A new grass-court ATP 250 tournament, serving as a warm-up for Wimbledon, is set to take place in Milan from 2028. The Italian Tennis and Padel Federation has acquired the rights to the tournament, previously held in Brussels.
The event is scheduled to occur annually in June, with Milan's iconic San Siro stadium, home to AC Milan and Inter Milan, being considered as a potential venue due to its massive capacity of over 75,000. According to federation president Angelo Binaghi, the decision on the exact location is still pending, but northern Italy is the likely location due to climate reasons. Binaghi pointed out that the introduction of practice courts within Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu for the Madrid Open could set a precedent for utilizing San Siro. Italy has previously hosted a grass-court WTA tournament in Gaiba from 2022 to 2024.
The federation is also set to host the ATP Finals in Turin until 2030, the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna until next year, and the Rome Masters on clay before the French Open. Additionally, work on a retractable roof for Campo Centrale at the Foro Italico is slated to begin immediately after this year's Internazionali BNL d'Italia, with completion expected by the 2028 edition.
Binaghi expressed his ambition to make the Rome tournament a fifth Grand Slam, rivaling the likes of Indian Wells and joining the ranks of the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open as one of the sport's most prestigious events. Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner is also aiming to become the first Italian man to claim the singles title at the Foro Italico since Adriano Panatta's victory 50 years ago.