Context:

Pope Leo XIV humorously noted that he could not invite Jannik Sinner, the top-ranked tennis player, to a charity match at the Vatican due to his last name. During a media meeting, the Pope expressed his interest in a charity tennis match but playfully excluded Sinner, who has won three Grand Slam titles since the 2024 Australian Open. Sinner, however, faced a three-month suspension by WADA for testing positive for a banned substance, although the infraction was deemed unintentional. The banned substance was identified as clostebol, which Sinner inadvertently came into contact with through a spray used by his trainer. Sinner's suspension has ended, and he is now competing in the Italian Open, with aspirations to claim his fourth Grand Slam at the upcoming French Open.

Dive Deeper:

• Pope Leo XIV joked about not inviting Jannik Sinner to a charity tennis match at the Vatican, due to the humorous implication of Sinner's last name. The statement was made during a media meeting where the Pope expressed interest in organizing a charity event.

• Jannik Sinner, at the age of 23, has rapidly ascended the tennis world rankings, winning three grand slam titles since the 2024 Australian Open, marking him as the best player globally.

• In February, Sinner received a three-month suspension from the World Anti-Doping Agency after testing positive for a prohibited anabolic steroid, clostebol, which is sometimes used for topical eye and skin conditions.

• The positive test results were linked to a non-intentional source, as Sinner explained that the substance was present in a spray used by his trainer to treat a minor injury, which led to the inadvertent doping violation.

• Sinner's suspension concluded on May 4, and he returned to competitive play at the Italian Open, aiming for a fourth grand slam victory at the upcoming French Open starting on May 25.