Video: Pope Francis blesses Del Potro's rosary, since stolen

In May, the ATP World Tour rolled into Rome, and Juan Martin del Potro, a devout Catholic, garnered the opportunity to meet Pope Francis of his native Argentina. He gave the pope one of his tennis racquets, and produced a rosary that was then blessed and returned to him:

That rosary and the rest of the contents in Delpo's bag were stolen today. Among the pilfered items were his passport and cash, though "[the rosary is] what matters most to me," Delpo says.

The theft occurred as he turned to sign an autograph in a Paris train station. Delpo was en route to London for the ATP World Tour Finals. Instead of capping off his season in celebration—in which he recently mirrored his 2012 triumph over Roger Federer in the Basel, Switzerland, final—Delpo must now work to forget the frustration and sadness of losing such a treasured possession.

It's a lesson we all have to learn time and again: You truly can't take it with you. Then again, Delpo already has the blessing in the first place. Now we wait to see how far this week will carry him.

Got a thought, a tip, or a point to make? Hit me on Twitter @jonscott9.