Pope Leo XIV has apparently made peace with Jannik Sinner. The top-ranked tennis player visited the new pope on Wednesday, gave him a tennis racket and offered to play, during an off day for Sinner at the Italian Open.

The new pontiff received the Italian tennis star ranked No. 1 in the world by Association of Tennis Professionals in a room near the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall.

Social media is abuzz after Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Wednesday. The meeting quickly grabbed attention on the internet, sparking a flurry of online reactions, many filled with humorous takes and unintended puns. Also read: Internet reacts to CBSE topper’s 20-hour of studying claim: ‘10th mein itni padhai?’

World No. 1 tennis star Jannik Sinner visited Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday, gave him a tennis racket and offered to play, during an off day for Sinner at the Italian Open.

Jannik Sinner visited with the newly elected Pope Leo XIV last week, but was without a prayer as he fell to Carlos Alcaraz in the Italian Open final on Sunday, losing 6-7 1-6.

An Italian personal trainer has spoken of his shock after learning his client for two years had been elected to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics as Pope.

Sinner was asked in his post-match news conference about the pope following his 6-4, 6-2 victory over Dutch qualifier Jesper De Jong at the Italian Open, which is being played just up the Tiber River from the Vatican.