Totally normal: American star Taylor Fritz feels openly gay player 'would be accepted' on ATP Tour

World number nine American tennis star Taylor Fritz has pointed out that if players on the ATP tour come out as gay, they should be openly accepted. In recent times, anumber of tennis players -- both current and former, on the WTA tour --have not shied away from talking about their homosexuality. However, there isn't much openness in this regardwith players on the ATP. Thus, the 25-year-old Fritz feels that the male players may be hesitant in coming out in the open due to theattention that comes with it.

"I'm not sure if there are homosexual tennis players in the top 100. Statistically speaking, there should be. ... I think it is odd, because I feel like a player would be accepted. I and my friends, other players on tour wouldn't have any issues with it, it would be totally normal and I think people would be accepting," Fritz was quoted as saying in an interview with Clay.

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"I couldn't tell you why (no one has came out). That would be a lot of big news and maybe people just don't want to be in the spotlight, maybe they don't want the distraction of getting all the attention and stuff like that," he added.

Earlier in 2022, an ATP Toursurvey was carried out which indicated that a whopping 75% of the players had heard others use homophobic slurs. The Tour, hence, associated with You Can Play, an organisation that works forLGBTQ+ inclusion in sports. In addition, the survey mentioneda "strong fear of rejection, isolation from others on tour, and loneliness".

One can only hope, just like Fritz, that there ismore acceptance for gay players all across the globe with each passing year.