Tennis super-brat John McEnroe has attempted to lighten up the Margaret Court firestorm with an online mickey-take of the hottest issue in world sport, asking fans "who gives a "f**k?".
Court's public stance against same-sex marriage has dominated discussion at the French Open and around the world and led to player demands for the arena named in her honour at Melbourne Park to be changed for next year's Australian Open.
In his satirical role as The Commissioner of Tennis on Eurosport, McEnroe said he was a "strong advocate of same-sex marriage".
"I actually don't see any reason why we shouldn't give them the right to be as miserable as everyone else," McEnroe said.
"Margaret Court is a legend in our sport with 24 grand slam single titles and 62 overall - OK most of them were before the Open era, but who is counting? Thirty-four to be exact.
"And she did lose against Bobby Riggs in the first battle of the sexes. Hold on, she lost to Bobby then Billie Jean King beat the shit out of him. Now, we know where that hatred may come from."
In the skit released on Saturday night in Paris, McEnroe said Court telling fans that "tennis is full of Lesbians" prompted three thoughts to him.
"This is true and who gives a f**k? This is not true and who should give a f**k? This is half true and should we really give a f**k?", he said.
"As for renaming the court that bears her name in Melbourne Park, the jury is still out.
"The self-appointed Commissioner of Tennis might have a viable solution: keep the name, and when same-sex marriage finally becomes legal in Australia, I will personally call my good friend Elton John to host the biggest same-sex mass wedding ceremony ever seen in the Margaret Court Arena.
"Margaret, that's the kind of guy I am."
McEnroe said Court and Ilie Nastase "in the last few weeks, you seem to have brought tennis back into the dark ages".
"So, by the power bestowed upon me as the self-appointed Commissioner of Tennis, I now pronounce you man and wife."
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