Joao Lucas Reis da Silva opened up about the historic social media post that made him the first openly gay male tennis player in an interview with *The Athletic* this weekend.
“I didn’t think about it…I just wanted to post a picture with him,” Reis da Silva, a Brazilian athlete currently ranked No. 376 on the ATP Tour, said of her boyfriend Gui Sampaio.
Reis da Silva posted a birthday message for Sampaio Ricardo, a model actor he has been dating for over a year, on Instagram on December 7, earning praise from fans and fellow players, including compatriot Thiago Monteiro, former world number 61.
“I was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s my boyfriend’s birthday. Like happy birthday. I love you.’ And then boom! » said Reis da Silva. “It was so normal to me that I didn’t think about it.
“I’m really happy that people respect me, that they look at me, maybe admire me. »
