Margaret Court Arena

                        

Melbourne Park's "Show Court One" was officially re-named ‘Margaret Court Arena’ as a tribute to Australia’s most successful female tennis player on the eve of the 2003 Australian Open Tennis Championship (12 January 2003).

Tennis Australia’s president Geoff Pollard announced the change of name, saying, "Margaret Court’s list of achievements in the sport of tennis are outstanding and the re-naming of Show Court one at Australia’s premier tennis venue will provide an enduring tribute to a true champion."

Margaret Court joins Rod Laver in having her lifetime’s achievements recognised through the renaming of one of the major arenas at Melbourne Park. As part of the Melbourne Park Redevelopment Plan announced at the 2010 Australian Open, a spectacular roof will be constructed over the Arena, making it the only Grand Slam with a third multi purpose venue with a roof.

 

About Margaret Court

Born in 1942, Margaret (Smith) Court grew up in Albury on the border of New South Wales and Victoria. As a teenager she went to Melbourne to develop her tennis career under the guidance of another Australian tennis great, Frank Sedgman, and trainer Stan Nicholes.

At 17 years of age she won her first Australian Championship title – the first of seven straight victories in her total of 11 National championships, and the beginning of an amazing career in which she amassed 62 Grand Slam titles, including 24 in singles. This remains a record for both men and women.

Representing her country in Federation Cup from 1963-71 she won all of her twenty singles matches, fifteen of twenty doubles matches, and was a member of four winning Federation Cup teams (1964, ’65, ’68 and 1971).

Margaret’s other achievements include being the first Australian woman to win Wimbledon (in 1963) and being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1970. In 1993, Rod Laver and Margaret Court became inaugural players inducted into the new Australian Tennis Hall of Fame.

Margaret Court (nee Smith) - Achievements:

  • Winner of Grand Slam in 1970
  • Winner of Mixed Grand Slam in 1963
  • Winner of 62 Grand Slam titles – 24 Singles, 19 doubles and 19 mixed doubles
  • Highest singles ranking: No1 (Seven times 1962 – 65, 1969-70, 1973)
  • Federation Cup 1963-65, 1968-69, 1971
  • Federation Cup Captain 1965, 1968, 1971


Singles champion of:

  • Australian Open 1960-66, 1969-71, 1973
  • French Open 1962, 1964, 1969-70, 1973
  • U.S. Open 1962, 1965, 1969-70, 1973
  • Wimbledon 1963, 1965, 1970