Which mens tennis players are openly gay out
How Instagram post led to a trailblazing gay ATP player
In 2017, American Brian Vahaly became the first ATP player to reach out as gay - a decade after he ended his professional career.
Until Reis da Silva, no active player on the men's tour has felt comfortable to do the same thing.
Aside from a lack of role models, various other reasons contain been put forward.
Travelling to countries where homosexuality is illegal and the hypermasculinity of the ATP Tour locker rooms are frequently cited.
"When I was in the closet, I used to hear a lot of bad comments about homosexuality and gay people - in the locker rooms and around the courts. It was morning after day," said Reis da Silva.
"After I came out to my friends and the people around me, I stopped hearing those things - that is important.
"When these people have someone who is gay around them, they stop making these comments and it creates a better environment."
The amount of attention that Reis da Silva has received, particularly from overseas, seems to have caused an element of bemusement to the player and his partner.
What feels so instinctive to the couple has attracted interview requests from jo
Why are there no famous gay tennis players on the ATP? “Maybe there are, but they are afraid, this is a macho sport”.
PARIS – There is one thing that separates the WTA from the ATP, one aspect in which they are very different: on the women’s tennis tour there are players who are openly lesbian. In the men’s tennis tour, no player has come out as gay in recent years. Why?
“Because tennis is a very masculine sport, very macho,” says Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas in an interview with CLAY. “Maybe there is still a bit of dread , there is that hesitate. Maybe there are players who are afraid, they live repressed, and it’s terrible for a person to live like that,” added the world number 61.
Fear? Varillas’ statement brings back memories of CLAY’s interview with Taylor Fritz, in which the American addressed a topic that is virtually never talked about in men’s tennis.
“I’m not sure if there are gay tennis players in the top 100. I don’t know. Maybe people think that behind closed doors we comprehend. Statistically speaking, there should be. Statistically. But not that I know of. I think it’s s
Where are the Homosexual Men in Tennis?
While many tour players may lend an encouraging word and the ATP has support programs, one thing neither can necessarily provide is an actively playing — or even actively on tour — mentor. As far as the records book show, only two openly gay men hold played at an elite level, both before World War II, according to the book, A People’s History of Tennis by reporter David Berry. The first, Gottfried (Baron) von Cramm, a German aristocrat noted for his gentlemanly conduct and impartial play, won the 1934 and 1936 French Open before the German government arrested him in 1938 for having a gay affair with a Jewish actor. He was jailed for six months before marrying a heiress, facing down a forbid from Wimbledon after the incident, creature conscripted by the German Army and unwillingly fighting in World War II.
The second, Bill Tilden, an American, won 14 Major singles titles, including 10 Grand Slams,before he was arrested in November 1946 on Sunset Boulevard by the Beverly Hills police for having sex with an underage male. Tilden was sentenced to a year in prison, served seven months and received five-year parole conditions so strict that they virtu
First openly gay men's tennis player calls on top ATP stars to appear out
Joao Lucas Reis da Silva recently became tennis’ first openly gay, active male professional player and wants more men to obey suit.
The Brazilian tennis star shared a heartfelt Instagram publish for his boyfriend’s birthday earlier this month, inadvertently making him the first man in the sport to reach out publicly.
The planet No. 401 has now encouraged foremost ATP stars to come out, suggesting it could alter things in the locker room.
It was a milestone moment when Reis da Silva took to Instagram just over a week ago to wish his boyfriend, actor and model Gui Sampaio Ricardo, a cheerful birthday.
Alongside a photo dump, the 24-year-old wrote: “Happy birthday, happy life, I love you lots.” Without realising it, this made him the first active male tennis player to come out.
While he intended to make a remark by coming out, Reis da Silva is keen to see other players follow suit to end the stigma. “I didn’t ponder about it … I just wanted to post a picture with him,” he told The Athletic.
Tennis star, 24, becomes the first active men's player in history to appear out as gay with social media post about his model boyfriend
Joao Lucas Reis has made history to become the first openly gay active professional male tennis player.
The society No 401 came out publicly on social media in honour of his boyfriend Gui Sampaio Ricardo's birthday, sharing photos of the paid with a sweet message announcing their relationship status.
'Happy birthday. Glad life,' the 24-year-old Brazilian captioned the photoset of himself and the player and model. 'I devote you so much.'
Although a world away from the high profile top 100 players in the ATP rankings, Reis' post has nonetheless broken down barriers in a sport where a male player has never publicly affirmed his sexuality during his active career.
Most recently, American former world No 64 Brian Vahaly came out in 2017, 10 years after calling time on his career.
Part of his ruling to wait, he told the Telegraph in 2018, came down to perceived homophobia on the tour.
Joao Lucas Reis (left) has become the first active men's player in tennis history to publicly reach out as gay
The Brazilian player is ranked 401st in the