Margaret Court
An Australian tennis force who amassed a staggering 64 major titles, a record that has defined the sport's history for decades.
Born 1942 (age 84)·Australian former tennis player·Birthday: July 16·The Silent Generation
Biography
Margaret Court dominated tennis in the 1960s and early 1970s with a powerful, athletic game that was ahead of its time. Born Margaret Smith in rural Australia, she moved to Melbourne as a teenager to train, her strength and relentless attacking style quickly setting her apart. Her career coincided with the sport's transition from amateurism to the Open Era, and she excelled in both. Court’s game was built on a formidable serve-and-volley tactic and exceptional physical conditioning, which allowed her to overwhelm opponents. While her 24 singles majors are the most cited statistic, her true dominance is reflected in the complete tally of 64 major titles across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles—a number no other player, male or female, has approached. Her 1970 Grand Slam, winning all four major singles titles in a calendar year, stands as one of the sport's pinnacle achievements. After retiring, she became a Christian minister, and her later public comments on social issues have often sparked controversy, creating a complex legacy that separates her on-court achievements from her off-court persona.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Margaret was born in 1942, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Margaret Was Born
The biggest hits of 1942
#1 Movie
Bambi
Best Picture
Mrs. Miniver
Margaret's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1942Born
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1947Started school
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1955Became a teenager
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Could drive
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1960Could vote
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Turned 21
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1972Turned 30
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 40
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 50
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 60
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 70
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 80
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 84 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, the most in history.
- Achieved a calendar-year Grand Slam in 1970, winning all four major singles tournaments.
- Accumulated a total of 64 major titles across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, an all-time record.
- Won every major tournament at least once in both singles and mixed doubles.
Did You Know?
She won her final Grand Slam singles title at the 1973 Australian Open while three months pregnant.
The second largest show court at the Australian Open is named Margaret Court Arena.
She briefly retired in 1966 to marry Barry Court, but returned to the tour shortly after.
She is one of only three women in the Open Era to have achieved a calendar-year Grand Slam.
“I just loved the game. I loved to train, I loved to run, I loved to hit the ball.”
