Margaret Court Arena should be renamed to honour another Australian tennis great - Evonne Goolagong - due to the former's anti-gay position, says Martina Navratilova.
The storm around Court has intensified after she associated transgender behaviour with the devil and fascism in a radio interview on Wednesday.
Speaking to Vision Christian Radio, she lamented "tennis is full of lesbians".
Navratilova, who won the Wimbledon singles crown nine times, believes seven-time grand slam winner Goolagong was better suited to bear the name of the stadium which hosts the Australian Open.
"How much blood will be on Margaret's hands because kids will continue to get beaten for being different? This is not OK," Navratilova wrote in an open letter to Margaret Court Arena, published by Fairfax Media.
"Too many will die by suicide because of this kind of intolerance, this kind of bashing and yes, this kind of bullying. This is not OK.
"The platform people like Margaret Court use needs to be made smaller, not bigger.
"Which is why I think it's time to change your name. And I think the Evonne Goolagong Arena has a great ring to it.
"Now there is a person we can all celebrate."
Players at the French Open this week have been largely critical of Christian pastor Court's position.
Gay Australian player Casey Dellacqua has spoken out against her family being targeted for criticism by Court in the past.
World men's no.1 Andy Murray said players would be offended by Court's outspokenness.
But he hoped the row comes to a head before the Australian Open so the season-opening major wasn't hijacked by the prospect of Margaret Court Arena boycotts.
Navratilova said she had "long ago forgiven" Court for her comments 27 years ago that being a lesbian made her a bad role model.
But "demonising" and denying LGBT people rights was unacceptable, she said.
