Tennis fans were alight with excitement this week after it seemed French pro players Fabien Reboul and Maxence Broville may have come out as being in a relationship with one another.
The frenzy started after Reboul shared a picture of what appears to be the two of them kissing to his Instagram stories.
“I did not fall in love with you, your love pushed me to it,” he wrote, tagging Broville.
\u201cLooks like we (finally) have LGBTQ+ representation from an active ATP player \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\n\nFabien Reboul, the doubles World No. 54, posts this IG story with fellow French player, Max Broville.\n\nNote: nothing\u2019s been confirmed from either, but this could be a big step for men\u2019s tennis.\u201d— Joey Dillon (@Joey Dillon) 1670269037
Some fans immediately took it as confirmation that the two were in a relationship — and it’s not difficult to see why. If a photo of a man and woman had been posted in that pose, with that caption, it would be a foregone conclusion.
But others suggested it was nothing more than a joke and a publicity stunt, both due to the lack of additional commentary from either player and because it comes on the heels of soccer players Kylian Mbappe and Oliver Giroud getting a slew of attention for a celebration on the field that felt “romantic” to many watching.
\u201cIn case you\u2019re still on the fence about whether or not you should become a soccer fan, this DEEPLY romantic celebration between Giroud and Mbapp\u00e9 should be all the convincing you need.\u201d— Alderman of Flavortown (@Alderman of Flavortown) 1670169226
\u201cFind someone who looks at you the way Mbapp\u00e9 and Giroud look at each other.\u201d— admiral y\u00f8us (@admiral y\u00f8us) 1670178303
If the two did just come out, it would be significant, as they would be the first openly gay active tennis players on the ATP tour.
\u201cIt seems extraordinary it has taken so long to have male tennis players who are openly within #LGBTQ communities.\nMany of the greatest women tennis players across eras are lesbian.\nBut the homophobia some faced was intense.\nSadly, being LGBTQ in sport remains a brave choice.\u201d— Matthew Hodson (@MatthewHodson@mastodon.online) (@Matthew Hodson (@MatthewHodson@mastodon.online)) 1670316534
LGBTQ+ representation in sports has been slowly increasing in recent years, and seeing athletes in same-sex relationships mention or photograph their significant others with the same level of casualness that straight people have always enjoyed would mean a lot to fans and aspiring athletes in the LGBTQ+ community looking for reassurance that they have a place in the world of sports, too.
Who was the first gay athlete?
According to ESPN, champion tennis player Bill Tilden didn't hide his sexuality in the 1920s.
How many NFL players are gay?
The only NFL player to be out while playing the sport is Carl Nassib, who came out in 2021.
What NFL team has had a gay player?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Nassib in August 2022.
