Brunold and Reis make history in landmark professional tennis final

Mika Brunold and João Lucas Reis da Silva made LGBTQ+ sporting history on Sunday 13 September 2026 when they contested the final of the NÖ Open in Tulln, Austria. Mika won 6-4, 6-3 to claim the biggest title of his career after coming through qualifying. 

The clay-court tournament was an ATP Challenger 100 event, part of the second-highest level of professional men’s tennis directly below the main ATP Tour. A Challenger 100 title awards the winner 100 ATP ranking points, making Mika’s run from qualifying to champion a significant result in its own right. 

Why the final was historic

Brazilian outlet UOL described the match as the first final in professional men’s tennis between two openly gay players, while TennisTemple called it the first known final of its kind. That distinction is important because the claim relates specifically to the professional men’s singles circuit, rather than every form of professional tennis. 

João, 26, entered the tournament ranked world number 282, while 21-year-old Mika was ranked 410. João reached the final without dropping a set, while Mika recorded seven victories across qualifying and the main draw on his way to the trophy. 

Both players have spoken openly about being gay

João became the first active male professional tennis player to publicly identify as gay after a social media post attracted international attention in December 2024. BBC Sport later reported that João had already been open with family, friends, coaches and fellow players before the post unexpectedly made him a trailblazer within the professional game. 

Mika publicly came out in November 2025 at the age of 21. Tennis.com reported that the Swiss player wanted to be open about who he was while also addressing a subject he believed was still not discussed enough in sport. 

Their visibility has already influenced other players. British Paralympic silver medallist and wheelchair tennis player Greg Slade publicly came out in January 2026 and later explained that seeing João and Mika being open about their sexuality had helped encourage his own decision. 

A major result on the court

The LGBTQ+ milestone came alongside an impressive sporting achievement for both men. João defeated top seed Alex Molcan during his run and arrived at the final without losing a set, while Mika defeated seeded players Gustavo Heide and Vitaliy Sachko before completing his seven-match run with victory over João. 

For LGBTQ+ players and fans watching men’s tennis, that visibility gives the result significance beyond the scoreline. Mika left Austria with the trophy, while both players left their mark on a weekend that produced a new milestone for LGBTQ+ representation in professional sport.