U.S.-born Robert Prevost, now Leo XIV, the 267th Pope, loves tennis. “I consider myself an amateur player,” he said.
The new leader of the Catholic Church was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago. He lived in Peru for over 30 years and also holds Peruvian citizenship. He served as Bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023.
“Since I left Peru, I’ve had few chances to play tennis, so I’m really looking forward to getting back on court (laughs). Though my new role hasn’t left me with much free time so far,” he said in an interview with the website of the Order of Saint Augustine.
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If finding a couple of hours to hit the court was already difficult as a cardinal, it will surely be even harder now that he’s reached the top of the Church’s hierarchy.
John Paul II never gave up his passion for sports. Addicted to skiing, the Polish pope used to sneak out —often in secret— to the Apennines, the Alps or the Abruzzo mountains. During his 27-year papacy, which began in the late 1970s, he is said to have left the Vatican in search of snow no fewer than 115 times.
Benedict XVI and Francis both leaned toward football: the German supported Bayern Munich, while the Argentine was a lifelong fan of San Lorenzo. Jorge Bergoglio once called football “the most beautiful sport in the world.”
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Tennis isn’t the only hobby of the current Bishop of Rome.
“I really enjoy reading, taking long walks, travelling, discovering new places, and spending time in nature. I love relaxing with friends and meeting all kinds of people — from whom I learn so much and whose gifts I deeply appreciate,” he said.
On the afternoon of May 8, the new Pope appeared in front of a huge crowd of catholics in Vatican City. Just four kilometers away, at the Campo Centrale of the Rome Masters 1000, giant screens showed the first images of Prevost as Supreme Pontiff to the tennis faithful.
