Jannik Sinner meets Pope Leo XIV© AFP
Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner had an audience on Wednesday with Pope Newly elected Leo XIV, himself a passionate tennis player, said the Vatican. The sinner was invited to the Vatican with his parents and a delegation from the Italian Tennis Federation. Leo joked earlier this week that he did not want to meet the world number one, at least not behind the net. Questioned by a journalist if he would participate in a charity match, Leo appeared for this, but warned: “Quite simply does not bring the sinner”, making a play of Catholic words on the family name of the tennis star.
The sinner presented the pope with one of his tennis rackets, but the pontiff refused a suggestion that they make a bullet, looking at the lights in the reception room. “Better no,” he said, laughing.
The Pope, formerly known as the American cardinal Robert Prevost, described himself in an interview in 2023 published by the website of his Augustin religious order as “completely the amateur tennis player”.
Sinner participates in the Italian open tennis tournament, which takes place at a short distance from the Vatican, returning from a three -month doping ban.
He blushed when he was asked at a press conference on Monday on the pope’s comments and buried his head in his hands.
“Why should you put me in a difficult place?” He said, before adding: “Obviously, I heard that he was playing when he was a child. I think it’s a good thing for us the tennis players to have a pope who loves this sport that we play.”
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