A new grass-court ATP 250 tournament is set to be held in Milan, Italy, beginning in 2028, with the iconic San Siro stadium being considered as a potential venue. The Italian Tennis and Padel Federation has acquired the rights to the tournament, which was previously held in Brussels. The event will take place in June, and while the San Siro stadium, home to AC Milan and Inter Milan, is a likely candidate to host the tournament, a final decision has not been made yet.
According to federation president Angelo Binaghi, the event will likely be held in northern Italy due to climate reasons. Binaghi also noted that the possibility of hosting the tournament at the San Siro stadium is being explored, drawing inspiration from the Madrid Open's introduction of practice courts at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu.
Italy has previously hosted a WTA grass-court tournament in Gaiba from 2022 to 2024. The Italian Tennis and Padel Federation is also hosting several other prominent tennis events, including the ATP Finals in Turin and the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna. Additionally, the federation is working on installing a retractable roof at the Foro Italico's Campo Centrale, which is expected to be completed in time for the 2028 edition of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia.
Binaghi expressed his ambition to elevate the tournament in Rome to the status of a fifth Grand Slam, rivaling the likes of Indian Wells. The Italian tennis scene is also abuzz with Jannik Sinner's bid to become the first Italian man to win the singles title at the Foro Italico in 50 years, since Adriano Panatta's victory.