Holy Sport: Pope Leo’s Tennis Connection

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, May 8, 2025
Photo credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty

Tennis has touched the Catholic Church’s spiritual leader.

Archbishop Emeritus Robert Francis Prevost made history today as the first Pope ever from the United States in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

The new Pontiff, who has taken the name Pope Leo XIV, has a history as a devoted tennis player and fan. 

Indeed, Pope Leo, whose father was a United States Navy veteran of World War II, graduated from Villanova University with a degree in mathematics back in 1977.

The new Pope speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese and grew up a Chicago Cubs fan. Supporters say the Pope’s Cubs fandom has compelled him to confront sports suffering on an annual basis though the Cubs are off to a strong start this season.

These days, Pope Leo is a big Carlos Alcaraz fan.

The new Pope is an Alcaraz fan! https://t.co/z8Aj71P7TX

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) May 8, 2025

Pope Leo XIV greeted a capacity crowd that crammed every corner of St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican wishing people all over the world peace.

The 69-year-old Pope, who is from Chicago, spent much of his career as a missionary in South America. Standing on the balcony, Pope Leo spoke to the crowd in Italian and Spanish.

Pope Leo succeeds the late Pope Francis, an Argentinean Jesuit who was a devoted soccer fan as well.

A couple of years before the 133 voting cardinals in the conclave selected him as Pope today, the then archbishop emeritus Robert Prevost of Chiclayo in Peru told La Nacion he was “a great tennis fan,” who was eager to get back out on the court.

“I consider myself a great tennis fan,” Robert Francis Prevost, then the archbishop emeritus of Chiclayo told La Nacion. “Since I left Peru I had few opportunities to practice, so I am looking forward to returning to the courts.”

Given his new role as leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo, who praised his predecessor Pope Francis and vowed to continue his work caring for the suffering, probably won’t have too much time for tennis. The new Pope holds both United States and Peruvian citizenship.

Que al nuevo Papa, Prevost… ¡le gusta el tenis! 🎾

“Me considero un tenista amateur. Desde que me fui de Perú he tenido un par de ocasiones de jugar. Estoy deseando volver a la pista”

Se banca desde ahora mismo 😄 pic.twitter.com/kz49jaSyG6

— José Morón (@jmgmoron) May 8, 2025

As thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square to see and and hear the new Pope, thousands of tennis fans were a few miles away watching all the action on Rome’s red clay and cheering the new Pope’s debut as it was played over the stadium’s video screens at the Foro Italico.

The new pope is not: Fabio Fognini https://t.co/Qsz7PKeX8L

— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) May 8, 2025

Of course, some of tennis top stars—including Roger Federer and wife Mirka and Juan Martin del Potro—have met prior Popes. Del Potro, whose beloved rosary was lost during one of his international trips, asked the Pope to bless his replacement rosary.

Here’s a gallery of some stars past trips to the Vatican.

Embed from Getty Images

Twelve years ago this month, del Potro traveled to the Vatican to meet his fellow Argentinean, Pope Francis.

As a gift to His Holiness, del Potro gave Francis his Wilson racquet he used to shock reigning champion Roger Federer for the 2009 US Open title. That gift brought a big smile to the Pontiff’s face.

“It was an incredible experience with Pope Francis, something that I’ll never forget,” said del Potro, who is from Tandil, about 250 miles from Pope Francis’ home town of Buenos Aires. “It was a dream come true for a guy like me. It was an unforgettable moment.

“I was very nervous before meeting him, to be able to congratulate him and talk with him. He was nice. Everybody knows he is very humble. Today was a day that I’ll remember for ever.”

Del Potro met the Pope at Mass at the Vatican. Fellow Argentines Carlos Berlocq and Horacio Zeballos, South Africa’s Kevin Anderson, Mexico’s Santiago Gonzalez and Croatia’s Marin Cilic also attended.