The Italian Tennis and Padel Federation (FITP) has secured the license for the Brussels ATP 250 tournament and will convert it into a grass-court event in June starting in 2028, strengthening Italy's position as a powerhouse in the global tennis calendar.
FITP president Angelo Binaghi announced the acquisition, confirming the federation had purchased the rights to the ATP 250 tournament currently staged in Brussels during October. The event will shift to a June slot and switch to grass surfaces, serving as a direct Wimbledon warm-up on the ATP calendar.
"These are exciting times for Italian tennis," Binaghi said. "There's still time to decide where to play it. For climate reasons, it will probably be held in northern Italy."
Venue discussions include a bold proposal to stage matches inside Milan's San Siro stadium, following the Madrid Open's use of practice courts inside the Santiago Bernabeu. "For once, we wouldn't be the first to do it," Binaghi noted.
The expansion adds to an already rich Italian tennis landscape. The country currently hosts the ATP Finals in Turin (through 2030), the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna, and previously staged a WTA grass tournament in Gaiba from 2022 to 2024. With world No. 1 Jannik Sinner leading a generation featuring Lorenzo Musetti, Flavio Cobolli and Luciano Darderi — all ranked inside the top 25 — Italian tennis has never had more momentum.
Beyond the new grass event, the federation is pushing forward with major infrastructure projects at the Foro Italico in Rome, including a retractable roof for Campo Centrale due by 2028, and an ambitious campaign to elevate the Italian Open to Grand Slam status — a "fifth Slam" that would reshape the tennis calendar.
Sources
- https://apnews.com/article/grass-tournament-italy-italian-open-c2ec5d83266fd0a843b9997df0ea516d
