Tennis Star Jannik Sinner Meets Fan Pope Leo XIV During Day Off From Italian Open

Jannik Sinner is one of the first celebrities to greet Pope Leo XIV!

The 23-year-old tennis player visited the new pope at the Vatican on Wednesday (May 14) in Vatican City, Italy.

The first American pope is a tennis fan and had joked about Sinner‘s last name while chatting with a journalist earlier in the week. When asked if would participate in a charity tennis match, Pope Leo said, “Just don’t bring Sinner.”

During the meeting, Sinner gifted a tennis racket to the pope and suggested that they volley a ball around in the room, but the pope turned down the request due to the antiques present.

When asked about the pope’s comments this week, Sinner said, “Why do you have to put me in a difficult spot? 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.”

Also pictured inside: Sinner competing in a quarterfinal match at the Italian Open on Thursday (May 15) at Foro Italico in Rome, Italy.