ROME — Prime-ranked Jannik Sinner is dominating males’s tennis and Italy swept each the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup staff titles final yr.
Jasmine Paolini simply turned the primary dwelling participant to win the Italian Open in 40 years and is about to maneuver as much as No. 4 within the girls’s rankings.
Gamers like Lorenzo Musetti, Federico Cinà and Tyra Caterina Grant present the potential for Italy to dominate tennis for years to come back.
Editor’s Picks
1 Associated
Nonetheless, Italian Tennis and Padel Federation president Angelo Binaghi desires extra. Way more.
Binaghi has the grandiose purpose to make the Italian Open a fifth Grand Slam event alongside the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open, upending a century of tennis historical past.
“In what different a part of society is there a monopoly that lasts for greater than 100 years?” Binaghi mentioned Sunday, the ultimate day of the Italian Open. “Why are there all the time 4 and all the time the identical 4? … It is completely unfair and would not assist tennis develop.”
The Italian Open is a Masters Sequence occasion that’s one rung beneath the Slams within the hierarchy of tennis tournaments. However the occasion on the Foro Italico now runs for 2 weeks just like the majors and is booming due to the successes of Sinner, Paolini and plenty of different Italian gamers.
Italy has additionally hosted the ATP Finals in Turin since 2021 and just lately prolonged its internet hosting contract for the year-ending event that includes the highest eight males’s gamers by means of 2030. Additionally, the Davis Cup Remaining 8 will start a three-year run in Italy this November, beginning in Bologna.
“We’re now the world champion each on the court docket and on the organizational degree,” Binaghi mentioned.
Earlier this yr, Binaghi expressed curiosity in buying the license for the Madrid Open, which instantly precedes Rome within the tennis calendar. The concept was that eliminating Madrid and making Rome greater might represent a fifth Slam.
“We must be attentive on the worldwide market and attempt to benefit from each alternative that arises, from the smallest ATP 250 all the way in which as much as the most important tournaments,” Binaghi mentioned.
A request for remark despatched to the Grand Slam board, which represents the 4 majors, was not instantly answered.
Retractable Roof After years of delays, organizers introduced new plans to construct a retractable roof over the Italian Open’s fundamental stadium, Campo Centrale.
At a value of 60 million euros ($67 million), the roof is slated to be prepared for the 2028 event and also will lead to 2,000 further seats being added – growing the capability to 12,500.
Bigger grounds For this yr’s event, the occasion grounds on the Foro Italico have been elevated from 12 to twenty hectares (30 to 50 acres) and one other statue-lined competitors enviornment was added.
The Stadio dei Marmi hosted three courts: a 3,000-seat enviornment and two courts every that includes seating for 800.
The three,000-seat enviornment turned the event’s third-largest present court docket after Campo Centrale and the Grand Stand Area, making the Pietrangeli court docket – which additionally options an array of statues – the fourth largest.
