Tennis star Mika Brunold has come out as gay in an emotional statement on social media. The 21-year-old told his followers that he had decided to share the news to “take a step” for himself. And he explained that in an ideal world people “wouldn’t even need to ‘come out’ at all.”

Brunold predominantly features on the Challenger Tour and reached the semi-finals of the Nottingham Challenger in January, before losing to Henry Searle. The Swiss star also reached the semi-finals at the Royan Atlantique Open in June, with his run ended by Dimitar Kuzmanov on that occasion.

The talented player also featured at the Swiss Indoors – an ATP 500 event – in October, where he fell at the first hurdle following a close battle against American Reilly Opelka. But he is yet to appear at a Grand Slam.

“Heyy. Today I want to share something personal with you,” Brunold wrote on Instagram. “As a professional tennis player, I’ve spent countless hours working on my game, my body, and my mindset.

“Through all of this, one of the most important things I’ve learned is that success on the court isn’t just about physical skill – it’s about discovering your personality and staying true to yourself.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about how to talk about this. And while it hasn’t always been easy, hiding it and pretending to be someone I’m not was never an option. That’s why I feel it’s time for me to open up and share with you that I’m gay.”

Brunold is currently ranked at No. 307 in the world after climbing to a career-high of No. 289 in August. He has won just over £91,500 during his career, with just under £40,000 of that prize money arriving this year.

And the tennis ace added: “Being gay doesn’t mean loving the same gender – it also means dealing with things most people never have to think about. The fear of not being accepted, the pressure to stay quiet, the feeling of being different. But I’ve grown. And I’m proud of who I am today.

“I’m sharing this with you to take a step for myself, but also because I think it’s not talked about enough in sports. I believe that in an ideal world, we wouldn’t even need to ‘come out’ at all.

“I’m deeply grateful for everyone who supported me. Without you, I would never be the person I am today.”