The Italian Open crowd has had plenty of local success to celebrate over the last week-and-a-half, with Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti reaching the semifinals of the men’s draw, and Jasmine Paolini reaching the final on the women’s side.

Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, is an avid tennis player and fan and had said that he would be up for a charity match when it was suggested by a journalist.

The new pontiff received the Italian tennis star ranked No. 1 in the world by Association of Tennis Professionals in a room near the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall.