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Has tennis forgotten Margaret Court?

30th January, 2016
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Serena Williams is an icon. (AFP / Jewel Samad)
Roar Guru
30th January, 2016
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2074 Reads

The media appear to have forgotten – or do not care – about Margaret Court amid the hullabaloo of Serena Williams matching the singles grand slam record.

The fact is that Australian Margaret Court holds the open-era of the most singles grand slam victories, not German Stefi Graf. Court won 24 and Graf 22.

Serena’s feat may have American flags fluttering, but she still has a way to go to catch Court.

In 1970 Court became the first woman during the open era (and the second woman in history) to win the singles grand slam (all four major tournaments in the same calendar year).

She also won 19 women’s doubles and 21 mixed doubles titles, giving her a record 64 major titles overall. That’s another record that will be tough to match.

Much is often made of career grand slams in tennis. However only two players have achieved the calendar feat in tennis, both of them Australians.

Rod Laver did it twice with Court completing it once.

Cameras often focus on the 77-year-old Laver every year sitting in the stands at the Australian Open as the younger generation trade blows, but most times I fail to catch a glimpse of Court in the crowds.

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Laver and Court are hardly forgotten Australian heroes, but their feats appear to slowly been buried by international journalists in the mist of time.

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