He is prepared to do so "when the dust has settled a little", he told the young people from the parish of Castel Gandolfo after the Sunday service.
What exactly the Pope, who has been in office since 8 May, meant by this remained open at first.
At the first public papal mass in the mountain town for almost 13 years, Leo was presented with a white tennis cap embroidered with his motto "In illo uno unum" ("In him who is one, we are one").
Leo XIV also already has a world-class racket: exactly two months ago, on 14 May, world number one Jannik Sinner gave him a racket that he also uses himself.
At the time, Leo laughingly rejected the blitz game proposed by the South Tyrolean superstar, referring to the Vatican interior. Instead, he suggested Wimbledon as the venue, to general laughter.
In the final of the world's most famous tennis tournament on Sunday, however, Leo had to play in Castel Gandolfo; Sinner beat the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in four sets. After his first Wimbledon victory, the 23-year-old Italian sank to his knees on the "holy grass".
A holiday resort for popes for 400 years
The town of Castel Gandolfo in the Alban Hills, around 30 kilometres south of Rome, was a holiday destination for popes for 400 years.
However, Francis (2013-2025) turned the papal palace into a museum and founded an eco-project on the 55-hectare estate, while leaving the holiday home unused - much to the chagrin of the "Castellani".
The last papal service at Castel Gandolfo was in August 2012 with Benedict XVI (2005-2013).
Leo XIV was greeted all the more joyfully on Sunday by thousands of residents and tourists on the village square.
Before the service in the parish church, he drove through the crowd in a small golf cart and greeted the people. He walked the last stretch from Villa Barberini, where he currently lives, on foot.
During the midday prayer in front of the papal palace, the visibly relaxed Pope said: "I am very happy to be here with you in Castel Gandolfo."
Leo XIV is scheduled to return to the Vatican after a service on Sunday (20 July) in Albano near Castel Gandolfo.