Reverend Dr Margaret Court MBE; PhdLLD (Hon)

Margaret Court nee Smith was born in Albury NSW in 1942, the youngest of four children to Maude and Lawrence Smith. At fifteen years of age she moved to Melbourne to train and further her promising tennis career. In 1966, Margaret decided to retire in Perth, Western Australia. It was here that she met Barry Court, son of the then Premier, Sir Charles Court.

Barry is a pastoralist with property near Moora. Barry and Margaret have four children - Daniel, Marika, Teresa and Lisa.

During her outstanding career, Margaret amassed an incredible 64 major tournament victories to her name, including 11 Australian Opens; 5 US Opens; 5 French and 3 Wimbledon Singles titles .... no other player, man or woman in the history of the game has ever been able to beat this record!

In November 1999, Margaret was nominated as one of the top Sportswomen of the Century which was held in Vienna, Austria and in May 2001 received an Honorary Doctorate (Doctor of Laws Degree) from Oral Roberts University, USA for her contribution as a Pastor not only to the body of Christ but also to the community.

Margaret became a Christian in 1975 while still the world's number one tennis player. In 1976 she officially retired from the game after coming back from her first retirement in 1968 because she felt she had no more goals to fulfil. No wonder, she was one of the 'firsts' to achieve: the first Australian woman to win the Rome, French and Wimbledon titles; the first woman to train in a men's gym; the first woman to come back to a number one ranking after having two years out of the game; the first mother to come back on the professional tour and the first to travel with her husband and children while on tour!

Living life as a normal housewife and mother was a new challenge. But more than anything, Margaret wanted to find out more about her new Christian life. In her search, well-meaning people gave her wrong counsel regarding inner healing and deliverance which actually threatened her life and sanity.

Gradually, feelings of uselessness, inferiority, unworthiness began to manifest into physical ailments and soon Margaret suffered from fear, depression, insomnia and a torn valve of the heart. The once healthy, fittest woman in the world was now weak and fearful and afraid to go to sleep. She cried out to God for a better way!

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