By Blair Henley | Monday, May 11, 2015

Clay season is in full swing on the professional tennis tour as the annual road to Roland Garros winds its way through Europe. This week players make a stop at the Internazionali BNL D’Italia in the holy city of Rome – less than 15 minutes from the Vatican.

It was just two years ago at this event that former World No. 4 and devout Catholic Juan Martin del Potro met with fellow Argentine Pope Francis. After attending mass, del Potro had his rosary blessed by the first South American pontiff before gifting him with the racquet he used to defeat Roger Federer in the 2009 US Open final.

More: Serena Faces Tricky Draw in Rome

Del Potro is far from the only athlete who looks to religion in the midst of the grueling and isolating tennis season, yet it is a topic rarely broached in the pressroom. Players are more likely to be asked about their psychological states, romantic relationships or even their fashion sense.

While faith and spirituality may be sensitive subjects, they are often relevant aspects of an athlete’s preparation and perspective. Religion (or lack of it) has the potential to polarize and inspire, which only makes it a more compelling layer of the on-court persona.

Serena Williams, a Jehovah’s Witness, regularly thanks God during acceptance speeches. She admits to praying “all the time” during matches, but she’s not asking for divine intervention.

“I don’t pray to win,” said Williams, who also feels her spirituality has protected her from the negative side of fame and success. “I just pray to get through it and be off this court.”

Her sister Venus, also a Jehovah’s Witness, sees things differently. She has never prayed during play, but joked, “maybe I should try that!”

Former World No. 2 Michael Chang spoke openly about his Christian faith throughout his 15-year career. The 1989 French Open champion, now a coach to World No. 5 Kei Nishikori , prayed for a competitive, injury-free contest before every match he played. He also made sure to publicly thank God after victories, a habit his rival Andre Agassi said “sickened” him in his 2009 autobiography Open. 

“Sometimes people said, ‘Michael prays and gives glory to the Lord only when he wins,’” Chang explained. “They think that I think God is on my side and not anyone else’s. Well, God is on everyone’s side. If people really understood how much God loves each one of us, then they would understand that He doesn’t think that way.”

The international nature of professional tennis ensures a wide range of religious and spiritual perspectives are represented on tour.

Over the past two years, Simona Halep has moved from relative obscurity to No. 2 in the world on the WTA Tour. A member of the Romanian Orthodox church, she travels with a religious icon that gives her comfort on the road.

“It's important thing for me in my life,” she said of her faith. “I believe in God. I don't go to the church every week because it's not my style, but I believe in Him, and I have [icons] with me and I believe in them.”

At times, players’ religious differences have transcended the sport itself, helping to promote healthy conversation and alter stereotypes.

Doubles specialist Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi, a Muslim from Pakistan, broke barriers when he partnered with Rohan Bopanna, a Hindu from India. He used the largely positive response to the union as a catalyst to form his foundation Stop War, Start Tennis.

In the locker room, Qureshi has encountered only encouragement and tolerance, with most players expressing respect for what he’s accomplished.

“I get along well with them all,” he said. “Since I started playing tennis, I kept the religion part away from it. I’ve never tried to persuade anyone on Islam. Everyone has their own voices to believe what they want to believe in. At the end of the day, what we believe in is to be a good human being.”

Qureshi unrolls his prayer mat from his suitcase when he’s not on a plane or on a tennis court, explaining that as the most significant pillar of Islam, prayer is a “calming” force in his life. On the other hand, the top-ranked Pakistani’s career choice does get in the way of the traditional Muslim fasting for Ramadan.

“Even if I wanted to [participate in Ramadan], I don’t think I could,” Qureshi said. “Next thing you know, I’ll be fainting on the tennis court. Hopefully Allah understands that.”

Current world No. 90 Malek Jaziri has had a decidedly different experience on tour due to his religious background. Hailing from Tunisia, a country with a 95 percent Muslim population, he has twice withdrawn from tournaments citing injury when it appeared certain he would have to face an Israeli Jew in the next round. Cleared by the ATP World Tour in both cases, Jaziri has declined to comment.



Similarly, pressure from Muslim religious authorities forced Israeli Jew Shahar Peer and Indian Muslim Sania Mirza to end their doubles union in 2005. The duo was lauded when they ignored that criticism to renew their partnership at the 2007 Wimbledon Championships.

Religion and tennis collided once again when Agnieszka Radwanska posed nude for ESPN The Magazine’s Body Issue in 2013. The Polish star, who proclaimed “I am not ashamed of Jesus” in a 2011 YouTube video, was promptly dropped as an ambassador for a Catholic youth group in her home country.

American Lauren Davis encountered backlash on Twitter last year after she thanked Jesus during an on-court interview following her upset of then-world-No. 4 Victoria Azarenka at the BNP Paribas Open. Raised in a Catholic home, the 21-year-old is now an outspoken born-again Christian.

“My faith is everything to me and what people say means absolutely nothing to me compared to what God thinks,” Davis said of the experience.

Nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal was less inclined to discuss his religious philosophy when asked during Wimbledon in 2010.

“I would love to know if God exists, but it’s a very difficult thing for me to believe,” the Spaniard said. “I don’t know. It’s private and I don’t want to speak about it, but I say, ‘If God exists, you don’t need [to cross yourself] or pray.’ If God exists, he’s intelligent enough to do the important things, the right things.”



In addition to the players who have spoken publicly about their beliefs, there are many more who allude to it with their actions or adornments on the court. Andy Murray points skyward after each win, while Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki are just a few players who regularly wear crosses around their necks.

Months after del Potro’s highly publicized visit to the Vatican, the rosary Pope Francis blessed for the 2009 US Open champion was stolen along with other personal effects as he traveled by train from Paris to London. The incident made international headlines, further confirming that tennis, like most individual sports, thrives on personal narratives.

There will always be a place for tactical analysis or lighthearted discussion of an athlete’s latest tweet. But if players are game, why not get comfortable with all aspects of their stories? Dialogue on faith and spirituality is just another piece of that performance puzzle, something to be celebrated rather than censored.

Blair Henley is a freelance tennis writer, former Tennis Now editor and frequent TN contributor. Follow her on Twitter: @blairhenley