A new ATP 250 grass-court tennis tournament is set to be held in Milan, Italy, beginning in 2028. The Italian Tennis and Padel Federation has acquired the rights to the tournament, which was previously held in Brussels. The event is expected to take place every June, with Milan's iconic San Siro stadium, home to AC Milan and Inter Milan, being considered as a potential venue. The stadium's large capacity of over 75,000 spectators makes it an attractive option.
According to federation president Angelo Binaghi, the decision on the venue has not been finalized, but northern Italy is the likely location due to climate reasons. Binaghi also mentioned that the introduction of practice courts inside Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium for the Madrid Open could serve as a precedent for hosting the tournament at San Siro.
Italy has previously hosted a grass-court WTA tournament in Gaiba from 2022 to 2024. The Italian Tennis and Padel Federation is also hosting the ATP Finals in Turin until 2030 and the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna until next year, in addition to the Rome Masters on clay before the French Open. Furthermore, work on a retractable roof for Campo Centrale at the Foro Italico is scheduled to commence after this year's Internazionali BNL d'Italia, with the aim of completing it in time for the 2028 edition.
Binaghi expressed his ambition to elevate the tournament in Rome to the status of a fifth Grand Slam, rivaling the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner is also striving to become the first Italian man to win the singles title at the Foro Italico since Adriano Panatta's victory 50 years ago.