The women's competition at the Australian Open has started rather stormily. New Zealand hopeful Marina Erakovic managed a first-round win (just) but lost in the second round, while Australian hopeful Sam Stosur crumbled under the weight of local expectation.
High-profile players like Li Na, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams made it through the first round with relative ease, while the media focused on the circadian rhythms of Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka, who confessed to needing their sleep and caffeine fix to function.
Another issue raising its ugly head at the Australian Open is homophobia. Australian tennis legend Margaret Court has expressed her thoughts about homosexuality and same-sex marriages recently, and the Australian Open has become the forum for rallies for and against gay rights.
Court was the second woman in history to win all four grand slam singles titles in the same calendar year, and is regarded by some to be the greatest female tennis player of all time. She has been a trailblazer for women in tennis, which is why her outspoken stance on homosexuality is even more powerful and surprising.
Here is a woman who surely knows what it must be like to fight against prejudice, and yet she has no qualms about using her "legendary status" to speak out against another marginalised group.
She once blamed lesbianism for ruining women's tennis and has irked the gay community as a result of her campaign against equal rights for gay and lesbian couples. She claims homosexuality could destroy families.
Her desire to speak her mind may have something to do with the fact she is now a senior pastor at a church in Perth, but she is also savvy enough to know that all eyes and ears would be homed in on Melbourne (and Margaret) at this time of year.
Openly gay tennis players Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King and Rennae Stubbs were quick to criticise Court's comments, which prompted the creation of a protest group urging spectators at the Australian Open to display rainbow-coloured gay pride banners at the arena named after the pastor.
She responded that the tennis court was no place for a gay rights protest. Come on, Margaret.
You used your status as a tennis legend and the timing of the Australian Open to voice your opinion about homosexuality, so it is only fair to allow others the opportunity to counter your attempt at an ace with an equally powerful return.
Who would have thought that an effective stroke would come in the form of a rainbow coloured hair-tie worn by less-than-legendary female tennis player Laura Robson?
Robson seems to be distancing herself from the protest movement but insists she wore it because she believes in "equal rights for everyone".
Why are so many athletes these days afraid to wear their hearts on their sleeves and stand up for something more than themselves and their sport? Why not stare down the camera and say, `Yes, this was a sign of solidarity and a form of protest?"
Despite Robson's insistence that it was "just a hairband", it wasn't. She shouldn't be apologetic or evasive about it.
It would be great if some of the athletes showed their support in more flamboyant and obvious ways. I'd love to see Serena Williams wearing one of her unique creations in technicolour, or Sharapova wearing rainbow underwear to grab the media attention.
Court is entitled to her opinion but she is kidding herself if she thinks she is justified in using her status as a tennis player to voice her opinions without expecting a counter move.
Sport is a privileged (and predominantly conservative) institution in society and like racism and sexism, homophobia is alive and well but subtle in this environment.
Margaret Court would have been defiant in the face of sexism, and probably used her heterosexuality as a tool in her day, so who is she to squash the aspirations of gay and lesbian people?
The statistics for successful marriages aren't great, so if people in the homosexual community want the right to be a part of this "shaky" institution, let them. If they want the right to play sport without having to hide who they are off the court, let them.
There are more pressing issues for us as a society to address. I'm pretty sure married gay couples who might play the odd game of tennis are not the sole cause of wars, environmental disasters (natural and man-made), economic recessions or violence.
It's deuce between Court and the gay community. Who will make the next move?
