{"id":320510,"date":"2025-12-01T12:17:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T12:17:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/320510\/"},"modified":"2025-12-01T12:17:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T12:17:11","slug":"tennis-player-mika-brunold-comes-out-as-gay-in-heartfelt-statement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/320510\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennis player Mika Brunold comes out as gay in heartfelt statement"},"content":{"rendered":"

Professional tennis player\u00a0Mika Brunold<\/a>\u00a0has come out as gay in a heartfelt Instagram<\/a> post yesterday (30 November), emphasising that he is not just doing it for himself but for the wider gay sporting community.<\/p>\n

The 21-year-old from Switzerland<\/a> becomes the\u00a0second male tennis player to come out publicly in the past year, receiving waves of support online from teammates and the sporting community.<\/p>\n

Read next<\/p>\n

\u201cToday I want to share something personal with you,\u201d his statement began. \u201cAs a professional tennis player, I\u2019ve spent countless hours working on my game, my body, and my mindset.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSuccess on the court isn\u2019t just about physical skill\u201d \u2013 Mika Brunold on self-discovery through tennis <\/p>\n

Currently ranked\u00a0No. 307 in the ATP rankings, he reflected on his growth both on and off the court: \u201cThrough all of this, one of the most important things I\u2019ve learned is that success on the court isn\u2019t just about physical skill, it\u2019s about discovering your personality and staying true to yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brunold added: \u201cI\u2019ve been thinking a lot about how to talk about this. And while it hasn\u2019t always been easy, hiding it and pretending to be someone I\u2019m not was never an option.\u201d<\/p>\n

The right-hander came out publicly: \u201cThat\u2019s why I feel it\u2019s time for me to open up and share with you that I\u2019m gay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing gay doesn\u2019t just mean loving the same gender\u201d \u2013 Brunold highlighting the challenges of being gay and the sense of otherness it can bring<\/p>\n

He also addressed the stigma faced by LGBTQ+ athletes: \u201cBeing gay doesn\u2019t just mean loving the same gender \u2013 it also means dealing with things most people never have to think about. The fear of not being accepted, the pressure to stay quiet, the feeling of being different. But I\u2019ve grown. And I\u2019m proud of who I am today,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sharing this with you to take a step for myself, but also because I think it\u2019s not talked about enough in sports. I believe that in an ideal world, we wouldn\u2019t even need to \u2018come out\u2019 at all. I\u2019m deeply grateful for everyone who supported me. Without you, I would never be the person I am today.\u201d<\/p>\n

At 24 years old,\u00a0Joao Lucas Reis da Silva<\/a>\u00a0from Brazil became the first active male pro tennis player to come out publicly in December 2024 making history by becoming the first out gay male athlete to compete in a Grand Slam event at the US Open.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks for setting a good example for young LGBTQ athletes everywhere\u201d \u2013 one user showed their support under Brunold\u2019s coming out post<\/p>\n

Nearly a year later, Brunold follows in his footsteps, receiving a wide spread of support from fellow Swiss Tennis players and beyond. The Swiss tennis federation also left a supportive comment on Brunold\u2019s post.<\/p>\n

One touching message wrote: \u201cCongratulations! Very proud to see young athletes claim their true identity while actively playing. Very courageous! Thanks for setting a good example for young LGBTQ athletes everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tennis player David Chenon added: \u201cIt takes immense self-belief, self-love, and undeniable bravery to come out in the middle of a tennis career. I\u2019m incredibly proud and can\u2019t wait to celebrate with you in person.\u201d<\/p>\n

Courage, bravery, and resilience were just some of the repeated words of solidarity shared across social media.<\/p>\n

Subscribe to\u00a0Attitude magazine in print<\/a>, download the\u00a0Attitude app<\/a>, and follow\u00a0Attitude on Apple News+<\/a>. Plus, find Attitude on\u00a0Instagram<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0TikTok<\/a>,\u00a0X<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Russell(Image: Attitude\/Mark Cant)
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