Top Tennis Player Meets Pope Leo XIV Amid Italian Open Preparations
Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner presented a racket to Pope Leo XIV during an off day at the Italian Open, joking about a potential match.
Overview
Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, gifting him a tennis racket and playfully suggesting a match. Leo, an avid tennis fan, joked about Sinner's last name and his white cassock's suitability for Wimbledon. Sinner, preparing for a quarterfinal after a doping ban, expressed pride in the pope's passion for tennis. The meeting showcased the intersection of sports and faith, with Leo receiving an honorary tennis federation card. Sinner aims to win the Rome title, a feat accomplished by an Italian man last in 1976.
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Jannik Sinner was accompanied by his family and Angelo Binaghi, the president of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation (FITP).
Pope Leo XIV joked that a charity match could be organized, but said, 'Yes, but let's not bring Sinner,' making a play on words with the Italian player's last name.
Jannik Sinner presented a tennis racket to Pope Leo XIV.
Sinner said, 'Obviously I heard that he played as a kid. I think it’s a good thing for us tennis players to have a pope who likes this sport that we’re playing.'
If Sinner wins the Italian Open, it will mark the first time an Italian man has claimed the Rome title since 1976. Sinner is currently aiming for this historic achievement.
History
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