About 60 players on the men’s professional tennis tour have taken part so far in an anonymous, online survey about LGBTQ issues that ATP CEO Massimo Calvelli calls part of a “broader initiative” to create “an environment for players and staff that is inclusive, that is diverse and that is very safe and welcoming.”
“Statistically, it’s a bit unusual that you don’t have players on the ATP Tour that are openly gay. We thought, in today’s world, this is an area that it’s worth taking a proactive approach — and what better way to do that than trying to get a sense of where we are today,” Calvelli said in a video interview with The Associated Press this week. “Are there hurdles? Is there anything in terms of culture, behaviors, attitudes out there that sort of puts people in a position where they are not comfortable being open?”
A link to more than 30 questions was emailed to about 500 singles players and 250 doubles players in August, and the tour plans to close the survey at the end of September, ATP spokesman Mark Epps said.
