Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner beamed as he met the newly elected Pope Leo in the Vatican. The world number one presented the US pontiff, himself a keen tennis player, with a racket after being invited to the Vatican along with his parents and a delegation from the Italian Tennis Federation. The two were pictured laughing as they held a racket each and Sinner, 23, also held a tennis ball. But Leo, who became the 267th pontiff in a historic election earlier this month, declined a suggestion to go for a hit with the three-time grand slam winner, as he looked at the lights on the ceiling and said to laughter: “Better not.” Leo joked earlier this week that he didn’t want to meet the world number one, at least not in a match. Asked by a journalist if he would take part in a charity match, the 69-year-old appeared up for it, but cautioned: “Just don’t bring Sinner”. The Pope described himself as “quite the amateur tennis player” in a 2023 interview published by the website of his Augustinian religious order. Read more:Who is Pope Leo XIV?Pope Leo calls for end to polarising ‘war of words’ in address to media Sinner is taking part in the Italian Open tennis tournament, which is being staged a short distance from the Vatican, coming back from a three-month doping ban. When asked during a news conference on Monday about the Pope’s comments, he blushed and, burying his head in his hands, he said: “Why do you have to put me in a difficult spot?”. He 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.”