ROME (AP) — Jannik Sinner says it’s “a good thing for us tennis players” that the new pope likes to play the sport. Even if Leo XIV jokingly said he wouldn’t want to arrange a game with the top-ranked player — ostensibly because of his name.

During a meeting between the new American pope and international media on Monday, journalists offered to play doubles, or to organize a charity match. Leo seemed game “but we can’t invite Sinner,” he said in an apparent reference to the English meaning of Sinner’s last name.

Sinner was asked in his post-match news conference about the pope’s comment 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.

Sinner took his time to respond and blushed as he said, “Why do you have to make things difficult for me?”

Then Sinner added: “Obviously I heard that he played as a kid. I think it’s a good thing for us tennis players to have a pope who likes this sport that we’re playing.”

And what about a possible rallying session with Leo?

“For the future we’ll see,” Sinner said. “Who knows.”

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Associated Press writer Nicole Winfield in Vatican City contributed to this report.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis