In a lighthearted moment at the Vatican on Wednesday, a modern tennis hero met a timeless spiritual leader — and the result was a message parents everywhere will surely appreciate.
Jannik Sinner, the 23-year-old Italian tennis sensation who has been capturing hearts (and titles) across the globe, had an audience with Pope Leo XIV. The young champion, known not just for his lightning-fast serve but also his quiet humility, offered the Holy Father the gift of a tennis racket with a friendly smile. Explaining that the racket is similar to his own, Sinner reached for a ball and invited the Pope to give it a try.
Pope Leo, showing himself to be always quick with a gentle quip, held the racket thoughtfully, looked up and around, and replied with a grin: “Here we'll break something -- better not to!"
While the exchange was brief, it was one of those moments that felt instantly relatable — especially to moms and dads with active children now bounding into the start of summer holidays. The Pope's good-humored response struck a chord, gently reminding us that while sports are a gift, there's a time and a place for everything. And sometimes … that place is not the living room.
A message for families: Keep the faith -- and the house -- in one piece!
We all know the refrain: “Don’t play ball in the house!” Whether it’s a tennis ball, soccer ball, or even a balloon, there's something about indoor athletics that inevitably leads to a broken lamp or two. But Pope Leo XIV's words offer a charming reminder that even the Pontiff knows the struggle — or at least empathizes with it.
In that brief, smiling moment, Pope Leo showed his love of sport, his connection with today’s youth, and his understanding of family life. As he has already done a handful of times in just one week of papacy, he made a big point with a little joke.
And perhaps parents will even want to show the exchange between the tennis champ and the Pope to the kiddos -- you never know, maybe they'll listen more!
