A year ago, Joao Lucas Reis da Silva probably never imagined a post about his boyfriend on Instagram would turn into a viral moment. But what was mundane to the Brazilian tennis player was monumental in the world of sports. Since publicly coming out on Instagram in December 2024, Reis da Silva made history as the first openly gay male tennis player in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tour. Now, Reis da Silva is climbing the ATP rankings, with an all-time high of no. 187, and won three titles this year, including the AAT Challenger de Santa Fe in Argentina, the International Tennis Federation M25 Copa Milo in Chile, and the ATP Challenger Tour doubles title at the Punta del Este Open in Uruguay. Reis da Silva’s openness with himself made him an even more inspirational athlete and beacon of hope for other Black queer men in sports.