João Lucas Reis keeps winning in the wake of his historic coming out. The Brazilian tennis phenom secured another tournament title this past weekend, his fourth since he casually confirmed his identity by wishing his boyfriend a happy birthday.
The 25-year-old took home the trophy at Challenger 50 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He defeated Lautaro Midon of Argentina in the final.
“I fought a lot for this one, and I’m glad that the result came at the right time. Very happy!” Reis posted on Instagram.
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His smile exudes complete and total joy. Reis is at the top of his game!
Naturally, his boyfriend, model and actor Gui Sampaio Ricardo, showered João with love in the comments. “I am sooooo proud of you! Awesome that title right there! ❤️😍,” he wrote.
When João wished Gui happy birthday last December, he wasn’t trying to make international news. “I didn’t think about it… I just wanted to post a picture with him,” he told The Athletic.
While that may sound naive–there has never been an out active player on the men’s ATP Tour–it’s not exactly like the couple was hiding. They’ve always replied to each other’s content, like every other couple of the social media age.
But João had never posted a pic of Gui on main. His grid debut went viral, cementing João’s place in the very small club of out pro male athletes. Even in 2025, out male role models in the athletic space remain elusive.
That’s why Reis’ success is so important.
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Over the last six months, Reis says the reaction has been “99.9% positive.” It’s apparent he’s taking the good vibes with him on the court as well.
Just days after his post, he won his first tournament of 2024, the Procopio Cup. With the victory, he qualified for the Rio Open.
Earlier this year, Reis won a Challengers doubles tournament in Uruguay. Last month, he won a tourney in Chile.
At the end of 2024, Reis was ranked No. 367 in the world. Now, he’s ranked at 325.
In a recent interview with Clay Tennis, he said he’s found the positive reaction to his relationship uplifting.
“The reactions were much better than I expected,” he said. “I already had the support of my family, my friends, my coaches… But there was a part of me that was a little worried. When I saw that everyone was sending me messages saying ‘good for you!’ and things like that, I felt really good. It was a very motivating feeling.”
While Reis has heard from thousands of admirers, including Billie Jean King, he doesn’t view himself as an activist. He’s just living his life, fully out in the open.
“If people feel represented in me, that’s a very good thing,” he said. “But it’s not something I want, it’s not my goal.”
As far as Reis’ goals on the court, he hopes to play in the U.S. Open qualifiers this year and head to the Australian Open in 2026.
With his current win streak, he’s on the right path.
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