"I Could Have Done It Sooner": Greg Slade on the Power of Authenticity in Elite Tennis
Paralympic silver medalist Greg Slade speaking during a fireside chat with Jon Holmes from Outsports.
For years, rolling onto the most prestigious courts in the world felt like a covert operation for Paralympic silver medalist Greg Slade. Despite his undeniable talent - reaching the Wimbledon final and securing a top 10 ranking in both singles and doubles - while speaking at the HSBC Championships Tennis 2026, Queen's Club London June 12th Pride Breakfast he unveiled the isolation he felt in his early career.
"When I played Wimbledon in the past, you know, I felt like a sort of secret agent," he shared.
"Like I've infiltrated this sort of very historical and traditional event and it was sort of like, 'Oh, nobody knows I'm here and I'm one of them."
That changed earlier this year. When Greg publicly shared his truth, the response wasn't just supportive; it was seismic. His announcement became the most impactful story in Pride in Tennis history, reaching 24,000 people and garnering thousands of positive interactions across our channels. He received hundreds of messages from people across the globe, both within and outside the LGBTQ+ and disabled communities all echoing a shared sense of pride and relief.
Looking back on the daunting leap into visibility, Greg's main takeaway was a powerful one:
"I'm now like, well, I could have done it sooner. And why didn't I?".
This sentiment is the heartbeat of what Pride in Tennis strives to achieve: making tennis in Great Britain a safe and inclusive environment for all. That profound cultural shift can powerfully start at the very top of the game, provided the elite environment allows it to flourish. We would love to see the elimination of the hesitation and the burden of secrecy that often "gnaws at you" in elite sports, creating an unnecessary weight on an athlete's shoulders. Even Greg noted the profound hesitation many feel at the highest levels:
"Nobody wants to be the first... they're all sort of looking over the precipice and no one has taken that leap to then signal that to everyone else that actually everything will be fine."
While trailblazers like Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva, Mika Brunold and now Greg are creating a vital "domino effect" of visibility, the responsibility shouldn't solely rest on the players to break the ice.
This is why ongoing collaboration with organisations like the LTA and ATP is so vital. Together, the goal is to proactively foster an environment where players don't have to be exceptionally brave just to be themselves. It’s about translating the celebration of Pride Month into year-round, systemic support that challenges outdated attitudes and champions visibility at the highest levels of the game.
For Greg, living authentically has meant he can finally drop the secret agent act and simply focus 100% on his tennis. The reality of stepping off that precipice was entirely positive.
"Nothing has fundamentally changed for me," Greg reflected. "I'm just able to be much more free in who I am and that's lovely."
His story proves that when we open the sport up and allow athletes to exist as their authentic selves, everyone wins. The only question left for the next generation of players is: Why wait?
Feeling inspired by Greg? Want to get in touch with Pride in Tennis? Share your story with us and we’ll amplify your voice.