Pope Leo XIV jokes he cannot invite Jannik Sinner to charity tennis match

AND charity tennis match The Vatican would have a small list of guests – but that would not include top players in the world.

Pope Leo XIV He recently said he was considered “a pretty amateur tennis player,” but one noted name would be left out in this hypothetical match.

During the meeting between the new US Pope and international media on Monday, journalists offered to play couples or organize a charity game.

Click here for more sports covering on foxnews.com

Janik Sinner in action against Marcos Girona at the Australian Open in Melbourne Park, January 18, 2025. (Mike Frey-Hagn Pictures)

The Pope is all for that, but the best ranked player would be overthrown through his own guilt: his last name.

“But we can’t call [Jannik] The sinner, “the Pope broke.

Sonner won three Grand Slams, which all arrived from the Australian Open 2024, and quickly turned into the best player on the planet.

At the age of 23, the Sonner suddenly jumped through the world rankings and won the Grand Slam backwards.

But it doesn’t sound like he will visit Pope Leo XIV soon.

Pope Leo XIV brings a prayer of Regina Caeli from the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica Basilica in the Vatican, May 11, 2025. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images)

In the Pope’s defense, he has halfway a decent pronunciation to exclude a sinner.

Back in February he got a a A three -month suspension World Anti -Doping Agency (WADA) after testing a positively forbidden anabolic steroid after tested twice almost a year ago.

The ban was followed only for a few weeks after the Italian tennis professional won its third Grand Slam title – the suspension, however, avoided any Grand Slam.

It was found that a sinner did not intentionally use a forbidden substance For a competitive gain.

Sinner tested positively to a low level of metabolite Klostebol, a banned anabolic steroid that can be used for ophthalmological and dermatological use, in March 2024. Eight days after the Indian Wells tournament, Sincner again tested a positive in a sample outside the competition.

According to the initial findings of Iti, Sinner explained that he had been positively tested after receiving a massage from a coach who used a spray without a prescription containing a clostebol for the treatment of a small wound after cutting his own finger.

Janik Sinner responds after breaking Jack Draper at the US Open in New York, September 6, 2024. (AP PHOTO/KIRSTY WIGGLEsworth)

Click here to get the Fox News app

Sinner -This suspension was raised on May 4, and he is currently playing in his country in the Italian open. He will be hunting for his fourth Grand Slam when French Open begins on May 25th.

Fox News’ Paulina Grandpa and Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital sports coverage on xand subscribe to Bilten Fox News Sports Huddle.