Pope Leo XIV and tennis star Jannik Sinner forge unique bond at Vatican

Top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican City on Wednesday during a break from the Italian Open, presenting the pontiff with a tennis racket and offering to play. The meeting came after the pope, known for his liking towards the sport, had earlier joked about not inviting Sinner, making a wordplay on the athlete's surname.The encounter took place in the Vatican's auditorium reception room, where Sinner arrived with his parents.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!"It's an honor," Sinner said in Italian as he presented the pope with a racket and ball, suggesting a quick volley.The 69-year-old American pope, who hails from Chicago, declined the offer to play, looking at the surrounding antiques and saying, "Better not."
Leo XIV made a light-hearted comment about his white cassock being appropriate for Wimbledon, referencing the tournament's all-white dress code. The meeting included discussions about Sinner's progress in the Italian Open, where he faces a quarterfinal match on Thursday against Madrid champion Casper Ruud.Sinner is returning to competition after a three-month doping ban, which was determined to be due to accidental contamination.The Italian player is aiming to become the first from his country to claim the Rome title since Adriano Panatta's victory in 1976.During the interaction, Italian Tennis and Padel Federation head Angelo Binaghi presented the pope 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 meeting included a photo session featuring the Davis Cup trophy, which Sinner helped Italy secure for the second consecutive year. The Billie Jean King Cup trophy, won by Italy in 2024, was also displayed during the meeting.Earlier in the week, Sinner had responded positively to the pope's initial joke, noting it was "a good thing for us tennis players" to have a pope who enjoys the sport.Beyond tennis, Pope Leo XIV is known to be a devoted Chicago White Sox baseball fan, following in the tradition of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who supported the Buenos Aires football club San Lorenzo.