![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/us-open-stars-create-tennis-history-as-two-openly-gay-players-face-off-in-grand-slam/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/0_US-Open-Tennis-23245615432739.jpg&description=Those present at Flushing Meadows experienced a major event in the history of tennis and the LGBTQ+ community as two openly gay players took to Court 17 to play for a place in round-four Spectators at the US Open experienced a memorable day for tennis as two openly gay players faced off in a Grand Slam match for the first time. The landmark encounter between Daria Kasatkina and Greet Minnen in the third round saw the former advance with a 6-3, 6-4 victory. Despite the match representing a routine win for the 26-year-old star, it will go down in history books as a major moment for the wider LGBTQ+ community. It is understood two openly gay players had never met in a singles match at a Grand Slam prior to the clash at Flushing Meadows. The validity of the landmark was questioned by some on Twitter, formerly known as X, as gay players have faced off before. However, the key aspect of this match was that both players are openly gay. In the case of matches such as that of Billie Jean King versus Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon in 1980, the latter did not come out publicly until a year later. Some observers also pointed out the example of Navratilova versus Jana Novotna at the Wimbledon in 1993. Again however, Novotna was not out publicly in a similar way to Kasatkina and Minnen. The match between Amelie Mauresmo, who came out as a teenager, and Carla Suarez Navarro at the French Open in 2008 has also been suggested. Again however, it is understood that Navarro, then only aged 19, was not publicly out at the time. In any case, the meeting of two openly gay players in a major is a landmark for the sport and the might of the occasion was not lost on Minnen. Quote tweeting the the observation, she put up a rainbow emoji and added the caption: "It was a pleasure." Last year Kasatkina spoke for the first time about her sexuality during an interview with blogger Vitya Kravchenko on YouTube. During this conversation, the Russia-born player revealed she was in a relationship, sa){kind=link}
Those present at Flushing Meadows experienced a major event in the history of tennis and the LGBTQ+ community as two openly gay players took to Court 17 to play for a place in round-four
Spectators at the US Open experienced a memorable day for tennis as two openly gay players faced off in a Grand Slam match for the first time.
The landmark encounter between Daria Kasatkina and Greet Minnen in the third round saw the former advance with a 6-3, 6-4 victory. Despite the match representing a routine win for the 26-year-old star, it will go down in history books as a major moment for the wider LGBTQ+ community.
It is understood two openly gay players had never met in a singles match at a Grand Slam prior to the clash at Flushing Meadows. The validity of the landmark was questioned by some on Twitter, formerly known as X, as gay players have faced off before.
However, the key aspect of this match was that both players are openly gay. In the case of matches such as that of Billie Jean King versus Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon in 1980, the latter did not come out publicly until a year later.