Rising Swiss tennis star Mika Brunold has become just the second male tennis player to openly come out as gay while competing as an active player in the sport.
Brunold, 21, revealed in an Instagram statement on Saturday that he was a member of the LGBT+ community, revealing that he was “proud of who I am” in a powerful message.
The Swiss follows in the footsteps of Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva, the Brazilian star who became the ATP Tour’s firstly openly gay active player last year, after opening up about his relationship with his boyfriend.
Currently ranked 307th in the ATP Tour rankings, Brunold reached a career-high of 289th in August 2025.
The Swiss reached the semi-final of two ATP Tour Challenger events in 2025 and was also handed a wildcard into qualifying at the Swiss Indoors in Basel this October, pushing then-world No 62 Reilly Opelka all the way in a tight three-set loss.
In the statement revealed on his Instagram on Saturday, Brunold revealed that he felt it was “time” for him to speak openly and honestly about his sexuality.
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.
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“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.
“Mika.”
Brunold has received a wave of support in the comment section of his Instagram post, with four-time Grand Slam champion and former world No 1 Kim Clijsters commenting, alongside the likes of Eva Lys, Viktorija Golubic, and Leandro Riedi.
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