Vive la Différence! - LGBTQ+ tennis at Roland Garros
Last week, I (left) took part in the Paris Summer Cup, a tournament which was part of the global Gay & Lesbian Tennis Alliance (GLTA).
I had entered this tournament as, for the first time this year, there was the amazing opportunity to play at Roland Garros for the finals. It was an excellent initiative by the French Tennis Federation (FFT) to collaborate with the tournament organisers to promote diversity and inclusion. This gave all the players extra motivation to compete.
Another reason for choosing the Paris tournament was that it offered plenty of opportunities for female players, in singles and doubles. Women's and Mixed draws are still limited in GLTA tournaments, which can partly explain the much lower female participation in these competitions. We need more tournaments to focus on attracting a more diverse range of players.
I entered Ladies' Singles and Mixed Doubles (both in Division B). I did not have a partner, so I was approached by Tim Scott to pair up which I accepted. We had not met before so this was our first time. Being an English / American combination there was not a language problem. We had good teamwork and communication, and we successfully reached the finals on Sunday. It was a wonderful experience playing on the hallowed clay court of Roland Garros, officiated by a chair umpire (another first for me!). (Photo credit: by Chang Martin, from FFT Twitter)
After a closely contested match, Tim and I eventually prevailed 6-2, 6-3 to win the Mixed Doubles trophy! (Photo credit: by Chang Martin, from FFT Twitter)
On reflection, GLTA tournaments are not just about tennis. I started playing at World Out Games (Antwerp 2013) and that was where the family friendship began. In your first tournament, you make friends over a long weekend; then at the second you have a reunion, and through them you also make new ones; so the friendship circles continue to grow and grow which is fantastic, with many fun and happy memories.
About the author: Chrissie Chresta (she/her) started competing as a teenager and has won a multitude of trophies and medals at club-level tournaments and regional leagues. She entered her first GLTA tournament at Antwerp in 2013, and has since made an ever-growing circle of friends on the LGBTQ+ tennis circuit. She is based in Portsmouth and is a strong supporter of Pride in Tennis. For those of you interested in competing in LGBTQ+ friendly tournaments, take a look at the GLTA World Tour Calendar.