President of the U.S. Tennis Federation, Brian Vahaly, seeks greater inclusion for LGBTQ+ athletes

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On the eve of the US Open, Brian Vahaly, former professional tennis player and current president of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), once again highlighted the importance of LGBTQIA+ visibility in sports. At 46, Brian was the first player in ATP history, even after retirement, to publicly come out as gay — a step he took in 2017, ten years after leaving the professional circuit. Until then, no male top-level tennis player had openly discussed their sexual orientation. This exclusivity lasted until December 2024, when Brazilian João Lucas Reis da Silva became the first active ATP player to publicly come out as gay.

Vahaly, who reached a career-high ATP ranking of No. 64 and defeated players like Michael Chang and Juan Carlos Ferrero, says his decision to come out publicly was motivated by parenthood. He and his husband, Bill Jones, are parents of twins conceived via surrogate. “You look at them and think about the life you want to build. Your priorities change. It’s no longer about you”, he said in an interview with NBC News, published on August 19.

Raised in a conservative and religious home in Atlanta, Vahaly said it took him years to accept himself and revealed that he underwent a form of “conversion therapy” at a church. “I was repeatedly told that my attraction to men was a kind of ‘horrible defect’ that could be cured by God”, he said. He also highlighted the role of his sports psychologist in this journey of self-discovery.

Upon becoming USTA president last November, Vahaly joined figures like Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova in LGBTQ+ leadership in sports. Despite this, he says he still faces resistance in some environments: “There are rooms where they share my profile but omit that I’m gay or that I’m a parent”.

Regarding the impact of homophobia behind the scenes in men’s tennis, the former athlete acknowledges that the environment can still be hostile, discouraging other players from revealing their sexual orientation. “There are factors like loss of sponsorship and traveling to countries where being gay is not legal or accepted”, he said. Still, he believes the new generation has a more open attitude: “The new generation thinks about inclusion very differently from my generation. That gives me hope”.

Since stepping away from the courts, Vahaly also worked in the financial sector until he was invited to join the USTA board. Initially hesitant, he accepted after being persuaded by a former colleague: “When you don’t see people like you in leadership positions, it’s hard to believe that space is safe”, he recalled.

Brian Vahaly, on the left, with his husband and their two children: Photo: Ellwood / USTA via AP

In addition to his leadership role, Brian aims to use the US Open to raise visibility for organizations supporting the LGBTQIA+ cause, such as The Trevor Project, Athlete Ally, You Can Play, and the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance. On August 28, the tournament will host the fifth edition of “Open Pride Day”.

“I don’t want to force anything down anyone’s throat. I just want to show that we’re not that different. Humanizing our community is what helps us move forward”, he concluded.

João Lucas Reis se torna 1º tenista da ATP em atividade a se declarar gay