Gay pro tennis player Joao Lucas Reis da Silva makes history with win at French Open qualifying
The Brazilian player needs to win two more qualifying matches to reach the main draw at the French Open. He came out in 2024,
Mark
Brazilian tennis player Joao Lucas Reis da Silva made a bit of history on Monday with a win at Roland Garros, site of the French Open.
With his straight-set victory over France’s Calvin Hemery, Reis da Silva is the first out gay male player to win a Grand Slam singles qualifying match. If he wins his next two matches, he will make the main French Open draw, which starts Sunday. His next match is Wednesday against Vilius Gaubas of Lithuania. Gaubas is ranked 101st in the world and Reis da Silva 200th.
Reis da Silva was Outsports’ 2025 Male Athlete of the Year, a year after becoming the first active men’s pro tennis player to come out. He was joined in 2025 by Switzerland’s Mika Brunold.
Joao Lucas Reis wins his first match of qualifying at RG
It’s his first win in qualifying at a slam and the first men’s singles qualifying win by an out gay player. History!! 
pic.twitter.com/v8qpalpdfv— The Gay Tennis Pod (@thegaytennispod) May 18, 2026
In an interview earlier this year with the Athletic, Reis da Silva said he was well aware of what being the first means in his sport and how it could impact others.
Get off the sidelines and into the game
Our weekly playbook is packed with everything from locker room chatter to pressing LGBTQ sports issues.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today
“When I was 16, 15, I had problems accepting myself. Maybe if I had had someone playing saying, ‘I’m gay, I’m here, I’m competing for the big tournaments,’ it would have been easier for me to accept myself and to love myself. People have told me that. People told me that they admire me. That I inspire people. So it’s a big deal for me and them.
“I don’t have a problem with being remembered as the great gay tennis player,” he said, “but I don’t want to talk about that every time, you know?
“I know there will be a lot of attention on me.”
Reis da Silva first came out in an Instagram post celebrating the birthday of his boyfriend, Gui Sampaio Ricardo, a Brazilian actor and model. The two are in Paris together this week, hoping Reis da Silva can continue to make history.
Subscribe to the Outsports newsletter to keep up with your favorite out athletes, inspiring LGBTQ sports stories, and more.
