A new ATP 250 grass-court tournament, serving as a Wimbledon warm-up event, is set to take place in Milan from 2028, with the iconic San Siro stadium being considered as a potential venue. This development comes after the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation acquired the rights to a 250-level ATP Tour tournament previously held in Brussels. The event is slated to occur annually in June, starting in 2028, and while San Siro, with its impressive capacity of over 75,000, is a strong candidate, the final decision on the venue is yet to be made.
According to federation president Angelo Binaghi, the choice of location will be influenced by climate considerations, making northern Italy a likely host. Binaghi also drew parallels with the Madrid Open's introduction of practice courts within Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu, suggesting that San Siro could follow suit. Italy has previously hosted a grass-court WTA tournament in Gaiba from 2022 to 2024. Additionally, the federation is currently hosting the ATP Finals in Turin until 2030 and the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna until next year, alongside the Rome Masters on clay before the French Open.
Plans are also underway for the installation of a retractable roof at the Foro Italico's Campo Centrale, aimed to be completed by the 2028 edition of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia. Binaghi expressed ambitions to elevate the Rome tournament to the status of a fifth Grand Slam, rivaling the likes of Indian Wells.
As the Italian tennis scene continues to grow, Jannik Sinner is poised to make history by becoming the first Italian man to win the singles title at the Foro Italico since Adriano Panatta's victory 50 years ago.