Australian Margaret Court believes she does not get as much credit as she deserves for her 24 Grand Slam singles titles from anyone in the tennis world these days, least of all Serena Williams. Serena was feted in many quarters as the greatest tennis player of all time when she retired after her third-round loss at the US Open on Saturday, one title shy of the record Court set from 1960 to 1973.

“Serena, I’ve admired her as a player,” Court, 80, told Britain’s Daily Telegraph in a rare interview. “But I don’t think she has ever admired me.” Court said she has become a persona non grata in the tennis world because of her Christian beliefs, which led her to oppose same-sex marriage when it was proposed in Australia.

She defended her achievements against suggestions they were not comparable to those of Serena because she played mostly in the amateur era. “Serena has played seven years more than I did,” Court added. “I finished in my early 30s. People forget that I took two years out. I first retired... when I was 25, thinking I would never return to tennis.

“I got married, had a baby, but then had one of my best years, winning 24 out of 25 tournaments.” Court reminded her critics that she also had a superior record to Serena after they became mothers during their careers. “I came back after two babies,” she said.

“After having the first baby, I won three out of the four slams.” Court also hit out at suggestions that her 11 Australian Open singles titles had less value than Serena’s seven. “I often hear Billie Jean (King) saying that people didn’t come down to Australia in my early years,” she said.

“But Maria Bueno, the world No.1, came down. So did Christine Truman, Ann Haydon, Darlene Hard.” Easy life Court said she thought the life of a top tennis player was actually harder in her day. “I would love to have played in this era. I think it’s so much easier,” she said.

“How I would love to have taken family or friends along with me. But I couldn’t. I had to go on my own or with the national team. People don’t see all that... That’s what disappoints me — that players today don’t honour the past of the game.”

Court said she was disappointed that Serena made little mention of Australian Ajla Tomljanovic after the final match of her career. “I thought it was bad that Serena didn’t mention her opponent more when she spoke,” she says. “We were taught to honour our opponent.”