Margaret Court says ‘Nobody will ever hit my 62’

Serena’s coach also had some words to say after major No. 23.

After moving past Steffi Graf’s record with her win at the Australian Open on Saturday, Serena Williams stands alone with 23 Grand Slam titles in the Open era. Now, there is only one singles record left for the 35-year-old to break: Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 major singles championships.

But Court, a 74-year-old Australian who also won 11 majors during the Open era, isn’t worried.

“If she beats my record, she deserves it,” Court told the New York Times. “I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.”

Court, who has a stadium at the Australian Open named after her, has not been in the spotlight much in recent years. The first woman in the Open era to win the calendar year Grand Slam (in 1970), Court captured her last major at the 1973 US Open.

In the interview, Court did not shy away from her opinion of the modern game and her thoughts about Williams herself, regardless of whether or not the American goes on to break her record.

“She’s got a wonderful serve,” Court said. “I think if that’s not working, then she gets wobbly.”

Court also alluded to the differences between today’s game and when she dominated, discussing how limited technology back then (like wooden racquets) would have inhibited Williams’ game and ability to win major after major.

“She definitely deserves her credit for her hard work. I do, too, and Steffi [Graff] does, and Chris [Evert] and Martina [Navratilova] do,” Williams said. “I would’ve been good if I played in that era.”

Now that Williams only has Court ahead of her, Court’s name will be brought back into the spotlight as Williams looks to tie her with 24. But team Williams isn’t reading too much into the chase.

“With all the respect to Margaret Court, it’s another era,” said Williams’ coach, Patrick Mouratoglou. “Of course the record is there, and we definitely want to beat it, but there is a professional era, and the record was Steffi Graf.”

If there is one record in tennis that Williams nor anyone else in the future will likely break, it is another held by Court. She won a total of 62 Grand Slam titles if you include singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Williams has a total of 39 (23 singles, 14 doubles and two mixed).

“Nobody will ever hit my 62,” Court said.