João Lucas Reis da Silva, the only openly gay player in men’s tennis, drew ‘strength’ from response to selfie with boyfriend

Not long after posting a selfie with his boyfriend on social media, João Lucas Reis da Silva had one of the best weeks of his career on the tennis court.

Not long after posting a selfie with his boyfriend on social media, João Lucas Reis da Silva had one of the best weeks of his career on the tennis court. Perhaps it was coincidence, and perhaps the two events were entirely unconnected, but Reis da Silva felt rejuvenated as he surged to victory at the Procopio Cup in December, ending 2024 on a high. A few days earlier, the Brazilian had shared a simple birthday message to his boyfriend on Instagram, signing it: “I love you very much.” The response was overwhelming. People from all over the world began to get in touch with Reis da Silva, thanking him for what he had done and sending their support. “It was a buzz that I wasn’t expecting,” he tells CNN Sport. Playing at the Procopio Cup in São Paulo that same week, the 24-year-old explains how the reaction “gave me strength” as he stepped onto the court. For the sport of tennis, Reis da Silva’s seemingly innocuous Instagram post was groundbreaking, widely reported to make him the first active male player to come out as gay. Several former players, including Americans Brian Vahaly and Bobby Blair, have come out after their careers ended, but gay role models have by and large been curiously absent from men’s tennis.