There is nothing “suspicious” about low ranked players making deep runs in their home events. Most non top players tend to do better on their home turf. There’s a comfort level there and there is often crowd support. While only a few top players tend to enter these non major/non master 1000 events, especially this year.
It’s apparent that the ATP still has some queer issues. I’m not here for trying to force/shame anyone “out”. It’s ultimately none of our business. And everyone has their own dimensions and journeys when it comes to sexuality and the gender, sexual, affection, romantic, emotion, commitment spectrum. However, they don’t punish these guys for homophobic language. They don’t show any love towards “pride month”. Only a few players in this past decade have been willing to speak up for “queers” or publicly damn homophobia. And it’s been decades since there’s been an unabashedly queer male player on tour. There’s this belief that tennis is a “gay friendly” sport simply because it has a decent percentage of queer male fans. A large percentage of the players are very religious. And there’s as much hetero pressures, toxic masculinity, homo shaming, gay insecurities, internalized phobias, low-key and high-key homophobia running through that sport as there is in any other sport. Perhaps even more so since many perceive it as a “gay sport”.
