Pope Leo XIV signs a tennis contract to help the poor
Pope Leo XIV has received Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner, currently the world number one. The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV is a tennis fan and a player. Jannik Sinner was invited to the Vatican on Wednesday, accompanied by his parents and a delegation from the Italian Tennis Federation. Pope Leo XIV had previously said that he would not want to meet the world number one outside of the tennis court. Asked by a reporter if he could attend a charity match, Pope Leo XIV said yes, but added, “Just bring Sinner,” to indicate that the tennis player’s name is problematic because it means sinner. While at the Vatican, Sinner gave Pope Leo XIV one of his tennis rackets, but the Pope refused to let them try it out and play. In a 2023 interview, Pope Leo XIV, then Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, described himself as an “unprofessional tennis player.” Sinner is currently in Italy, playing in the Italian Open.
