Gay tennis star thanks opponent for helping him to come out after historic match
Sunday’s match between Mika Brunold (L) and Joao Luca Reis da Silva (R) was the first pro tennis match between two out gay male players. (Getty)
Gay history was made on a tennis court in Austria on Sunday (13 September), and the moment became even more meaningful after winning player Mika Brunold credited his opponent with helping him find the courage to come out.
Swiss player Brunold defeated Brazilian João Lucas Reis da Silva 6-4, 6-3 in Sunday’s Tulln Challenger final, becoming the champion after the pair had made history simply by taking to the court.
The match marked the first known final between two out gay male professional tennis players. Brunold and Reis da Silva are currently the only active men’s professional tennis players to have publicly come out, making their meeting an extraordinarily rare moment.
Reis da Silva was the first to take that step. The Brazilian came out publicly in December 2024, becoming the first active male professional tennis player to do so. He has continued competing on the Challenger circuit and earlier this year became the first out gay man to play in an ATP 500 main draw at the Rio Open.
Brunold followed in December 2025. The 21-year-old Swiss player spoke about the importance of being able to live authentically and openly, and said he had reached a point where staying silent about his sexuality no longer felt right.
And after beating Reis da Silva in the final, Brunold made sure to acknowledge the role his fellow player had played in getting him there.
“I also wanted to thank you. One year after your coming out, I did mine, and you were a big inspiration for me, and I’m really proud of us,” Brunold said. “We can be role models for so many people who struggle with their sexuality.”
Reis da Silva has spoken about how difficult it was to be open about his sexuality early in his career in a February 2026 interview with The Athletic, saying he initially couldn’t tell his coaches and friends. He has described coming to love himself as something that “changed my life” and transformed his relationships with his family and coaches.
Now, the two players have gone from being the only two out gay men competing on the professional tennis circuit to facing each other across the net in a championship final.
And importantly, they did so as tennis players first. There was a title to win, ranking points at stake and a match to play. Brunold’s victory also secured him a career-best ATP ranking of world No. 257.
