Mika Brunold of Switzerland has come out as gay. (Michele Maraviglia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Mika Brunold of Switzerland has come out as gay. (Michele Maraviglia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Rising Swiss tennis player Mika Brunold has come out as gay in a heartwarming message posted to Instagram.
The 21-year-old took to Instagram on Sunday (30 November), writing that he’s learned a lot through devoting “countless hours” to working on his game, body and mindset.
“Through all of this, one of the most important things I’ve learned is that success on the court isn’t just about physical skill – it’s about discovering your personality and staying true to yourself,” he began the message.
“I’m proud of who I am today”
“Ive been thinking a lot about how to talk about this. And while it hasn’t always been easy, hiding it and pretending to be someone I’m not was never an option.
“That’s why I feel it’s time for me to open up and share with you that I’m gay,” he wrote.
The Swiss star continued: “Being gay doesn’t mean loving the same gender – 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’ve grown. And I’m proud of who I am today.”
He shared that he decided to share the statement with the world “to take a step for myself, but also because I think it’s not talked about enough in sports”.
Brunold added that in an “ideal world” no one would need to “come out at all”.
His post has been flooded with positive comments, with fellow tennis player David Chen writing that it takes “immense self-love, and undeniable bravery to come out in the middle of a tennis career”.
Others thanked him for sharing his truth and vowed to be there to support him through his journey.
Brunold mostly features on the Challenger Tour and reached the semi-finals of the Nottingham Challenger in January, before losing to Henry Searle. He also reached the semi-finals at the Royan Atlantique Open in June, before losing to Dimitar Kuzmanov. Brunold has featured at the Swiss Indoors in October. He is yet to appear at a Grand Slam.
This year’s final Grand Slam saw several gay players leading the way for LGBTQ+ representation in the sport, induing Russia’s Daria Kasatkina.
However, despite the Women’s Tennis Association tour making way for more inclusivity, the men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tour continues to lag way behind. Until last year, there were no out gay male players on tour, nor had there been since the Open era began in 1968.
In August, Brazilian tennis player João Lucas Reis da Silva made history by becoming the first out gay male athlete to compete in a Grand Slam event at the US Open.
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