Tennis player Nadia Podoroska comes out as gay, gets icon Billie Jean King's blessings

Nadia Podoroska became the latest female tennis player to openly come out as gay, revealing to the world that she was in a relationship with Argentina's Gulliermina Naya, another tennis professional from Argentina.

The revelation from Podoroska came through a birthday greeting on Instagram a few days ago, which was then circulated on fan pages and sports pages on social media recently. Fans immediately flocked to congratulate the 25-year-old on coming out of the closet, wishing her all the best in the coming years.

Among the many who learnt of the news was also tennis and LGBTQ+ icon Billie Jean King, who sent out a message of congratulations to the Argentinian, praising her for her bravery.

"Congratulations to WTA player Nadia Podoroska on her announcement. Living authentically takes such courage, but it is always worth it," King wrote.

Podoroska was elated at getting the blessings of one of the biggest icons in the sport, responding to the message by thanking King. The former World No. 36 also thanked the American for her years of service to LGBTQ+ athletes, praising her as a role model whose influence extended way beyond the confines of mere athletics.

"Thank you very much, BJK. I respect you for everything you represent to us. You are a true role model in the fight for equality in sport and beyond sport," Nadia Podoroska wrote.

Nadia Podoroska follows in the footsteps of Daria Kasatkina, who came out as gay earlier this year

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Nadia Podoroska's coming out of the closet is a big victory for women's tennis and LGBTQ+ players in the sport, a moment that builds on the foundation built by Daria Kasatkina earlier this year. In July, Kasatkina shocked the tennis world and her fellow citizens back home in Russia by coming out as gay, breaking all kinds of taboos prevailing in the country.

Having hidden her true self for so long, the Russian decided that she was done living in fear and chose to deal with the fallout regardless of how adverse they were.

"Living in the closet is impossible. Not for the long run, no. It is too hard. It is pointless, you will be completely focussed on that until you choose to come out. Of course, it is up to you to decide how to do it and how much you tell," Daria Kasatkina said. "Living in peace with yourself is the only thing that matters, and fuck everyone else."

While there has been a lot of pushback and criticism against Kasatkina since then from the more traditional parts of Russia, there has also been a lot of praise coming her way for her bravery and courage, especially in a country that does not look kindly upon homosexuals and the LGBTQ+ community.