What female tennis players are gay

Five LGBTQ+ players who changed the face of tennis

The role of men who possess loved men and women who contain loved women has been crucial to lawn tennis since it was first played in London in 1874. The number of foremost tennis people who have chosen to identify as what we now name LGBTQ+ may be little more than a dozen but they include Martina Navratilova and Gottfried Von Cramm, two of the most thrilling champions to have ever played the game; Teddy Tinling, the same-sex attracted designer who changed the look of tennis; Eleanor ‘Teach’ Tennant, the Californian coach who opened up the game to talented boys and girls from poorer backgrounds; and Renee Richards, who in 1977 became the first trans person professional in sport. But most of my personal highest five LGBTQ+ people in tennis are not so widely known.

Player 1: Leif Rovsing (1887-1977)

In the northern suburbs of Copenhagen, there is a three-storey building dating from 1927 which looks from the outside prefer a plain municipal warehouse. Inside, though, it is a riot of colour – vivid reds, orchid yellows, lush greens – which illuminate an indoor court made of wood and covered in felt. It is one of the most gorgeous places to act tennis in

Daria Kasatkina, Russia's number one women's tennis player, reveals she is gay

Russian tennis player Daria Kasatkina has announced she is gay and found "living in the closet" impossible.

Key points:

  • Daria Kasatkina is ranked 12th in the world, the highest Russian female player
  • She reached the semi-final of the French Open in June
  • She and Natalia Zabiiako, an Olympic silver medallist in figure skating, posted photos of them together after the announcement

The 25-year-old, a semi-finalist at last month's French Open, said she was inspired to come out after Russian footballer Nadya Karpova revealed she was gay.

"Living in peace with yourself is the only thing that matters, f*** everyone else," Kasatkina told Russian blogger Vitya Kravchenko after telling him that she has a girlfriend.

"I consider it is key that influential people from sports, or any other sphere really speak about it.

"It is vital for young people who have a hard time with society and require support."

Kasatkina is the highest-ranked Russian female player and was defeated in the French Open semifinal by world number one and eventual champion Iga

Why are there no recognizable gay tennis players on the ATP? “Maybe there are, but they are afraid, this is a macho sport”.

PARIS – There is one thing that separates the WTA from the ATP, one aspect in which they are very different: on the women’s tennis tour there are players who are openly lesbian. In the men’s tennis tour, no player has come out as gay in recent years. Why?

“Because tennis is a very masculine sport, very macho,” says Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas in an interview with CLAY. “Maybe there is still a bit of dread, there is that be afraid of. Maybe there are players who are afraid, they live repressed, and it’s terrible for a person to live like that,” added the world number 61.

Fear? Varillas’ statement brings back memories of CLAY’s interview with Taylor Fritz, in which the American addressed a topic that is virtually never talked about in men’s tennis.

“I’m not sure if there are gay tennis players in the top 100. I don’t know. Maybe people think that behind closed doors we recognize. Statistically speaking, there should be. Statistically. But not that I know of. I think it’s s

We take a look at the players who are bringing some queer magic to the court 

BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGES BY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Having kicked off on 14 January, the 2024 Australian Open is in packed swing. Thousands are enjoying the sunny skies of Melbourne for this prestigious tournament. But it’s not just the sun which is shining brightly on the court. There are also a number of LGBTQIA players bringing some rainbow magic to the game. 

Tennis has seen a new dawn of openly out LGBTQIA players hold to the court, tracking in the footsteps of trailblazers like Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova. 

Here’s our guide to some of the stars competing in this year’s tournament. 

Daria Kasatkina

Seeded 14th at this year’s tournament, Daria Kasatkina is a force to be reckoned with. She came out in 2022 by confirming her association with Olympic figure skater Natalia Zabiiako. 

In 2023, she spoke out openly against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to The Times. “It’s unsafe for me now, with the regime we include . As a gay person who opposes the war, it’s not possible to go back. But I don’t regret it even 1 per cent.”

Greet Minnen

Playing unseeded in the Australi

LGBTQ Tennis

The sports world historically does not have a great reputation when it comes to LGBTQ acceptance and tolerance. However, the sport of Tennis stands out as one which has forged its have fascinating and unique history with several LGBTQ players and stories.

Recently, the US Tennis Association created its first-ever tournament with divisions specifically for lgbtq+ couples.

Many of the LGBTQ Tennis stories are not that well established. We need to transform that!

To be sure, there is still much progress to be made. Tennis stars such as Martina Navratilova and sports analysts have recently contributed some constructive insights into the course of LGBTQ recognition in the sport (see 'Further Research/Reading' below). Nevertheless, significant milestones own been made by a number of LGBTQ tennis greats. For example, undertake you know:

  • which gay tennis player is considered the greatest male tennis player of all time (winning the US Open a record 7 times, and a career winning percentage of 94%), was nicknamed 'the Oscar Wilde of the tennis world', but was barred from professional tennis when it was revealed he was gay?
  • which lesbian tennis player is noted for winning
    what female tennis players are gay