Latest news with #CharityMatch
CTV News
14-05-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Pope meets Sinner: World No. 1 gives tennis fan Pope Leo XIV racket on Italian Open off-day
Italy's Jannik Sinner, left, shares a light moment with Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of their meeting at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP) VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has made peace with Jannik Sinner. The top-ranked tennis player visited the new pope on Wednesday, gave him a tennis racket and offered to play, during an off day for Sinner at the Italian Open. Leo, the first American pope, is an avid tennis player and fan and had said earlier this week that he would be up for a charity match when it was suggested by a journalist. But at the time, Leo joked 'we can't invite Sinner,' an apparent reference to the English meaning of Sinner's last name. By Wednesday, all seemed forgotten. 'It's an honor,' Sinner said in Italian as he and his parents arrived in a reception room of the Vatican's auditorium. Holding one of his rackets and giving Leo another and a ball, the three-time Grand Slam champion suggested a quick volley. But the pope looked around at the antiques and said, 'Better not.' Leo, a 69-year-old from Chicago, then appeared to joke about his white cassock and its appropriateness for Wimbledon, perhaps a reference to the All England Club's all-white clothing rule. He asked how the Italian Open was going. 'Now I'm in the game,' Sinner said. 'At the beginning of the tournament, it was a bit difficult.' Sinner has a quarterfinal match on Thursday in his first tournament back after a three-month ban for doping that was judged to be an accidental contamination. He will next face either freshly-crowned Madrid champion Casper Ruud or Jaume Munar. Sinner is attempting to become the first Italian man to win the Rome title since Adriano Panatta in 1976. During the audience, Angelo Binaghi, the head of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation, gave Leo an honorary federation card. 'We all felt the passion that Leo XIV has for our sport and this filled us with pride,' Binaghi said in a statement. 'We hope to embrace the Holy Father again soon, maybe on a tennis court.' The pope and Sinner posed for photos in front of the Davis Cup trophy that Sinner helped Italy win for the second consecutive time last year. Also on display in the room was the Billie Jean King Cup trophy won by Italy in 2024, the biggest women's team event in tennis. Earlier in the week, after Leo's first quip about not wanting to invite him, Sinner said it was 'a good thing for us tennis players' that the new pope likes to play the sport. In addition to tennis, Leo is an avid Chicago White Sox baseball fan. His predecessor, Pope Francis, was a lifelong fan of Buenos Aires soccer club San Lorenzo. ___ Dampf reported from Rome. Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Nicole Winfield And Andrew Dampf, The Associated Press
Express Tribune
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Sidemen Charity Match 2025 lineups confirmed as IShowSpeed and Logan Paul join the action
The Sidemen Charity Match 2025 is set to take place this Saturday, March 8, at Wembley Stadium in London, with a 3 PM GMT kick-off. The game, which has grown in popularity each year, will raise millions for charities including Children in Need and Bright Side. With the massive interest in the event, Wembley has officially sold out, making it one of the most significant charity football matches ever hosted by YouTube stars. The full lineups for both Sidemen FC and YouTube All-Stars have been confirmed, featuring IShowSpeed and Logan Paul as major late additions. IShowSpeed has been named captain of the YouTube All-Stars, while Logan Paul will play for Sidemen FC, reuniting with his PRIME business partner and longtime rival, KSI. Despite the excitement surrounding the game, one final player on the YouTube All-Stars team remains unannounced and will be revealed on Friday, March 7. How to Watch Sidemen Charity Match 2025 Fans can watch the Sidemen Charity Match 2025 for free on the Sidemen's official YouTube channel, where the entire match will be live-streamed. Additionally, Standard Sport will provide live match coverage through their match blog, offering updates and reactions throughout the game.. Full Squads for Sidemen Charity Match 2025: Sidemen just released the full roster for the Charity Match game on Saturday, March 8th at Wembley Stadium with kickoff at 10:00 AM EST! — FearBuck (@FearedBuck) March 6, 2025 The game will see two prominent YouTubers, Calfreezy and BurntChip, managing their respective teams. A major highlight will be the return of Joe Weller, who has not played since the first Sidemen Charity Match at Southampton's St. Mary's Stadium in 2016. While past matches have seen professional footballers take part, this year's showdown will be exclusively between content creators. With IShowSpeed leading the YouTube All-Stars and Logan Paul reuniting with KSI on Sidemen FC, fans are eagerly awaiting one of the most anticipated charity matches of the year. The Sidemen Charity Match 2025 kicks off this Saturday at Wembley Stadium, with all proceeds going to charity.
