Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has canned Margaret Court for “actually hurting people” with her controversial views ahead of a ceremony on Monday night celebrating the Australian’s achievements in the sport.

Court, who is the most prolific winner of major singles titles with 24, will be acknowledged on the 50-year anniversary of her 1970 season grand slam before the fourth-round showdown between Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal.

However as a fundamentalist Christian her public views have been highly homophobic.

Navaratilova, who is openly gay, said Court needed to keep her opinions to herself.

“It’s just unfortunate because I think what Margaret Court doesn’t realise is how many people she hurts with her rhetoric,” Navratilova told AAP said on Monday.

“She can believe whatever she wants but she’s actually hurting people and that’s not OK.”

Former men’s champion John McEnroe has also blasted Tennis Australia for celebrating Court’s achievements.

“There’s only one thing longer than a list of Margaret Court’s tennis achievements – it’s her list of offensive and homophobic statements,” McEnroe said in a video on Eurosport.

“Tennis Australia is facing a dilemma – what do they do with their crazy aunt?

“Its solution?

“We will recognise what she did in 1970 but we won’t celebrate the person.

“Huh? It doesn’t work that way. You can’t separate the person from her achievements.”