{"id":846639,"date":"2026-09-13T18:34:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-13T18:34:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/846639\/"},"modified":"2026-09-13T18:34:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-13T18:34:10","slug":"mika-brunold-joao-lucas-reis-da-silva-make-history-in-first-match-between-two-openly-gay-mens-tennis-pros","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/846639\/","title":{"rendered":"Mika Brunold, Jo\u00e3o Lucas Reis Da Silva Make History In First Match Between Two Openly Gay Men’s Tennis Pros"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first professional men\u2019s tennis<\/a> match between two openly gay<\/a> players took place in Austria on Sunday, The Gay Tennis Pod highlighted in a post<\/a> on X over the weekend.<\/p>\n

Switzerland\u2019s Mika Brunold faced Brazil\u2019s Jo\u00e3o Lucas Reis da Silva in the final of the Tulln Challenger, defeating him<\/a> in two sets (6-4, 6-3).<\/p>\n

The win arrived less than a year after he became just the second openly gay men\u2019s tennis pro<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The first? Reis da Silva, who came out in an Instagram post<\/a> celebrating his boyfriend\u2019s birthday back in 2024.<\/p>\n

Brunold made sure to thank Reis da Silva following his victory.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne year after your coming out<\/a>, I did mine and you were a big inspiration for me and I\u2019m really proud of us,\u201d said Brunold as Reis da Silva watched his post-match remarks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can be role models for so many people who struggle with their sexuality so thank you so much and good luck for your future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brunold \u2014 in a post<\/a> to his Instagram last November \u2014 wrote that being gay for him didn\u2019t just mean \u201cloving the same gender.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued, \u201cIt 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<\/p>\n

\"Switzerland\u2019sSwitzerland\u2019s Mika Brunold cracks a smile on the first day of the Dutch Open Tournament in July. <\/p>\n

Marleen Fouchier\/BSR Agency via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Reis da Silva made history at last year\u2019s U.S. Open when he became the first openly gay men\u2019s tennis pro to compete in a qualifier<\/a> at a Grand Slam tournament.<\/p>\n

After Reis da Silva shared a selfie of him and his boyfriend in 2024, something felt \u201cnormal\u201d to him despite it being rare to find gay men pros in his sport, he revealed to The Athletic<\/a> that he was met with an overwhelmingly \u201cpositive\u201d response.<\/p>\n

He told the site that while he doesn\u2019t want to talk about his sexuality \u201cevery time,\u201d he understands how being a role model \u2014 and being remembered as a \u201cgreat gay tennis player\u201d \u2014 can inspire others in tennis.<\/p>\n