Pope Leo XIV, the new pontiff of the Catholic Church, is a an amateur tennis player. When he moved to Rome two years ago, he started playing tennis weekly. "He realizes just how important staying in good physical shape is. He certainly plays tennis for the joy of the game, to keep up with the game, but also for stress relief!" Father Joseph Farrell, the American prior general of the Order of St. Augustine,said. During a meeting with media earlier this week, journalists offered to organize a charity match for the new pope, but Pope Leojoked"we can't invite Sinner," referencing top player Jannik Sinner (and the English meaning of his last name). Today, all was clearly forgiven—the Pope invited Sinner to Vatican City for a private audience, and the player gave him a racket. When Sinner offered the Pope a tennis ball and asked if he wanted to play, the Pope joked, "Here we'll break something. Best not to!" According to theAssociated Press, during their meeting, the Pope "appeared to joke about his white cassock and its appropriateness for Wimbledon, perhaps a reference to the All England Club's all-white clothing rule." The Pope also asked Sinner how the Italian Open was going, his first tournament back after his three-month ban in settlement of doping case. "Now I'm in the game," Sinner told Leo. "At the beginning of the tournament, it was a bit difficult." Sinner's family was also in attendance for the audience, according to the Holy See. As was Angelo Binaghi, the head of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation. "We all felt the passion that Leo XIV has for our sport and this filled us with pride," Binaghisaidin a statement. "We hope to embrace the Holy Father again soon, maybe on a tennis court." Sinner previously said "I think it's a good thing for us tennis players to have a pope who likes this sport that we're playing." You Might Also Like 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion 13 Beauty Tools to Up Your At-Home Facial Game