Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, is an avid tennis player and fan and had said that he would be up for a charity match when it was suggested by a journalist.

The Italian Open crowd has had plenty of local success to celebrate over the last week-and-a-half, with Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti reaching the semifinals of the men’s draw, and Jasmine Paolini reaching the final on the women’s side.

On the heels of having his MLB fandom confirmed last week, Pope Leo XIV's sports credentials keep getting stronger after a meeting with the best men's tennis player in the world.