Brazilian professional tennis player João Lucas Reis da Silva has come out and posted an emotional message on Instagram. This is a first.
Brazilian tennis player João Lucas Reis da Silva came out via Instagram by posting several photos of himself and his partner. He wrote: “Happy birthday. Happy life. I love you very much.”
His partner Guilherme Ricardo posted a red heart under the photos and also wrote: “I love you.” The photos in the post show the couple happily doing sports, in a restaurant and in a car. Da Silva, who is ranked 399th in the ATP world rankings, received a lot of support for his post.
“I’m very happy”
One user wrote on Instagram: “This post is very important.” Another person said: “Congratulations.” The post has a historical dimension, as no active tennis player has yet come out publicly as gay.
João Lucas Reis da Silva is mainly active in the ATP Challenger Tour. On Sunday, the tennis ace triumphed at the Procópio Cup 2024, which took place in São Paulo. The Brazilian posted his trophy on Instagram and wrote: “I’m very happy to end the year in the best possible way! I secured a spot in the Rio Open 2025 qualifiers.”
He also thanked his team and his family. His partner also posted a photo of Reis da Silva with him on Instagram, writing, “The first final I got to watch and the trophy is here. I’m very proud of your career, your success, your achievement. Thank you for introducing me to this world.”