'Tennis is full of lesbians': Court great attacks same-sex marriage and trans children

Tennis great Margaret Court believes the sport is "full of lesbians" and that transgender children are the "work of the devil", victims of a mind control plot similar to one used by Hitler.

Court, now a Christian pastor, made the shocking comments on 20Twenty Vision Christian Radio station. They follow her decision to boycott Qantas airlines after their chief executive voiced his support for same-sex marriage.

"I mean, tennis is full of lesbians, because even when I was playing there was only a couple there, but those couple that led took young ones into parties and things," Court told the radio station, as reported by Australia's Daily Telegraph.

"And you know, what you get at the top is often what you'll get right through that sport."

In the interview, the Australian also attacked transgender children, claiming they are a by-product of parents who "just don't care" and comparing them to Hitler's Nazi regime.

"I tell you, a child can just start to think 'well, maybe I am a girl' when they're a boy or and maybe I'm a boy and I'm a girl.

"Your thoughts — even medically they're knowing now — the mind is a battlefield and that's why I wrote that book Train Your Brain because the mind is, it's all in the Bible.

"God's got so much in there about the mind how it affects us, affects our emotions, our feelings, you can think 'oh I'm a boy' and it'll affect your emotions and feelings, and everything else and so that's all the Devil.

"That's what Hitler did, that's what Communism did — got the mind of the children. And it's a whole plot in our nation and in the nations of the world to get the minds of the children."

The Margaret Court Arena, home of the Australian Open, was named after the player in 2003 – but there are now growing calls for Australia Tennis to change it again. Tennis greats Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King have already called for the change, with Richel Hogenkamp, one of the women's tour's few openly gay players, also backing the move.

Australia no.1 Sam Stosur suggested some players may decide to boycott next year's Australian Open following Court's comments on same-sex marriage.

"I find it very hard to believe that it would ever be changed, but the court's named Margaret Court Arena because of what she did in tennis.

"I think everyone can have their opinion. I don't agree with it, but I guess we'll cross that bridge when we all get down to the Australian Open next year and who wants to play on Margaret Court Arena and who doesn't."