Gay women tennis players
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“It’s dangerous for me right now,” she shared, “but I have no regrets.”
Greet Minnen: Breaking Barriers at Wimbledon
Greet Minnen, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 59, made history in 2019 by teaming with Alison Van Uytvanck to form Wimbledon’s first openly LGBTQ+ doubles team. In an exciting development, two openly queer women made it into the U.S.
Open singles draw: Daria Kasatkina of Australia and Greet Minnen of Belgium.
Minnen was knocked out of the first round by Naomi Osaka, who named her glittery red Labubu “Billie Jean Bling” and who has been seving some of the most stunning looks at the U.S. Open in recent years. I hope to one day report a lot more than just two openly gay players competing at the U.S.
Open. Today, the WTA Tour features a growing number of openly LGBTQ+ athletes, continuing this tradition of inclusivity.
While many lament the end of summer, it has always been one of my favorite times of year, in large part due to the U.S. Open, which I have been watching for pretty much as long as I can remember thanks to my tennis-obsessed father.
Vahaly later revealed that homophobic comments were common in the locker rooms during his playing days.
Out Gay Female Players Competing at the 2025 French Open
Daria Kasatkina (Australia, formerly Russia)
Kasatkina publicly came out in July 2022 and is now one of the most well-known LGBTQ+ athletes in tennis.
He lost in the qualifiers at the U.S. Open last week.
And while I am indeed excited about the fact that there were two queer players in the women’s singles draw this year — the most there has been in a minute — I’d be remiss to not also acknowledge the sport’s ongoing trans issue, namely the fact that Martina Navratilova, a very vocal TERF, continues to have such a significant platform at the U.S.
Open and in tennis in general. She has been outspoken against Russia’s occupation of Ukraine as well as anti-LGBTQ policies in her home country. In a 2020 interview with the WTA, she encouraged authenticity: “You only live once, so be happy and don’t stress about who you are.”
Nadia Podoroska and Guillermina Naya: A Love Story from Argentina
French Open semifinalist Nadia Podoroska shared her relationship with fellow Argentine tennis player Guillermina Naya in a touching Instagram post in October 2022, celebrating Naya’s birthday.
In contrast, the men’s tour has only recently started to see progress in this area.
João Lucas Reis da Silva Makes History
In December 2024, Brazilian tennis player João Lucas Reis da Silva became the first active male professional to come out as gay during his career. Today, a number of stars on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tour continue that tradition.
“But I don’t regret it, not even 1%.”
Greet Minnen (Belgium)
Greet Minnen once formed a high-profile couple with fellow Belgian player Alison Van Uytvanck. Kasatkina is in a relationship with Olympic figure skater Natalia Zabiiako.
“As a gay person who opposes the war, it’s not possible to go back,” she said in 2023.
Pushing players like Cammie out of the sport is bad for the entire world of tennis, and given that professional tennis was so instrumental to the overall fight for gender equality across all sports, it’s especially devastating to see players like Navratilova continue to spread hate unchecked.
I want tennis to become more and more queer.
Pro tennis has yet to really reckon with Navratilova’s transphobia, which is even aimed at recreational players. She’s currently ranked 18.
While Minnen is out of the U.S. Open after the first round, she put up a good fight against the dazzling Osaka. We’re in the midst of the second round of the major tournament this year, and things are heating up.
Now engaged to Olympic figure skater Natalia Zabiiako, Kasatkina continues to advocate for human rights. Their relationship, made public in 2018, resonated with fans and inspired many. Previously, Moore was in a public relationship with Swiss player Conny Perrin, showcasing the depth of LGBTQ+ representation across global tennis.
Conny Perrin: Finding Connection on Tour
Swiss tennis professional Conny Perrin, once ranked No.
134 in the world, opened up about her love life in a 2017 interview with the New York Times. Men’s tennis lags, Joao Lucas Reis da Silva of Brazil becoming the first openly gay player on the ATP tour last year. The pair made history at Wimbledon in 2019 as the first same-sex couple to compete in doubles.