Tennis player João Lucas Reis da Silva celebrates his queer identity after making sports history by coming out
lobbed the news onto his Instagram page when he uploaded a carousel with photos of him and his boyfriend, Brazilian actor and model Gui Sampaio.
In the post’s loving caption, he wished Sampaio a happy birthday.A post shared by Native Son (@nativesonnow)Subscribe to Native Son’s newsletter for more news, information, and conversations about Black gay and queer everything.Just one week after his history-making announcement, Reis Da Silva won his first tournament in four years, defeating Daniel Dutra da Silva in the Procopio Cup in São Paulo on December 15.
The win qualifies Reis da Silva for the February 2025 Rio Open.In an interview with The Athletic following his tournament win, he reflected on the whirlwind start to his December.“It’s been a crazy week, but in the end, it was perfect,” he said.
Reis da Silva, from Recife, Brazil, has been out to his family and friends since he was 19. He started playing tennis at three years old and credits his brother for inspiring him to pick up a racquet.Reis da Silva has played in tournaments across the U.S., Europe, Australia, and South America, as shown in his ATP profile.
