Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago has been elected as the 267th Pope, using the name Pope Leo XIV. In the Church’s 2,000-year history, he is the first American to be elected pope.

He was elected on the fourth ballot during the second day of the conclave, which had 133 voting cardinals. The typical white smoke billowing from the 15-shuttle chimney indicated the victorious election, spurring exuberant celebrations among the multitude in St. Peter’s Square. Prevost succeeded Pope Francis, who died on Easter Sunday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 in his apartment at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. While Prevost’s name is famous to many, there are a few interesting facts about him that are relatively unknown.

Pope Robert Francis Prevost has been a keen tennis fan for many years. However, he once said that after getting the cardinal’s red hat only a few months into his term, he struggled to find time for the sport. He had particularly missed playing since leaving Peru, where he had worked in the Territorial Prelature of Chulucanas in the country’s northwest.

“I consider myself an amateur tennis player,” he stated during an interview. “Since leaving Peru I have had few occasions to practice so I am looking forward to getting back on the court.” Interestingly, the Italian Open, an ATP and WTA 1000 tournament now taking place in Rome, experienced a unique occasion in tennis history. While a match was being played on Campo Centrale, the announcement of the new Pope was shown on the stadium’s side screen with full sound, marking a first in any tennis tournament.