Margaret Court claims that a "US gay lobby" is behind a "conspiracy" campaign to have her name removed from an Open stadium in Australia.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion, who is also a Christian pastor, has been heavily criticised for her views regarding homosexuality and same-sex marriage.
Speaking about the demand to have her name stripped, Court told 3AW radio:
"I think I've won more Grand Slams than any man or woman and if it (the stadium) is (renamed), I don't believe I deserve it.
"They (the "US gay lobby") have a lot of money behind them.
"They could probably get 100,000 petitions in 24 hours because that's how they work. There's a lot of money behind it, and it's coming from America."
When asked about the possibility of a conspiracy attached to the "gay lobby," she said:
"Yes, I believe there is... I think the (gay) lobby, yeah."
Court recently said she would avoid flying with Qantas Airlines "where possible," on account of its support for same-sex marriage. She also said that tennis is "full of lesbians" and claimed that transgender children are "the work of the devil."
Tennis great Martina Navratilova is among those calling for the Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne to be renamed in protest against Court's controversial comments.
The 18-time Grand Slam winner recommends that the stadium be named in honour of Evonne Goolagong, an Australian tennis player who won seven grand slam titles throughout her career.
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