WATCH: Star players Ash Barty, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev have a message for the fans on Australian Open’s first ever PRIDE DAY


WATCH: Star players Ash Barty, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev have a message for the fans on Australian Open’s first ever PRIDE DAY

Ash Barty and Stefanos Tsitsipas

Tennis Australia have launched an initiative called the “AO Pride Day’, to celebrate the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community in the tennis world. To commemorate this, the rainbow flag will be flown at the start of the day and rainbow colors will be displayed at the Rod Laver arena on Tuesday.

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In view of this, the official Twitter handle of the Australian Open shared a video in which tennis stars like Ash Barty, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berettini, Simona Halep, Alize Cornet among others, expressed their views on Australian Open’s first ever ‘Pride Day’.

A day we can all come together, accept one another for who we are, love each other“, said Barty. While Madison Keys and Gael Monfils thanked the fans for their support.

 “I really think it’s a great initiative by Tennis Australia to celebrate Pride Day and I hope many of you guys will enjoy the tennis and come out and support your favorite player.”, Alexander Zverev added.

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Tennis players express their support for LGBTQ+ community

Kyrgios and Kokkinakis
Kyrgios and Kokkinakis during their doubles match

Multiple players have offered their support to the LGBTQ+ community recently. Liam Broady wore rainbow laces in his first round clash with Nick Kyrgios. The rainbow laces campaign was initially launched to promote equality and diversity irrespective of someone’s gender identity.

Broady said he had received a lot of support from the LGBTQ community, and he wanted to thank them for showing their support.

I know obviously within men’s tennis – is it a taboo? I don’t think it’s really a taboo, but I’ve seen questions before about why there aren’t any openly gay men on the tour, and I just wanted to kind of voice my support in that general area. And the LGBTQ community, I mean, a lot of those guys have given me a lot of support throughout my career and have been there since day one, so I kind of wanted to give a thank you in my own sort of way.

Kyrgios’ doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis also expressed his support by donning a rainbow colored sweat band while playing his doubles match.

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Also read: Emma Raducanu could transform Women’s tennis in the United Kingdom like the Williams Sisters, says ITF Chief