The Australian Open was plunged into a second controversy in 24 hours when Billie Jean King declared on Friday she could not support the continued naming of Margaret Court Arena after the nation’s best player because of her “derogatory” statements about the LBGT community.
On Thursday, the tournament director, Craig Tiley, was forced to defend the decision to invite Maria Sharapova to share the podium with the men’s champion, Roger Federer, at the televised draw ceremony, even though she has served 15 months for failing a drugs test here two years ago.
He argued that in the absence of the women’s champion, Serena Williams, it was appropriate to have a former title-holder in Sharapova step in for her – on the 10th anniversary of winning the title.
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