Jannik Sinner gifts tennis fan Pope Leo XIV a racquet in Vatican City
World No. 1 tennis player Jannik Sinner had a special audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Wednesday, gifting the pontiff a tennis racquet and even offering an impromptu game.
The meeting occurred during Sinner's day off from the Italian Open.
"It's an honor," Sinner expressed in Italian as he, accompanied by his parents, was welcomed into a reception room within the Vatican's auditorium.
Pope Leo XIV, the first American to hold the papacy, is a known tennis enthusiast and player. Earlier in the week, when a journalist suggested a charity match, the Pope had indicated his willingness. However, he had also quipped, "we can't invite Sinner," a lighthearted reference to the English meaning of the tennis star's surname.
Any playful reservations appeared to be forgotten by Wednesday's meeting. Sinner presented one of his own racquets to Pope Leo XIV, along with another racquet and a ball, and suggested a quick volley. Glancing at the surrounding antiques, the Pope humorously declined, saying, "Better not."
The 69-year-old Chicago native, Pope Leo XIV, also reportedly joked about his white cassock in relation to Wimbledon's strict all-white dress code. He inquired about Sinner's progress in the Italian Open. "Now I'm in the game," Sinner responded. "At the beginning of the tournament, it was a bit difficult."
Sinner is slated for a quarterfinal match on Thursday. This tournament marks his return to competitive play following a three-month ban due to what was determined to be accidental doping contamination. He is vying to become the first Italian man to claim the Rome title since Adriano Panatta in 1976 and will next compete against either Madrid champion Casper Ruud or Jaume Munar.
During the papal audience, Angelo Binaghi, the president of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation, presented Pope Leo XIV with an honorary federation card. "We all felt the passion that Leo XIV has for our sport and this filled us with pride," Binaghi stated. "We hope to embrace the Holy Father again soon, maybe on a tennis court."
The Pope and Sinner posed for photographs with notable tennis trophies: the Davis Cup, which Sinner was instrumental in Italy winning for the second consecutive year, and the Billie Jean King Cup, secured by Italy's women's team in 2024.
Earlier in the week, responding to the Pope's initial jest, Sinner had remarked that it was "a good thing for us tennis players" to have a pope who enjoys the sport.
Beyond tennis, Pope Leo XIV is also a devoted fan of the Chicago White Sox baseball team, a contrast to his predecessor, Pope Francis, who was a lifelong supporter of the Buenos Aires soccer club San Lorenzo.
