Pope Leo XIV has made amends with tennis world No. 1, Jannik Sinner, following his earlier lighthearted remark about the Italian’s surname.
The meeting took place on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 during Sinner’s rest day at the Italian Open. The top-ranked player, joined by his parents, paid a visit to the Vatican where he was warmly received by the new pontiff. The two men shared a laugh and a handshake, exchanging gifts and good wishes.
“It’s an honour,” Sinner said in Italian as he presented Pope Leo with a tennis racket and ball, even suggesting a friendly volley. The Pope, surrounded by priceless antiques, politely declined with a smile: “Better not.”
The meeting followed a joking comment the 69-year-old American pope made earlier in the week when asked about a potential charity tennis match. “We can’t invite Sinner,” he said at the time, referencing the English meaning of the tennis star’s last name. But any misunderstanding was clearly left in the past as the two sports enthusiasts bonded over their shared love of the game.
Wearing his white cassock, Pope Leo also cracked a Wimbledon joke, referencing the All England Club’s all-white dress code. “I’m already dressed for it,” he quipped.
The Pope inquired about Sinner’s progress at the Italian Open, to which the reigning Davis Cup champion replied, “Now I’m in the game. At the beginning of the tournament, it was a bit difficult.”
Sinner, who is returning from a three-month doping ban deemed the result of accidental contamination, will face Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals on Thursday. He is aiming to become the first Italian man to win the Rome tournament since Adriano Panatta in 1976.
During the audience, Italian Tennis and Padel Federation president Angelo Binaghi presented Pope Leo with an honorary membership card, saying: “We all felt the passion that Leo XIV has for our sport, and this filled us with pride.”
The pair posed for photos beside the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup trophies—symbols of Italy’s recent dominance in team tennis.
For Pope Leo, an avid tennis player and lifelong Chicago White Sox fan, the encounter reflected his playful yet warm approach to his papacy.
