Joao Lucas Reis da Silva, a professional tennis player from Brazil, has shared his thoughts publicly for the first time since coming out as gay. Earlier this month, the 24-year-old celebrated his relationship with his partner, Gui Sampaio Ricardo, in a heartfelt Instagram post.
The post featured photos of Reis da Silva with Gui, an actor and model, alongside the caption: “Happy birthday. Happy life. I love you so much.” Speaking to The Athletic on 15 December, Reis da Silva reflected on the moment, saying: “I didn’t think about it … I just wanted to post a picture with him.”
‘It Was Just So Normal for Me’
Reis da Silva revealed that he came out to his family five years ago but admitted the journey to self-acceptance wasn’t easy. “I couldn’t say too much about myself to my coaches, to my friends,” he explained. “When I tried to love myself, that was something different. It changed my life, changed everything—the relationship with my parents, with my coaches.”
Reflecting on the Instagram post, he added: “It was my boyfriend’s birthday. I was like, ‘Happy birthday. I love you.’ It was so normal for me, I didn’t think about it.”
The response to his post has been overwhelmingly positive, with Reis da Silva sharing: “99.9 per cent of the reactions were positive.”
The tennis star recognises the significance of his public announcement, especially in a sport where openly gay male players are rare. He expressed gratitude for the support he has received and the opportunity to inspire others.
“I’m really happy that people respect me, that people look at me, admire me maybe,” he said. “Maybe if I had had someone playing and saying, ‘I’m gay, I’m here, I’m competing in the big tournaments,’ it would have been easier for me to accept myself and to love myself.”
Reis da Silva has embraced his potential role as a trailblazer. “People have told me they admire me, that I inspire them. So, it’s a big deal for me and them.”
While he is aware of the increased attention his announcement has brought, he wants his tennis career to remain the primary focus. “I don’t have a problem with being remembered as the great gay tennis player, but I don’t want to talk about that every time,” he said.
