Mika Brunold “Pretending to be someone I’m not was never an option”
Photo Credit: @mika_brunold (Instagram)
A 21-year-old talent reshapes the future of tennis with a simple act of honesty
When Swiss tennis player Mika Brunold decided to speak openly about who he is, he didn’t just share a personal truth—he sent a ripple of hope across the sports world. At only 21 and currently ranked 307 in the ATP, Brunold used his social media to say clearly and calmly: he is a gay man, and he is done hiding.
“Pretending to be someone I’m not was never an option”
In his message, short and heartfelt, Brunold reflected on the pressure of silence in professional sports. He didn’t dramatize it; he simply named what so many athletes still face.
“Hiding or pretending was never an option. I’m proud of who I am today.”
His announcement came with a photo on the tennis court, a gesture that felt symbolic: truth belongs everywhere, including on the clay, the grass, and the hard courts where queer athletes have been told for decades to keep their identities quiet.
©Photo Credit: @mike_brunold (Instagram)
The reaction? Immediate support—players, coaches, fans, and LGBTQ+ groups from Switzerland and beyond flooded his post with solidarity.
Brunold now joins Brazilian player Joao Lucas Reis da Silva, who came out publicly in late 2024, as part of a growing wave of athletes breaking tradition to embrace authenticity.
A sport slow to change, but changing anyway
Tennis has long wrestled with the unspoken expectation that male players fit a narrow mold—heterosexual, stoic, “masculine” in the most limiting sense. And beyond tennis, the homophobia embedded in the sports world is well documented.
Gender norms. Locker room silence. Fear of being “different.”
The script is always the same, and for too long, it’s been treated as normal.
©FC-Barcelona in multi-sport day against LGTBI-phobia in sport
February 19 marks the International Day Against LGBTQ+ Hate in Sports—a reminder of the bias still lurking in locker rooms, stands, and federations. But it’s also a reminder of why representation matters. When athletes like Brunold speak up, the landscape shifts. Kids watching from the sidelines suddenly see themselves reflected on the court.
Finland, a case study in courage
The movement toward more inclusive sports isn’t isolated. Finland, for example, has quietly become a leader in visibility. Athletes like Ari-Pekka Liukkonen, Senni Salminen, Tinja-Riikka Korpela, and Anni Lindroos have lived openly, proving that excellence has nothing to do with identity.
And then there’s Janne Puhakka, the hockey player who came out in 2019. “Even though he is no longer with us today, his courage left an enduring mark—not only in sports but also as a role model for LGBTQ+ young people who dream of playing without hiding who they are”. His legacy continues to inspire athletes across the Nordic countries, reminding them that being queer and being an athlete are not contradictions—they are human truths that can coexist powerfully.
Finland's Pride-themed hockey matches and organizations like HOT ry show what community support can look like when institutions commit to visibility instead of silence.
A global movement on the rise
©Photo Outsports.com
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, at least 290 openly LGBTQ+ athletes competed. That number would have been unthinkable a decade ago. Now it’s a testament to how far we’ve come—and how many young athletes insist on a future where they don’t have to choose between their sport and their identity.
“Authenticity doesn’t weaken athletes. It frees them.”
For the next generation watching Mika Brunold
This moment isn’t just about one player.
It’s about every kid stepping onto a court for the first time.
Every teenager hiding in a locker room.
Every young adult wondering if living openly will cost them their dreams.
©Getty
Brunold’s message joins a global chorus:
The future of sports is also queer, inclusive, and loud in its pride.
A last word for those stepping into their own truth
If you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community and dreaming of a life in sports, take this as proof that visibility is growing, support is building, and you are not alone. Your story deserves space. Your identity belongs everywhere—including the places that once told you it didn’t.
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