up the umpire's chair at the stadium on Tuesday and started to address spectators, but organisers cut off the live feed. Navratilova and McEnroe then unfurled a banner reading Evonne Goolagong Arena.

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Australian Open: Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe issue apology

Following their actions, Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe have apologised for breaching Australian Open protocols, but the tennis greats are not sorry about the message. Navratilova on Wednesday apologised on the Tennis Channel, saying that she is sorry to break the protocol since she had no idea there was this kind of protocol. She further added that had she knew about the protocol, she would have done it differently. She said that she would still have tried to make her statement which is to name buildings after not just what people did on the court, but also off the court.

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Australian Open: Martina Navratilova wants Margaret Court Arena to be renamed 

Martina Navratilova has said that Margaret Court Arena should be given a new name after Court's controversial statements. The 18-time singles Grand Slam winner told Tennis.com that while Court’s achievements were beyond dispute, her hurtful homophobic, transphobic and bigoted views outweighed her 24 majors. 

Also Read: McEnroe, Navratilova 'breached Protocols' With Margaret Court Protest

Margaret Court creates controversy with her anti-LGBT sermon in Australian church

Just before the commencement of Australian Open, Margaret Court during her speech in the church had said that LGBT is the devil and is not of God. Court lashed out at children aged 7-8 being forced to make decisions on changing their sex or determining their sexuality when they were just male or female. Court opined that aspiring tennis players, especially in women's sport, will have a problem being transgender later in life.