If you asked anyone who the most famous tennis player in the world is, you’d probably get a lot of the same answers, a veritable who’s-who list of the names that have been dominating the sport: Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena and Venus Williams. Someone might also mention Jannik Sinner, the world No. 1 and three-time Grand Slam champion.
Before the recent conclave, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago, now Pope Leo XIV, wasn’t a household name for fans of the sport outside of the Catholic Church—however, the tennis-playing pope is now arguably the world’s most famous player.
During the Italian Open in Rome, Sinner visited the pope at the Vatican, along with his parents and Alberto Binaghi, the president of the Italian Tennis Federation.
Sinner, the eventual finalist at the tournament, brought two of his tennis racquets and a ball. He gifted one to the pope, then held out the ball and asked if the pontiff would like to play. Unfortunately for those who would love to see a rally between the world's top player and the head of the Catholic church, Pope Leo declined. "Here we'll break something. Best not to!" he said, according to the Vatican.
During the audience, Binaghi gave the pope an honory federation card, and the pontiff and Sinner posed for photos with the Davis Cup trophy that Sinner helped Italy win in 2023 and 2024, as well as the Billie Jean King Cup trophy won by the women in 2024, led by 2025 Italian Open women's champion Jasmine Paolini.
"We all felt the passion that Leo XIV has for our sport and this filled us with pride," Binaghi said in a statement. "We hope to embrace the Holy Father again soon, maybe on a tennis court."
