By Phil Brown
The Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia - Perhaps they should have named it Court Court. Melbourne Park's Show Court One was renamed to honor Grand Slam winner Margaret Court. She was on hand Sunday to unveil the plaque at Margaret Court Arena.

"I'm glad they did it before I died," said the 60-year-old Court, who won the Australian, French, U.S. and Wimbledon titles in 1970. "It's a great honor and I'm just thrilled about it. I think it will be a great statement for women's tennis."

She is one of only three female tennis players to have won a true Grand Slam. Steffi Graf (1988) and Maureen Connolly (1953) are the others.

Court won 24 Grand Slam singles titles, including 11 Australian titles. She also won 19 each in doubles and mixed doubles.

In 1973, a year in which she won all of the Grand Slam tournaments except Wimbledon, she also lost an exhibition match to 55-year-old Bobby Riggs, a former men's No. 1, on Mother's Day.

Margaret Court Arena stands next to the main stadium, renamed Rod Laver Arena in 2000 for the Australian who won men's Grand Slams in 1962 and 1969.

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AUSSIE DROUGHT

Of the four Grand Slam tournaments, only Wimbledon has gone longer than the Australian Open without a citizen of the home country winning the men's title.

Fred Perry was the last British man to win Wimbledon, in 1936. The last Australian to win the Australian Open was Mark Edmondson in 1976. Pat Cash was a finalist in 1987 and 1988.

The U.S. Open is completely up to date - Pete Sampras won in 2002. France's Yannick Noah won the French Open in 1983.

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LONGEVITY LIST

Amy Frazier will be appearing in her 56th Grand Slam tournament in the Australian Open starting Monday, and Conchita Martinez in her 53rd.

Martinez won Wimbledon in 1994 and was runner-up in Australia in 1998 and France in 2000. Last year, her top finish at a major was reaching the third round at Wimbledon.

On the men's side, Andre Agassi and Wayne Ferreira are appearing in their 50th.

Agassi has won seven majors, including Australia in 1995, 2000 and 2001.

Ferreira's best was reaching the Australian semifinals in 1992, but he has not missed a Grand Slam since the 1990 U.S. Open and stands second in consecutive appearances with 49. Stefan Edberg played in 54 consecutive majors, ending with the 1996 U.S. Open.

Among active male players, Michael Chang, with 55, and Pete Sampras, with 52, have the most Grand Slam appearances, and Sampras is a 14-time winner. Both are skipping the Australian Open.