Rising Swiss tennis ace becomes second openly gay tennis player on ATP Tour

Rising Swiss tennis ace Mika Brunold has become the second player on the ATP Tour to come out as gay while competing as an active player.

Brunold, 21, wrote in an Instagram post on Saturday that he was a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and was proud of who he is in a heartwarming message. He becomes the latest player to come out after Joao Lucas Reis da Silva last year who opened up about his relationship with his boyfriend.

Brunold is currently ranked 307th in the ATP rankings and reached a career high of 289 in August 2025. He reached the semi-final of two ATP Tour Challenger Events in 2025 and also played at Swiss Indoors in Basel pushing Reilly Opelka to the limit in a tight three set loss.

So he is very much a player to watch but he said that it was time to share openly about is sexuality and in men's sport in particular it is still even in current times something that isn't as easy as publishing a statement and is likely something Brunold thought long and hard about before doing and was praised for doing so.

Daria Kasatkina on the women's tour is perhaps the most famous to be out as gay in the current tennis world albeit there are more gay female tennis players than male while Greet Minnen for instance being in a relationship with Alison van Uytvanck. Kasatkina though has faced potential issues when it comes to being a top player given she could've played in Riyadh at the WTA Finals and also going back home to her initial home of Russia. She has since defected to Australia but has openly faced issues with coming out so even for an established name who has been out for some time, it is difficult and shows bravery on the case of Brunold.

He wrote: “Heyy. Today I want to share something personal with you As a professional tennis player, I’ve spent countless hours working on my game, my body, and my 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.

“I’ve 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.

“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.

“I’m sharing this with you to take a step for myself, but also because I think it’s not talked about enough in sports. I believe that in an ideal world, we wouldn’t even need to ‘come out’ at all. I’m deeply grateful for everyone who supported me. Without you, I would never be the person I am today.

Among those to offer him support included four-time Grand Slam champion and former World No.1 Kim Clijsters as well as Eva Lys, Viktorija Golubic and Leandro Riedi.