With 24 major singles titles and a career total of 64 major tournament victories across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, Margaret Court holds the most comprehensive record in the history of women's tennis. Her achievements span the transition from the amateur circuit to the professional Open Era, setting a benchmark for endurance and versatility.
Early Development and Training
Born in Albury, New South Wales, in 1942, Court discovered tennis at age eight, practicing against a wall with a makeshift racquet. Her early potential caught the attention of coach Wally Rutter, who facilitated her introduction to competitive play. At 16, she relocated to Melbourne to train under former world number one Frank Sedgman. Under his guidance, she adopted a rigorous fitness regimen involving weight-lifting, circuit running, and movement drills on sandhills to build the physical strength necessary for a professional career.
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Court’s professional trajectory began in 1960 when she secured the first of seven consecutive Australian Open singles titles at age 17. By 1963, she had completed a career Grand Slam. Her 1970 season stands as a definitive achievement in the sport, as she won all four major singles titles in a single calendar year. Her record includes being the only player to complete a double Boxed Set, which involves winning every major title—singles, doubles, and mixed doubles—at all four Grand Slam tournaments at least twice.
Career Interludes and Retirement
Throughout the 1970s, Court managed a series of competitive returns following the births of her children. Despite periods of hiatus, she maintained a high level of play, notably winning three major singles titles in 1973. Her career spanned the introduction of the Open Era in 1968 and several high-profile exhibitions, including a 1973 loss to Bobby Riggs in Ramona, California. She retired permanently in 1977 during her fourth pregnancy.
Post-Career and Recognition
In 1991, Court became a Christian minister, later founding Margaret Court Ministries. Her contributions to the sport have been acknowledged through numerous accolades, including the International Tennis Hall of Fame and being named a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2021. In 2003, the Melbourne Park sports complex renamed a facility the Margaret Court Arena in her honour.
Fast facts
- Born: 16 July 1942, Albury, New South Wales
- Total Major Titles: 64
- Major Singles Titles: 24
- Major Women's Doubles Titles: 19
- Major Mixed Doubles Titles: 21
- Professional debut: 1960
- Retirement: 1977
- Major Award: Companion of the Order of Australia (2021)
Questions readers ask
How many Grand Slam singles titles did Margaret Court win?
She won 24 major women's singles titles.
What is the Boxed Set in tennis?
It consists of winning the singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles at all four Grand Slam events.
Achievements
- International Tennis Hall of Fame
- Australian Sports Medal
- Companion of the Order of Australia
- Officer of the Order of Australia
- Centenary Medal
- Australian Tennis Hall of Fame
- Member of the Order of the British Empire
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