Tennis Australia broke that silence on Friday with the announcement of an initiative called “#Open4All” which would indirectly address Court’s vitriol by highlighting the sport’s tolerance.

“Tennis Australia, along with the rest of the tennis family, proudly live the values of equality, inclusion and diversity,” said Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley.

Tiley announced that King had been named “Australian Open Woman of the Year,” and spoke of her legacy as a pioneer as she sat beside him at the podium.

But when King was asked about Court’s name on the arena, she said: “I know it’s not as easy as people think, but I personally don’t think she should have her name anymore. I think if you were talking about indigenous people, Jews or any other people, I can’t imagine the public would want somebody to have their name on something. Maybe because of our community, the L.G.B.T.I.Q. community, people might feel differently. But we’re all God’s children. We are all God’s children, so I probably don’t think it’s appropriate to have her name.”

The facility that hosts the United States Open in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., was christened the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in 2006. King said she felt an enormous onus to live up to that mantle.

“Every time I see my name up there, I can hardly breathe because of the responsibility that goes with it,” King said. “If I’m going to have my name on anything, I would welcome Margaret, I would welcome Pentecostals, I would welcome whoever. Whether I agree with them or not is not important; I would just be more welcoming. I just feel like she’s gotten really derogatory.”

King cited a radio interview Court, 75, gave last May, in which she said it was satanic when children questioned their gender identity.