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On May 1, 1981, Billie Jean Kg publicly me out as gay

Contents:

5 ACTIVE TENNIS PLAYERS WHO HAVE E OUT AS GAY OR BISEXUAL, FT. DARIA KASATKA & SAMANTHA STOSUR

Insir is highlightg out and proud athlet who intify as lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, queer, and more honor of pri month. * gay ladies tennis players *

The historic nature of that many out players is not lost on Nick Lee, a former llege tennis player at Vassar who is openly gay and who was stmental pilg this list. As for the men’s si, we have wrten at length about the absence of out male players (the bt theory as to why me om a gay former llege player), but at least there are LGBTQ alli among top men’s players. “I don’t thk ’s really a taboo, but I’ve seen qutns before about why there aren’t any openly gay men on the tour, and I jt wanted to kd of voice my support that general area.

OUT GAY WOMEN’S TENNIS PLAYERS REPRENT AT WIMBLEDON 2023

Wimbledon 2023 is officially unrway – weather permtg – but spe the All England Club’s all-whe le, there are a handful of out gay players * gay ladies tennis players *

The 25-year-old went on to speak about how homosexualy is treated Rsia, before statg that there is nothg easier the world than beg straight. Over the years, several tennis players have announced that they are eher gay or bisexual, wh ins Billie Jean Kg and Marta Navratilova beg the most well-known.

THE GAY TENNIS PLAYERS SMASHG DOWN BARRIERS AS WIMBLEDON 2023 GETS UNRWAY

There are a handful of out gay tennis players offerg val LGBTQ+ reprentatn at Wimbledon 2023 - but the men's game still lags behd. * gay ladies tennis players *

99 Greet Mnen beme well-known for her relatnship wh Alison van Uytvanck, and the two were for long among the most popular gay upl tennis. “This reflects years of rearch that I have nducted on smaller sl, all showg athlet are more fortable wh gay teammat than most anyone thought possible, ” Dr Anrson told Outsports. “Athlet across sports and across genrs love their gay teammat, and they support their gay teammat, and this go beyond differenc of sexual orientatn.

“I have been personally imprsed wh the iative of the ATP and their sire to fd ways to migate the broad impact of homophobic behavur ( particular), not only on gay people, but on all players. Insir is highlightg out and proud athlet honor of the annual celebratn of those who intify as lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, queer, and morn-day stars like USWNT pta Megan Rapoe and WNBA legend, Diana Trasi, are NBA player Jason Pl Colls, former NFL nng back David Kopay, and tennis in Billie Jean Kg were trailblazers their rpective sports.

A GAY GIRL’S GUI TO THE 2023 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP

A rerd number of out LGBTQ players make this year’s tournament a feast for gay fans. * gay ladies tennis players *

Longtime NFL offensive leman Ryan O'Callaghan me out as gay publicly 2017 via a story for Outsports and revealed that he had long planned to kill himself once his football reer was over.

Jason Pl Colls spent 13 seasons the NBA and, after g out 2013, beme the first out gay athlete actively playg any of the four major North Amerin pro sports leagu. Olympic skater Adam Rippon ma history as the first out gay man to jo Team USA for a wter Olympics and, Pyeongchang, he beme the first to w a medal at the Gam. 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. Raymond has been quoted as sayg: "I me out bee I knew that there would be life after tennis, and beg gay and playg tennis is not a big al.

TOP RSIAN TENNIS PLAYER DARIA KASATKA OUT AS GAY

Daria Kasatka, Rsia’s hight ranked female tennis player, me out as gay an terview, while addrsg risg homophobic attus the untry. * gay ladies tennis players *

Wimbledon 2023 is officially unrway – weather permtg – but spe the All England Club’s all-whe le, there are a handful of out gay players offerg some val rabow LGBTQ+ reprentatn at tennis’s most prtig tournament.

Sce the days of trailblazg gay Grand Slam champns Billie Jean Kg and Marta Navratilova, women’s tennis has long provid some of the biggt LGBTQ+ nam sport – and there are currently several players Women’s Tennis Associatn (WTA) tour rryg that torch for a new generatn.

Acrdg to a report by, the men’s Associatn of Tennis Profsnals (ATP) isn’t currently jt laggg behd, ’s yet to even cross the startg le: There are currently no out gay players on the men’s tour and no profsnal male tennis player has e out publicly the Open Era while still playg the game. Amerin former world number 57 Brian Vahaly me out publicly as gay 2017, a after retirg om the sport, and shed light on some of the barriers faced by gay male players. In 2022, men’s top 10 player and former Wimbledon quarter-falist Taylor said he believed an out gay male player would be “accepted” on the tour, but as Wimbledon rolls around for another, the wa go on.

MARTA NAVRATILOVA ON MEGAN RAPOE AND THE TRAJECTORY OF GAY WOMEN SPORTS

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? * gay ladies tennis players *

In the meantime, here’s a n-down of the out gay women’s players to look out for the Wimbledon 2023 ma draws – as well as a few others who aren’t makg an appearance at SW19 this year, but are still reprentg for the LGBTQ+ muny on the tour. However, the men’s Associatn of Tennis Profsnals (ATP) isn’t currently jt laggg behd, ’s yet to even cross the startg le: There are currently no out gay players on the men’s tour and no profsnal male tennis player has e out publicly the Open Era while still playg the game.

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

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. * gay ladies tennis players *

In the year sce, Kasatka has been an outspoken cric of Rsia’s vasn of Ukrae and anti-gay polil culture – even if ’s e at great personal st.

I wanted to say my posn on the war and my [sexualy], which was tough, g om a untry where beg gay is not accepted, but felt like I had a backpack of ston on my shoulrs and I jt had to throw off. Last time at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, the Netherlands lay claim to the honor of beg the team wh the most out LGBTQ players, but this year Atralia boasts 10 out players and overtak them for the tle of Gayt Team 2k23. Ireland’s historic entry to the tournament marks another triumph for out midfielr Sead Farrelly, whose natnal team but and 2023 return to the NWSL e more than six years after retirg om soccer the wake of systemic homophobic and sexual abe wh the league, which the Athletic first reported on 2021.

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

* gay ladies tennis players *

Court’s homophobia is appallg, but she’s right about one thg: women’s tennis is ed replete wh lbians, always has been — and ’s absolutely glor.

While today’s WTA seems like a bean of gay pri, we’re actually long past tennis’ goln age of lbianism, which paved the way for women to achieve equal prize money and enjoy higher viewg numbers than any other women’s sport. Kg, who owns 12 Grand Slam tl, also beme the first profsnal athlete the world to e out as gay 1981, when she was unceremonly outed by a palimony su om an ex-lover.

The number of top tennis people who have chosen to intify as what we now ll LGBTQ+ may be ltle more than a dozen but they clu Marta Navratilova and Gottied Von Cramm, two of the most thrillg champns to have ever played the game; Teddy Tlg, the gay signer who changed the look of tennis; Eleanor ‘Teach’ Tennant, the Californian ach who opened up the game to talented boys and girls om poorer backgrounds; and Renee Richards, who 1977 beme the first transgenr profsnal sport. The buildg, known as the Dansk Tennis Club, is a tribute to Leif Rovsg who missned, signed, and rated after he was banned om tennis 1917 for ‘prumed homosexualy’. For the rt of his life, Rovsg mpaigned to w acceptance of homosexualy sport, wrg books and pamphlets and givg talks and lectur Denmark and abroad.

DARIA KASATKA OUT AS GAY AND SPEAKS OUT AGAST RSIAN ATTUS

Thanks to the proment athlet who are gay, the sports world is beg more and more acceptg of homosexual players. Whether the famo Olympians, ... * gay ladies tennis players *

His style and manner, on urt and off, were impossible to separate out om his homosexualy which was clear to everyone around him although he never admted until he had long stopped playg.

FRENCH OPEN HAS THREE OPENLY GAY WOMEN, ZERO (AS UAL) MEN

In 2013, the untry passed a “gay propaganda” law, which has been ed to target the LGTBQ muny, acrdg to The Council for Global Equaly. which gay tennis player is nsired the greatt male tennis player of all time (wng the US Open a rerd 7 tim, and a reer wng percentage of 94%), was nicknamed 'the Osr Wil of the tennis world', but was barred om profsnal tennis when was revealed he was gay?

Which gay Wimbledon Champn, who followed this wh a succsful reer signg women's tennis cloth, was revealed as a Brish Intelligence spy after his ath? (This provisn of the Immigratn and Natnaly Act was dropped 1990, when was redrafted by Reprentative Barney Frank, of Massachetts, who is gay. She also told some of the other tennis players that, once she had her passport, “If anybody asks me about , I’m jt gog to say, ‘Y, I am gay.

As a former men’s llegiate tennis player and openly gay member of my team, this qutn nagged at me as I attend the monumental first ever Pri event at the U. After all of the homophobia I have personally experienced sports, the panelists and the packed dience gave me so much hope for the future of cln sports.

MAY 1, 1981: THE DAY BILLIE JEAN KG PUBLICLY ME OUT AS GAY

The trailblazer for gay visibily on the ATP tour scribed himself durg the panel discsn as “an anx guy and an anx tennis player, ” statg that his disfort wh his sexual orientatn throughout his life was a signifint ntributor to his anxiety.

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The days, top players Roger Ferer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have all publicly stated that they would wele an out gay man to the ATP.

While we now celebrate Kg for her acplishments as a gay rights activist, the sacrific she had to make and terrors that she endured for wantg to be her thentic self after beg outed towards the end of her profsnal tennis reer – nearly 40 years ago – are unjtifiable.

ATHLET WHO ARE GAY

Combe that wh gay and bisexual men reprentg a signifintly smaller portn of the populatn than heterosexual men, and the odds of havg one of makg through the ranks growg up and currently beg a profsnal tennis player are slim, no matter how welg players such as Ferer, Djokovic and Murray are 2019. There uld be someone makg their way up the rankgs junrs right now, who hopefully will not be terred om tennis for beg a gay or bisexual man, who will see events such as the U. The most tellg sign of the lack of out gay men profsnal tennis is that the only player wearg any rabow apparel this summer was a straight guy who had to apologize for g gay slurs durg the Olympics.

"IF THERE'S A GAY PLAYER THE LOCKER ROOM, NOTHG HAPPENS" - DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN, THE LATT STAR TO SUPPORT THE LGBTQ MOVEMENT

Open starts s two-week n New York, I feel pelled to rehash this prsg statistic: There will once aga be no openly gay male players at one of the sport’s premier events.

“To be hont, I’m somewhat surprised that there still hasn’t been an out active ATP Tour level player, ” said Nick Lee, a former llege tennis player at Vassar who is openly gay. The absence of out male pro tennis players is noteworthy a summer that saw the first gay NFL player and gay NHL prospect e out and a rerd number of out LGBTQ Olympians, cludg the most men ever. “There are no out gay players on the ATP tour bee most players don’t pick up a racket hop to be a role mol for an entire margalized muny, ” Bradley said.

But the fear that an out player would be hound by the media has been molished by how quickly the Carl Nassib story fad after the Las Vegas Rairs fensive leman me out as gay June. I thk “gay male pro tennis player out” would be a story that quickly fas as an obssn a culture where “breakg news” gets old really fast. Atralian A-League soccer star Josh Cavallo me out as gay an October vio posted to his social media, beg hailed as the first current male top-flight profsnal soccer player to publicly do so.

MARTA {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}CZECH TENNIS STAR MARTA NAVRATILOVA WAS ONE OF THE WORLD'S TOP TENNIS PLAYERS THE 1970S AND {LOR:#323232;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: MAR 30, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{LOR:#595959;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: JASON KOERNER/GETTY {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}(1956-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS MARTA NAVRATILOVA?MARTA NAVRATILOVA BEGAN PLAYG TENNIS AT A YOUNG AGE AND WAS ONE OF THE TOP FEMALE TENNIS PLAYERS THE WORLD THE LATE 1970S AND EARLY 1980S. LATER LIFE, SHE THORED A SERI OF FICTN BOOKS AND WAS ACTIVE THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT.EARLY YEARSNAVRATILOVA WAS BORN AS MARTA SUBERTOVA ON OCTOBER 18, 1956, PRAGUE, CZECHOSLOVAKIA (NOW KNOWN AS THE CZECH REPUBLIC). HER PARENTS DIVORCED WHEN SHE WAS THREE, AND NAVRATILOVA AND HER MOTHER, JANA, RELOTED OM A SKI LODGE THE KRKONOSE MOUNTAS FOR A NEW LIFE JT OUTSI OF PRAGUE. AS A RULT, NAVRATILOVA NEVER GREW CLOSE TO HER FATHER, MIROSLAV SUBERT, A PLITED MAN WHO SUFFERED OM PRSN AND LATER KILLED HIMSELF AFTER THE MISE OF HIS SEND MARRIAGE.IN 1962, NAVRATILOVA'S MOTHER REMARRIED, TO A MAN NAMED MIREK NAVRáTIL. NAVRATILOVA EVENTUALLY TOOK HER STEPFATHER'S LAST NAME, TWEAKG SLIGHTLY BY ADDG A FEME "OVA" AT THE END. NAVRATILOVA AND HER NEW FATHER GREW CLOSE, WH MIREK BEG HER FIRST TENNIS ACH.THE GAME WAS CERTALY NAVRATILOVA'S BLOOD. HER GRANDMOTHER HAD BEEN AN TERNATNAL PLAYER WHO HAD UPSET THE MOTHER OF VERA SOVA, A 1962 WIMBLEDON FALIST, A NATNAL TOURNAMENT. NAVRATILOVA'S OWN TENNIS STCTS WERE UPLED WH A PASSN FOR IMPROVEMENT. AT THE AGE OF FOUR, SHE WAS HTG TENNIS BALLS OFF OF A CEMENT WALL. BY AGE SEVEN, SHE WAS PLAYG REGULARLY, WORKG WH MIREK AND SPENDG HOURS ON THE URT EACH DAY, WORKG ON HER STROK AND FOOTWORK. AT AGE NE, NAVRATILOVA BEGAN TAKG LSONS OM CZECH CHAMPN GEE PARMA, WHO FURTHER REFED THE YOUNG PLAYER'S GAME. AT AGE 15, SHE WON THE CZECH NATNAL CHAMPNSHIP. IN 1973, AT 16, SHE TURNED PRO AND BEGAN PETG THE UNED STAT.PRO SUCCSNAVRATILOVA KNEW THAT STAYG HER HOME UNTRY MIGHT LIM HER CHANC ON THE PROFSNAL CIRCU. WH CZECHOSLOVAKIA SQUARELY UNR SOVIET NTROL, 18-YEAR-OLD NAVRATILOVA FECTED TO THE UNED STAT AT THE 1975 U.S. OPEN. THE CISN MEANT SHE'D BE CUT OFF OM HER FAY FOR YEARS, BUT ALSO SET HER REER UP FOR AN UNPRECENTED LEVEL OF SUCCS. IN 1978, SHE WON HER FIRST GRAND SLAM TOURNAMENT WH A VICTORY OVER AMERIN CHRIS EVERT AT WIMBLEDON. NAVRATILOVA FEND HER WIMBLEDON TLE THE FOLLOWG YEAR, ONCE AGA BEATG EVERT THE FALS, AND THEN WON A THIRD GRAND SLAM VICTORY AT THE 1981 ATRALIAN OPEN. BY THE EARLY 1980S, NAVRATILOVA WAS THE MOST DOMANT PLAYER WOMEN'S TENNIS. IN 1982, NAVRATILOVA PTURED BOTH THE WIMBLEDON AND THE FRENCH OPEN CROWNS, AND WOULD GO ON TO LOSE ONLY SIX MATCH OM 1982 TO 1984. IN ALL, SHE WON 18 GRAND SLAM SGL TL, 31 GRAND SLAM WOMEN'S DOUBL CHAMPNSHIPS AND 10 GRAND SLAM MIXED DOUBL. HER GREATT SUCCS ME AT WIMBLEDON, WHERE SHE ADVANCED TO 12 SGL FALS, WNG NE TL. NAVRATILOVA RETIRED OM SGL PLAY 1994, BUT NTUED TO PLAY DOUBL MATCH. IN 2003, SHE WON THE MIXED DOUBL CHAMPNSHIP AT WIMBLEDON. THREE YEARS LATER, SHE REPEATED THE ACPLISHMENT WH A W AT THE U.S. OPEN. COUPLED WH NAVRATILOVA'S ON-URT SUCCS ME HER OPENNS ABOUT HER SEXUAL ORIENTATN. "I NEVER THOUGHT THERE WAS ANYTHG STRANGE ABOUT BEG GAY," SHE WROTE HER 1985 TOBGRAPHY, MARTA. SHE PROPOSED TO HER GIRLIEND JULIA LEMIA ON THE BIG SCREEN AT ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM DURG THE 2014 U.S. OPEN. THE UPLE WED ON DECEMBER 15, 2014, NEW YORK CY.RECENT YEARSIN APRIL 2010, NAVRATILOVA REVEALED THAT SHE HAD BREAST NCER. AFTER SIX MONTHS OF TREATMENT, SHE BEME NCER-EE. IN RETIREMENT, NAVRATILOVA HASN'T PLETELY STAYED OUT OF THE PUBLIC EYE. IN MARCH 2012, SHE MA HER BUT ON DANCG WH THE STARS. SHE'S ALSO NTUED TO REMA ACTIVE. NAVRATILOVA STILL REGULARLY PLAYS TENNIS AND PET TRIATHLONS. ADDNALLY, SHE HAS SERVED AS A FNS AMBASSADOR FOR THE AMERIN ASSOCIATN OF RETIRED PERSONS. IN 2008, NAVRATILOVA ANNOUNCED PLANS TO OPEN AN AMY FOR YOUNG TENNIS PLAYERS HER HOME UNTRY, THE CZECH {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS

"He ntued: "Growg up I always felt the need to hi myself, you know, bee I was ashamed, and ashamed I'll never be able to do what I love and be gay. In a September terview wh USA Today, 25-year-old mor league baseball player beme the only active baseball profsnal to be out as gay! The 28-year-old Natnal Football League player and Rairs fensive leman ma history when he me out as gay on Instagram durg Pri Month, beg the first veteran NFL player to e out as gay while signed to a regular-season ntract.

The Bachelor star and former football player (who was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted ee agent and was on the practice squad of the Oakland Rairs and the Philalphia Eagl) me out as gay April, sayg he had fally e to terms wh his sexualy and the "next step all of this was sort of lettg people know. Corey Walsh, the 27-year-old pro BMX rir and Vans spokperson, said he isn't normally the type of person to "let people " on his personal life, but felt was important to e out as gay a March Instagram post bee "there are a lot of people still stgglg wh the same suatns" and he "jt wanted to let people know that they are not alone. Champn long track speedskater Conor McDermott-Mostowy never hid beg gay om his fay, iends, and fellow athlet, but he also wasn't one to rate his locker wh rabow Pri flags eher.

‘MONUMENTAL’: RSIAN TENNIS PLAYER DARIA KASATKA PRAISED FOR G OUT AS GAY

Johanna Larsson (ranked 97th) of Swen, who has been the Top 100, will be the send gay player the round when she meets Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the U. In ntrast, tennis (and sports) legends Billie Jean Kg and Marta Navratilova both played openly as gay, even if wasn’t necsarily by their choice at the time.

TOP NAM COME IN SUPPORT OF OPENLY GAY PLAYERS ON THE MEN’S TOUR

On May 1, 1981, Billie Jean Kg, driven by circumstanc, beme the first proment profsnal female athlete to publicly e out about her homosexualy.

Bart’s lawyers thought this prciple uld also apply a homosexual relatnship and sought half of Billie Jean Kg’s earngs throughout the seven-year perd. Serena's lendar Grand Slam chase and the GOAT bate; more mail​I read your recent lumn and I thk you ntue to ignore the homophobia behd the scen on the ATP tour. The bottom le is the ATP tour is siar to the NFL—there are high profile NFL players who everyone knows are gay, yet the media protect the closet s and engenr the lie of beg clive.

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

Gay, lbian, bisexual, trans and queer soccer players who are publicly out — now at least 94 total — make up almost 13% of all the athlet petg the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Atralia and New Zealand, Outsports has found. She has been a relatnship wh Atralian soccer player Sarah Walsh for three 38Natnaly: Uned Stat of AmeriBirthplace: Reddg, CaliforniaTeams: Chigo Red StarsTennis great Billie Jean Kg beme the first proment female profsnal athlete to e out as gay back 79Natnaly: Uned Stat of AmeriBirthplace: Long Beach, California, Uned Stat of AmeriOlympic diver Greg Louganis is openly gay. He married his partner Johnny Chaillo 63Natnaly: Uned Stat of AmeriBirthplace: El Cajon, California, Uned Stat of AmeriWNBA player Sheryl Swoop announced that she was gay 2005.

Age: 52Natnaly: Uned Stat of AmeriBirthplace: Brownfield, Texas, Uned Stat of AmeriTeams: Hoton Comets, Uned Stat women's natnal basketball team, Texas Tech Lady Rairs basketballNBA player Jason Colls me out as gay an terview wh Sports Illtrated magaze 2013. His announcement provoked mixed reactns om his fellow players and the 44Natnaly: Uned Stat of AmeriBirthplace: Northridge, Los Angel, CaliforniaTeams: Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, Washgton Wizards, Memphis Grizzli, Brooklyn NetsAmerin soccer player Abby Wambach is openly gay.

Schwartzman went on to extend the nversatn to sexual orientatn, and asserted that a fellow petor g out as gay would be a plete non-issue for him. "There are also sports which they beg to wonr if there are gay players or not, and the tth is that is not unrstood, " the Argente said. 20-time Grand Slam wner Roger Ferer, wily regard as one of the greatt players of all time, had claimed back 2013 that a player g out as gay wouldn't be a big al for him personally.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY LADIES TENNIS PLAYERS

Marta Navratilova on Megan Rapoe and the Trajectory of Gay Women Sports | The New Yorker .

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