'Treat me like Laver', Court urges Tennis Australia

Polarising tennis great Margaret Court Thursday called on Tennis Australia to treat her like Rod Laver and issue a formal invitation to the Australian Open next year to commemorate her calendar-year Grand Slam jubilee.

The first Slam of 2020 will mark the 50th anniversary of Court winning all four majors in the same year -- the holy grail of tennis.

Only two other women have achieved the feat -- Maureen Connolly (1953) and Steffi Graf (1988). Don Budge was the first man in 1938, with the legendary Laver the only player to win it twice (1962 and 1969).

Court claimed a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles in total with only Serena Williams (23) and Graf (22) coming close, and one of the main courts at Melbourne Park is named after her.

Yet Court, now a church pastor, told the Sydney Morning Herald she had heard nothing from Australian tennis chiefs about honouring her at the tournament in January.

It follows controversy over her views on homosexuality and gay marriage, which has seen ...