Frz on the lack of gay players on the men’s tour - Tennis Majors

tennis is not gay

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Navratilova, who is gay, tweeted “blogy matters sports,” after Rapoe told Time how anti-trans sentiments like Navratilova's e real harm.

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OPENLY GAY PLAYERS WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE IN MEN’S TENNIS, SAYS TAYLOR FRZ

Gay llege tennis players offer theori as to why no ele pro players are out, wh the solo nature of the sport beg a key. * tennis is not gay *

“Statistilly, ’s a b unual that you don’t have players on the ATP Tour that are openly gay.

THERE WILL BE NO OUT GAY MALE TENNIS PLAYERS AT THE U.S. OPEN, YET AGA

The U.S. Open hosted s very first Pri, and out tennis player Nick Lee was there to ask: where are the other gay men? * tennis is not gay *

-based group whose webse says works “to challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia sport and improve accs to sport for LGBT+ people. “I don’t thk anyone’s nyg that homophobia is a problem tennis, jt like is any sport, ” Denison said.

“I don’t know how many straight guys wake up, ” he said, “and, while they’re bshg their teeth, thk: ‘I wonr if gay people are all right tennis?

THE 2021 FRENCH OPEN POSTER IS GAY

Two athlet recently g out has highlighted the arth of openly gay players the world of U.S. men's profsnal sports, often dubbed "the last closet" for s lack of LGBTQ reprentatn. * tennis is not gay *

The ATP qutnnaire clus lks to rearch om the Internatnal Olympic Commtee and the Amerin Medil Society for Sports Medice that, the survey says, “found everyone’s mental health and sport performance n be negatively impacted if a sport culture is not welg to gay and bisexual people. How many ACTIVE profsnal male tennis players do you know personally who are gay? Why do you thk a player who me out as gay would earn more, ls or the same money om sponsors?

What percentage of profsnal tennis players would be unfortable or would reject a gay tennis player? Other topics clud what factors ntribute the most to there beg no openly gay active profsnal male tennis players, whether the rponnt agre wh the ATP’s sire “to bat homophobia sport” and whether he “would publicly support a gay or bisexual tennis player.

""Statistilly, 's a b unual that you don't have players on the ATP Tour that are openly gay. -based group whose webse says works "to challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia sport and improve accs to sport for LGBT+ people.

THERE ARE NO PUBLICLY OUT GAY PRO MALE TENNIS PLAYERS AND NOBODY REALLY KNOWS WHY

* tennis is not gay *

""I don't thk anyone's nyg that homophobia is a problem tennis, jt like is any sport, " Denison is rare for male athlet on U.

"I don't know how many straight guys wake up, " he said, "and, while they're bshg their teeth, thk: ‘I wonr if gay people are all right tennis? '"The ATP qutnnaire clus lks to rearch om the Internatnal Olympic Commtee and the Amerin Medil Society for Sports Medice that, the survey says, "found everyone's mental health and sport performance n be negatively impacted if a sport culture is not welg to gay and bisexual people.

—How many ACTIVE profsnal male tennis players do you know personally who are gay? —Why do you thk a player who me out as gay would earn more, ls or the same money om sponsors?

WHY THERE ARE FEW OPENLY GAY ATHLET IN MEN'S PROFSNAL SPORTS

—What percentage of profsnal tennis players would be unfortable or would reject a gay tennis player?

Please be topics clud what factors ntribute the most to there beg no openly gay active profsnal male tennis players, whether the rponnt agre wh the ATP's sire "to bat homophobia sport" and whether he "would publicly support a gay or bisexual tennis player.

WHY ARE THERE NO OPENLY GAY ATHLET IN MEN’S PROFSNAL TENNIS?

Some tennis players astonished everyone by revealg their genr publicly and g out as homosexual. The lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, queer, and other non-cisgenr or non-heterosexual (LGBTQ+) muny is prent wh sports worldwi. Many well-known players are openly gay and lbian and have bee champns proudly, makg themselv known to the world.

Brian Vahaly, the top tennis player who me out as a homosexual (Source: Tennis World).

Casey Dellacqua is one of the tennis players to e out as homosexual (Source: Ptert). Gigi Fernánz is also a renowned tennis player who me out as homosexual (Source: Ptert).

WHY ARE THERE NO OPENLY GAY MALE TENNIS PLAYERS?

Mart Navratilova me out as homosexual 1981, makg her one of the few tennis players to do so (Source: Getty Imag).

The sportg world hasn't been ignorant of the discsn, and many athlet the recent past have found themselv fortable enough to e out as gay or lbian. Unlike several other sports, where homosexual athlet have received ser backlash and threats, tennis has been largely open and non-homophobic.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* TENNIS IS NOT GAY

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11.00pm</time></div><div class="_31gDS" data-ttid="ArticleTools"><div class="_26BHG"><button aria-scribedby="articleToolsLogTooltip" class="JSEcE WiPOW" data-click-outsi-ignore="te" data-ttid="SaveArticle-button" type="button"><span class="DcglW _3KahZ"><svg class="_1SIxy" focable="false" height="1em" aria-hidn="te" width="1em"><e xlk:href="#in-bookmark"></e></svg></span><span class="_1dFpl">Save</span></button><div class="G-AXw _3Xjsv" id="articleToolsLogTooltip" role="tooltip"><div class="_3sIJa" data-ttid="SaveArticle-tooltip"><button class="__V_M" type="button">Log </button> or <a class="_3NFfI" data-ttid="SaveArticle-subscribeLk" href=">Subscribe</a> to save article</div></div></div><div class="_332VY" data-ttid="ArticleSocialShare"><button class="_1whEj _3jOVc" data-ttid="ArticleSocialShare-buttonShare" type="button"><span class="_1cmVb _1hJaj"><svg class="_1SIxy" focable="false" height="1em" aria-hidn="te" width="1em"><e xlk:href="#in-share"></e></svg></span><span class="_35K">Share</span></button></div></div></sectn></sectn><div class="_1YPgH"><div class="tl7wu"><p>At first glance, men's tennis appears a mol of diversy. At next week's Atralian Open, the first grand slam of the year, there will be 10 untri and five ntents reprented the world top 10 alone. As Jamie Murray puts : "We have players om all over the world, all different cultur, many walks of life."</p><p>And yet spe of the multiculturalism, there is still one great anomaly at the heart of the men's game: the absence of any openly homosexual players. In almost 150 years of beg an anised sport, only two openly gay men have ever played at ele level, both of whom peted primarily before the World War II: multiple grand-slam champn Gottied von Cramm, who was arrted for homosexualy Nazi Germany, and Bill Tiln, the Amerin 10-time major wner.</p><p>A third gay player, Ameri's former world No 63 Brian Vahaly, me out publicly 2017, a after he had retired. Vahaly revealed that a handful of profsnal players, and about 30 at junr and llege level, had told him privately that they were gay, but had opted agast gog public.</p><figure class="gzJMC unfed NvmVw" data-pb-type="im"><picture><source media="(m-width: 1180px)" width="620" height="349" srcSet="zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_620%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02, zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_1240%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02 2x" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":1.777778,"type":"landspe16x9","width":620,"urls":["zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_620%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02"," zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_1240%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02 2x"]}"/><source media="(m-width: 1020px)" width="620" height="349" srcSet="zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_620%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02, zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_1240%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02 2x" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":1.777778,"type":"landspe16x9","width":620,"urls":["zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_620%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02"," zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_1240%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02 2x"]}"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" width="696" height="392" srcSet="zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_696%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02, zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_1392%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02 2x" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":1.777778,"type":"landspe16x9","width":696,"urls":["zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_696%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02"," zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_1392%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02 2x"]}"/><img alt="" class="_1srKI" data-ttid="Image-image" src="zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_620%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02" srcSet="zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_382%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02, zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_764%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02 2x" siz="(max-width: 767px) 382px" data-id="835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":1.777778,"type":"landspe16x9","width":382,"urls":["zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_382%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02"," zoom_1%2C$multiply_1%2C$rat_1.777778%2C$width_1326%2C$x_5%2C$y_347/t_crop_ctom/c_sle%2Cw_764%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/835029c2eeace17f9b39f6c8afa513af846e02 2x"]}" width="382" height="215"/></picture><figptn class="LuHig"><p>Amerin Brian Vahaly, pictured at the Atralian Open 2004, me out 2017.<!-- --> <ce class="_23SOU">Viki Lasris</ce></p></figptn></figure><p>Vahaly is sure there are many more, and wants to create as welg an environment as possible to help them e out, should they want to. They are, he believ, sred of revealg their te selv.</p><p>In the absence of LGBT trailblazers such as Billie Jean Kg and Marta Navratilova the women's game – and more recent openly gay players, such as Belgium's Alison Van Uytvanck – Vahaly looks to have his work cut out. Bee the qutn is not whether there are more gay male players, but why there is still a taboo around homosexualy. The realy is that homosexualy men's tennis will be most discsed this year relatn to Margaret Court, the 24-time grand-slam wner.</p></div></div><asi class="_3JfHJ"></asi><div class="ZAfSI"><div class="adWrapper _3XglG Hqxcp" data-ttid="ad-wrapper"><div class="" id="adspot-320x360_320x50_300x250_300x50-pos2-mobile"></div><div class="" id="adspot-728x90-pos2-tablet"></div><div class="" id="adspot-970x250_728x90-pos2-sktop"></div><small class="_3azTn">Advertisement</small></div></div><div class="_2J452"><div class="_33oUB"><div class="tl7wu" id="endOfArticle"><p>Court, a Pentestal mister, regularly nounc homosexuals, but the send-biggt arena at the Atralian Open still bears her name, spe pleas om Kg and others to rebrand .</p><h2>'Courageo move'</h2><p>Acrdg to the players themselv, men's tennis has never been more welg. <em>Telegraph Sport</em> spoke to 25 players at the ele level, om world No.1 Novak Djokovic to doubl players further down the hierarchy, and the majory sisted the locker room would support someone g out. Djokovic's view was typil: "I see that as a urageo move. I wouldn't have anythg agast that. It's everybody's right to have sexual orientatn as they sire, any kd of directn life they sire. I rpect ."</p><p>Roger Ferer, Kev Anrson, John Isner and Mar Cilic exprsed siar sentiments.</p><p>Neher would a gay player have to fear beg mercially ostracised, which was a nsiratn for Vahaly. Que the oppose: the ditns are that many pani would celebrate the urage of someone g out and sh to support them.</p><figure class="gzJMC unfed NvmVw" data-pb-type="im"><picture><source media="(m-width: 1180px)" srcSet="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=, data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" data-srcset="width_620/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3, width_1240/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3 2x" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":0,"type":"raw","width":620,"urls":["width_620/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3"," width_1240/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3 2x"]}"/><source media="(m-width: 1020px)" srcSet="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=, data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" data-srcset="width_620/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3, width_1240/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3 2x" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":0,"type":"raw","width":620,"urls":["width_620/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3"," width_1240/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3 2x"]}"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=, data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" data-srcset="width_696/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3, width_1392/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3 2x" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":0,"type":"raw","width":696,"urls":["width_696/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3"," width_1392/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3 2x"]}"/><img alt="" class="_1srKI" data-ttid="Image-image" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" data-src="width_620/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3" srcSet="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=, data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" data-srcset="width_382/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3, width_764/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3 2x" siz="(max-width: 767px) 382px" data-id="4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":0,"type":"raw","width":382,"urls":["width_382/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3"," width_764/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/4f3d0a9f0feacc37dce60a65997b3c319d9fe2a3 2x"]}"/></picture><figptn class="LuHig"><p>Bill Tiln (1893-1953) was one of the few openly gay male players.<!-- --> <ce class="_23SOU">Hulton Archive</ce></p></figptn></figure><div class="ZAfSI"><div class="adWrapper _3XglG _35ekj Hqxcp _3_nxH" data-ttid="ad-wrapper"><div class="" id="adspot-320x360_320x50_300x250_300x50-pos3-mobile"></div><div class="" id="adspot-728x90-pos3-tablet"></div><small class="_3azTn">Advertisement</small></div></div><p>"There's far greater unrstandg of the issu now, and there would likely be a great al of tert om mercial backers," says Nigel Currie, a sports marketg nsultant.</p><p>Tennis also benefs om the absence of partisan crowds, which uld rce the fear players have g out. And yet, spe of this supposedly hospable climate, tennis's wa for a first openly gay active male player sce the 1940s ntu. Why?</p><p>Jt Gimelstob, the former world No.63 who <a href=">is fendg himself agast asslt allegatns</a> the US, offered an sight to the locker room culture 11 years ago. "The locker room uldn't be a more homophobic place," he said. "We're not gay-bashg. There's jt a lot of normal hetero talk about pretty girls and workg out and drkg beer."</p><p>Vahaly endors that view – he says he heard homophobic ments all the time this perd – and while there is ltle doubt that locker-room attus have sce bee more progrsive, there are isolated cints which give pse for thought. Ukrae's Sergiy Stakhovsky said 2017 that he would not enurage his dghter to play tennis bee "on the WTA tour, almost every other player is a lbian", while Pierre-Hugu Herbert, a three-time doubl grand-slam champn, believ would be harr to e out than some outsirs realise. "I don't thk 's gog to be easy bee there is so much homophobia," he suggts.</p><figure class="gzJMC unfed NvmVw" data-pb-type="im"><picture><source media="(m-width: 1180px)" srcSet="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=, data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" data-srcset="width_620/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31, width_1240/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31 2x" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":0,"type":"raw","width":620,"urls":["width_620/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31"," width_1240/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31 2x"]}"/><source media="(m-width: 1020px)" srcSet="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=, data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" data-srcset="width_620/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31, width_1240/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31 2x" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":0,"type":"raw","width":620,"urls":["width_620/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31"," width_1240/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31 2x"]}"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=, data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" data-srcset="width_696/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31, width_1392/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31 2x" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":0,"type":"raw","width":696,"urls":["width_696/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31"," width_1392/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31 2x"]}"/><img alt="" class="_1srKI" data-ttid="Image-image" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" data-src="width_620/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31" srcSet="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=, data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" data-srcset="width_382/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31, width_764/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31 2x" siz="(max-width: 767px) 382px" data-id="882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":0,"type":"raw","width":382,"urls":["width_382/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31"," width_764/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/882beee140236aa313e7e758ffc6ada11c9d6b31 2x"]}"/></picture><figptn class="LuHig"><p>Billie Jean Kg, left, and Marta Navratilova were trailblazers for lbian players.<!-- --> <ce class="_23SOU">RON FREHM</ce></p></figptn></figure><h2>Place of ignorance</h2><div class="ZAfSI"><div class="adWrapper _3XglG _35ekj Hqxcp _3_nxH" data-ttid="ad-wrapper"><div class="" id="adspot-320x360_320x50_300x250_300x50-pos4-mobile"></div><div class="" id="adspot-728x90-pos4-tablet"></div><small class="_3azTn">Advertisement</small></div></div><p>There is also a more subtle lack of unrstandg om some players that helps to expla why a player might feel unfortable g out. While Herbert and I spoke, his doubl partner Nilas Mahut twice ma jok about the pair beg a gay uple. Other doubl players, such as Colombia's Robert Farah, ma siar jok that were not necsarily homophobic tent but seemed to e more om a place of ignorance.</p><p>It was also cur to hear how many players said they would wele a gay player, but only if they showed "rpect". The former Wimbledon doubl champn Marcelo Melo, for stance, said: "If they keep rpect wh the players, I'm not gog to stop talkg to someone who says they're gay. But he has to have rpect a lot, this is the most important thg. I thk you have problems when they don't rpect each other."</p><p>Geography n also play a part amg attus, wh many players on tour g om untri where homosexualy is largely abhorred.</p><p>Herbert believ " would be easier for someone om certa plac but maybe not somewhere Rsia", while grand-slam doubl falist Juan Sebastian Cabal says, of his native Colombia, "we're still a b more nservative. If you go to towns and smaller ci, 's way more judged".</p><figure class="gzJMC unfed NvmVw" data-pb-type="im"><picture><source media="(m-width: 1180px)" srcSet="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=, data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" data-srcset="width_620/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b, width_1240/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b 2x" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":0,"type":"raw","width":620,"urls":["width_620/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b"," width_1240/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b 2x"]}"/><source media="(m-width: 1020px)" srcSet="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=, data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" data-srcset="width_620/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b, width_1240/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b 2x" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":0,"type":"raw","width":620,"urls":["width_620/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b"," width_1240/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b 2x"]}"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=, data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" data-srcset="width_696/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b, width_1392/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b 2x" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":0,"type":"raw","width":696,"urls":["width_696/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b"," width_1392/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b 2x"]}"/><img alt="" class="_1srKI" data-ttid="Image-image" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" data-src="width_620/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b" srcSet="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=, data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAMAAAACCAQAAAA3fa6RAAAADklEQVR42mNkAANGCAUAACMAA2w/AMgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" data-srcset="width_382/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b, width_764/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b 2x" siz="(max-width: 767px) 382px" data-id="c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b" data-pb-im-nfig="{"aspectRat":0,"type":"raw","width":382,"urls":["width_382/t_rize_width%2Cq_88%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b"," width_764/t_rize_width%2Cq_52%2Cf_to/c8d266b822a7103890812e0707068ccfa015ba2b 2x"]}"/></picture><figptn class="LuHig"><p>Naomi Cavaday, the former Brish No.3, believ the locker room n be a btal place, where opponents will latch on to anythg they thk will make their opponent unfortable.<!-- --> <ce class="_23SOU">Rui Vieira</ce></p></figptn></figure><p>Even players who hail om liberal untri evably live sheltered liv wh the profsnal tennis bubble, away om the diverse reali of many of the ci they are playg on tour. It is no surprise they make the odd ment that might make someone unfortable about revealg their te sexual inty.</p><div class="ZAfSI"><div class="adWrapper _3XglG _35ekj Hqxcp _3_nxH" data-ttid="ad-wrapper"><div class="" id="adspot-320x360_320x50_300x250_300x50-pos5-mobile"></div><div class="" id="adspot-728x90-pos5-tablet"></div><small class="_3azTn">Advertisement</small></div></div><p>"Most players don't have a lot of exposure to LGBT people themselv, and so they don't know what they don't know," Vahaly says. "So much of what I learned about myself was after I me out."</p><p>Changg attus wh the locker room is one challenge; is que another to expect someone to embrace the role of advote for gay players, and the maelstrom of publicy that would surely follow.</p><p>"I don't have an advocy personaly," Vahaly says, addrsg his reluctance to e out and be fed as "the gay tennis player" while he was still active on tour, or the years afterwards when he first entered to a same-sex relatnship.</p><p>Now he is a father, however, Vahaly feels a sense of rponsibily to be open. "My life changed when I had tw boys," he says. "But I rpect and unrstand that a gay player now may say, 'Hey, this isn't my gig and I don't want to be that person.'"</p><h2>'Potential weakns'</h2><p>There are good reasons to thk this uld also put that player at a disadvantage their day job. Naomi Cavaday, the former Brish No.3, believ that the locker room n be a btal place, where opponents will latch on to anythg they thk will make their opponent unfortable, and the notn that a player's honty about their sexualy uld be exploed by an opponent sperate to fd an edge is not far-fetched.</p><div class="ZAfSI"><div class="adWrapper _3XglG _35ekj Hqxcp _3_nxH" data-ttid="ad-wrapper"><div class="" id="adspot-320x360_320x50_300x250_300x50-pos6-mobile"></div><div class="" id="adspot-728x90-pos6-tablet"></div><small class="_3azTn">Advertisement</small></div></div><p>Ined, acrdg to Andy Lane, a sports psychologist at the Centre for Health and Human Performance, one of the most nsistent tras sports people is hidg any characteristic that uld be seized upon as a pot of differentiatn. "Sport is all about protectg your ner self, and top athlet will whhold anythg they thk uld be a potential weakns," Lane says.</p><p>The Atrian doubl specialist Alexanr Peya agre. "Sure, g out mak you vulnerable to that sort of thg [cricism]. Anythg that maybe uld be explored as a weakns. Beg gay is not a weakns, of urse, but I thk 's jt the way sport works. It's man agast man or team agast team. If you're open to talk about somethg that worri you or is tricky some moments, 's not always easy."</p><p>If a gay male player is to break the mould the sport the next 10 to 20 years, as Vahaly hop, then enuragg openns and acceptance will be paramount.</p><p>The Associatn of Tennis Profsnals has pledged to rporate more discsn of LGBTQ issu as part of s welfare programme, as well as more knowledge sharg wh the Women's Tour Associatn, but at the moment the ma driver is g om elsewhere.</p><p>Amerin tennis journalist Nick McCarvel has been at the foreont of promotg the clivy msage, hostg an event wh Vahaly ahead of the US Open to try to enurage unrstandg. After the succs of the event, McCarvel will host another discsn before the Atralian Open, this time wh former basketball star and gay trailblazer Jason Colls.</p><p>So, as 2019 begs, are we any closer to havg an openly gay male player?</p><p>"Absolutely," Vahaly says. "It needs a person who is at the top of their game and nsistently playg at the grand slams to say, 'Hey, this is me, take or leave '. But they mt also regnise that the world and the sport supports them. It's jt gog to take the right person at the right time."</p><p><em>-The Telegraph London</em> </p><p class="_2OMuZ">The Telegraph London</p></div><div class="_3E2eQ"><div class="_3nTt0" data-ttid="ArticleFooter"><div class="_30U_H"><div class="_26BHG"><button aria-scribedby="articleFooterLogTooltip" class="JSEcE uxhXB" data-click-outsi-ignore="te" data-ttid="SaveArticle-button" type="button"><span class="DcglW"><svg class="_1SIxy" focable="false" height="1em" aria-hidn="te" width="1em"><e xlk:href="#in-bookmark"></e></svg></span><span class="">Save</span></button><div class="_2jGyo _3Xjsv" id="articleFooterLogTooltip" role="tooltip"><div class="KNEjM" data-ttid="SaveArticle-tooltip"><button class="__V_M" type="button">Log </button> or <a class="_3NFfI" data-ttid="SaveArticle-subscribeLk" href=">Subscribe</a> to save article</div></div></div><div class="_332VY" data-ttid="ArticleSocialShare"><button class="_1whEj E-qQO" data-ttid="ArticleSocialShare-buttonShare" type="button"><span class="_1cmVb"><svg class="_1SIxy" focable="false" height="1em" aria-hidn="te" width="1em"><e xlk:href="#in-share"></e></svg></span><span class="">Share</span></button></div></div><div class="_28OFW"><div class="nEW5f"></div></div></div><div class="_3QtdZ" data-ttid="ArticleTags"><div class="_27M2O _2-Rvi" data-ttid="NewsfeedArticleDriver" role="alert"><hear class="_1slp0"><h2 class="_2iSlc">Introducg your <span class="_3jl0N">Newsfeed</span></h2><button class="_1aHhd" data-ttid="NewsfeedArticleDriver-close" type="button"><svg class="_1SIxy" aria-labelledby="newsfeed article driverclose-tle" focable="false" height="1em" aria-label="Close" role="img" width="1em"><tle id="newsfeed article driverclose-tle">Close .

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