QUaando the sacred meets the profane (sporting speaking), surprising encounters may arise. Knows something about it Jannik Sinnerthe champion of tennis, visiting the Vatican where, waiting for him, There was nothing less than an unsuspected tennis enthusiast: Pope Leone XIV. With the Pontiff, the champion gave birth to an unscheduled “match”, seasoned with a racket as a gift and a proposal for the game on papal soil.
Pope Leo XIV and Jannik Sinner: the meeting between the two numbers one
Accompanied by his family, by the trusted friend and manager Alex Vittur and the president of Federtennis Angelo Binaghi, Sinner spent a few hours with the Pope Which, apparently, does not disdain the rustle of the yellow ball on the red earth at all. Indeed, it seems that, that The Holy Father is not a beginner at all with the racket in his hand.
A dialogue between champions (of faith and sports)
The interview immediately animated with a reference to Sinner’s fresh success at the International of Italy. “I saw that yesterday he won!»,, exclaimed the pontiffshowing that you closely follow the deeds of the sample. A radiant smile enlightened the face of Jannik: “Yes, we succeeded.” And with a spontaneous gesture, almost an offer of sporting peace, He brought him one of his faithful racketsaccompanied by ball: “If he wants to play a little …”, he proposed with a pinch of malice.
During the private hearing, the Pontiff jokes with the Italian tennis player (ANSA)
A match postponed out of respect for the Vatican “field”
The image of an improvised match between the tennis player and the Popehe hovered for a moment in the room, one of the elegant rooms that hide behind the imposing Paul VI classroom. But prudence has prevailedwith chandeliers and delicate objects to do from an inflexible “line judges”. “Here is better than no, let’s leave it alone,” Pope Leone XIV has wisely concluded, snatching a thunderous laugh from those present.
When the Pope plays with words
The Feeling between Sinner and the Pope, he was already in the air. It is not, in fact, the first time that Sinner’s name reaches Leone XIV’s ears. In the previous days, the Pope had joked on a charity tournament that is organizing with André Agassi, ironizing: “As long as you do not bring Sinner”, A perfect word game between the talent of the tennis player and the meaning of his surname in English: “Sinner”, or “sinner”.
When this joke was reported, the champion reacted with his usual calm style, blushing and responding with a smile: “It is nice to know that the Pope loves tennis!”.
The racket as a gift and tennis in the Vatican
During the meeting, Pope Leo XIV observed closely the racket donated by Sinner, intrigued by its structure. “Is it the one you play with?” He asked. Sinner explained that the model was practically identical, if not for a slight difference in color. The PopeTherefore, challenged her, perhaps imagining for a moment to take the field on one of the most prestigious land in the world. “Would they let me play in Wimbledon?” He joked.
Laughter and trophies: an informal meeting
The day ended with souvenir photos next to the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cuptwo trophies that represent the success of Italian tennis in the last year. Before saying goodbye, The Pope addressed one last question to Sinner On his journey in the Roman tournament: “How do you see now that he has returned to the game?”.
The tennis player replied sincerely: “At the beginning we didn’t know well, but now we took rhythm”. After the visit to the Vatican, in the afternoon Sinner returned to train and In the evening he will move to the Olympic stadium to attend the Italian Cup final between Milan and Bologna.
Pope Leo XIV and Jannik Sinner: a champion with the papal blessing
Sinner’s visit to the Pope proved to be friendly and spontaneous And the echo of Vatican laughter, generated by a sagacious joke and by an unlikely “game” proposal, has obviously spread beyond the Leonine walls. The gift of the racket and the joke on its name, they made the meeting a light and informal moment. Now, after this Vatican interlude, Sinner returns to concentrate on the internationals of Rome, With the hope that this unusual “blessing” brings luck to the playing fields.
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