Sal Capozzi didn’t really think about tennis until he was in high school. He started watching matches on his television and became interested. That Christmas, his parents gifted Sal his first tennis racquet, which would ignite a lifelong passion.
Never too Late to Start Tennis
“I didn’t have anyone else to play with, so I found a wall at the local community college in Miami and just went there on weekends and hit against the wall by myself,” he recalled. It wasn’t until college at the University of Florida that he took a formal tennis class. Fast forward a few years, he was at Miami-Dade Community College and played a few organized sets, as well as meeting a woman at his job that was a former hitting partner of Chris Evert. “She offered to hit with me and teach me the basics of the game.”
Sal learned a lot, including his natural one-handed backhand, and other aspects of his game, which were inspired by tennis legends like Chris Evert, Jimmy Connors, and most importantly, Pete Sampras. “Sampras became my go-to and I used his classic Wilson Pro Staff racquet for almost 25 years before I recently changed to using a Head Radical stick.”
He loves the strategic aspect of the game, analyzing the court and outthinking opponents. “I never mind losing if I played my best, but I always want to outthink my opponent and give my best each time,” he said. Winning is better but if I play well and lose, that is ok as well.” This competitive spirit drove him to excel in tournaments, where he demonstrated not only his skills but also great sportsmanship while playing.
Tennis became more than just a game, it was a lifelong passion, it became his avenue for friends, fulfillment, and more. “I have made lifelong friends across the world thanks to playing, watching, and talking about tennis,” Sal said. “I joke that if I am not playing tennis, I am watching tennis and if I am not watching tennis, I am talking about tennis and if I am not talking about tennis, I am dreaming about tennis, and if I am not dreaming about tennis, I am playing tennis!”
The Impact of LGBTQ+ and Pride
The LGBTQ+ community has positively impacted Sal’s life, both on and off the courts. “Almost everyone I know in the LBGTQ+ community are friends I have made through the sport,” he said. “It is a much healthier way to meet and make contacts than going to clubs or bars and gives me a common starting point to make friends worldwide. I couldn’t imagine what my life would be like without tennis.”
When Sal moved to Orlando in 1987, he initially faced challenges as he recalls it was not a safe place to be openly gay. “It wasn’t until I joined the local gay bowling league and found fellow tennis players that I truly began to feel part of a greater community.” This sense of belonging grew stronger as he became involved in the Orange Blossom Tennis Association (OBTA).
“Seeing other people like me made my life better and made it easier to accept myself and share more of my life with those who did not know I was gay,” he said.” I played on several straight tennis leagues as well and never felt worried about being outed. The more I shared, the easier it was to be more authentic.
For those in the LGBTQ+ community hesitant to try tennis, Sal encourages everyone to give it a shot. “We promise to make you feel welcome and all we ask is that you have an open mind,” he said. “If you are just beginning, it is a good idea to watch some videos about the sport to familiarize yourself with scoring and general info, but we will help you if you are not sure.”
Sal also notes that times are changing, for the better, and that being in the LGBTQ+ community and playing sports is becoming very common. “The only downside is that nowadays, being openly gay and playing sports is not as much of a problem here in Central Florida, so we may be dinosaurs eventually, with no need for a separate ‘gay’ group. Even so, we hope anyone who wants to play in a fun, social setting will still join us.”
For Sal, pride embodies the joy and fulfillment he finds in tennis. “I struggled in my youth, never feeling comfortable playing team sports, for fear of being made fun of, which is another reason tennis was so appealing to me,” he said. “Individual sports provided more of a safe space and tennis was relatively less expensive than something like golf.”
“Playing tennis makes me proud, especially since I come from an Italian background with athletic brothers, and winning matches and tournaments makes me feel I am no different than anyone else out there.” Unfortunately, his parents passed away before he found his success playing tennis, but they always supported him, and he knows they are thrilled of his success now.
“They were proud of me when I shared my love of this sport with them about a match I had won or how well I had played,” he recalled. “Tennis has made me the person I am today and I cannot imagine my life without it.”
Tennis and Sal are one in the same, and he has a forever bond with the sport, more specifically, the USTA National Campus. “I have had the honor of having been part of the first, and maybe only, couple to get married on center court at the USTA National Campus in front of my tennis friends,” he said. “My husband and I said our ‘I do’s’ in front of our tennis buddies, followed by a reception in the campus meeting hall, and then we all spent the rest of the afternoon playing tennis at the campus. It was a culmination of everything I ever said and thought about tennis.”
They had another reception a few months later for those that couldn’t make it to the National Campus. “I waited many years to be allowed to marry and I couldn’t have made a better choice than to make it tennis-related.”
Sal has traveled the world to play, representing tennis at the Gay Games in 1994 (New York) and 2002 (Australia). On top of that, Sal and his husband have partnered for the doubles title in their local OBTC event and this year, Sal won the singles event again after winning it in a different division several years ago. “Winning with my husband has been the highlight. My husband had never played tennis until we met and took up the sport after seeing my love of it. He took lessons and is a better player than I am now!”
Tennis not only provided Sal with a sense of community but also lets him connect with his husband, family, and friends. He actively participates in LGBTQ+ events and local initiatives, helping to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all players.
