Samantha Stosur says Margaret Court's outspoken stance against same-sex marriage has reached "crazy" levels after the sporting legend claimed "tennis is full of lesbians" and that transgender children are the work of the devil.
Court has been roundly condemned in the tennis world for her views on homosexuality, but her latest episode is sure to escalate tensions amid concerns that players may boycott Margaret Court Arena at next year's Australian Open.
"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," the all-time grand slam singles title leader said on Vision Christian Radio.
"And you know, what you get at the top is often what you'll get right through that sport."
A Christian pastor, 74-year-old Court's most inflammatory comments were about transgender children.
"You can think, 'Oh, I'm a boy', and it will affect your emotions and feelings and everything else. That's all the devil.
"That's what Hitler did and that's what communism did, got the minds of the children.
"There's a whole plot in our nation and in the nations of the world to get the minds of the children."
Court, who preaches at the Victory Life Centre, the church she founded in Perth, said she wanted to help homosexuals.
"We're there to help them (gay people) overcome," she said. "We're not against the people."
Australian star Casey Dellacqua has two children in an openly gay relationship and said she had received "100 per cent" support from Tennis Australia since tweeting "Margaret. Enough is Enough" last week.
Stosur on Monday hinted that some players may request not to be put on the Melbourne Park stadium named in Court's honour during the Australian Open in January.
But Stosur was left gobsmacked when told of Court's latest remarks after her second-round French Open win in Paris on Wednesday.
"That's all pretty crazy stuff," Stosur said.
"I mean, I haven't read anything about it today. I said what I said the other day. Kind of sticking to that.
"I think it's pretty obvious that the whole tennis community out here has pretty much the same opinion and we're going to all stand by that."
Men's world No.1 Andy Murray, a member of the ATP players' council, said players would be offended by Court's outspokenness and hoped the row came to a head before the Australian Open so that the season-opening slam wasn't hijacked by the prospect of court boycotts.
Stosur said she personally wouldn't boycott Margaret Court Arena.
"I'm going to head down to the Australian Open when it rolls around next year, and we'll get on whatever court we have to play on," said the former US Open champion.
"But obviously I don't agree with what she's coming out with."
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