The Italian federation’s purchase of a Brussels-based tournament licence signals further expansion of the country’s footprint on the ATP calendar, with Milan and San Siro under consideration.
Italy will host a new Wimbledon warm-up event from 2028 after acquiring the licence for an existing ATP 250 tournament currently staged in Brussels.
The move, confirmed by Angelo Binaghi, president of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation, will see the tournament relocated from its traditional October slot to June, aligning it with the grass-court swing ahead of the Wimbledon Championships.
The event is expected to be staged in northern Italy, with Milan identified as a potential host city. Binaghi also raised the possibility of using San Siro Stadium, one of European football’s most recognisable venues, although no final decision on location has been confirmed.
Traditionally part of the indoor autumn calendar, the event will now be repositioned within the ATP Tour’s shorter grass-court season, offering players an additional preparation opportunity in the weeks leading up to Wimbledon.
For Italy, the development continues a broader strategy to expand its influence within professional tennis. The country already hosts the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin and has overseen the expansion of the Italian Open into a two-week Masters 1000 event.
The addition of a June tournament further strengthens Italy’s year-round presence on the men’s calendar and reflects increasing investment in hosting rights and infrastructure.
It also aligns with a period of on-court success for Italian players, including world No.1 contender Jannik Sinner, which has contributed to rising domestic and commercial interest in the sport.
While the concept of staging matches at San Siro would represent a departure from traditional tennis venues, it mirrors a wider trend of using large-capacity stadiums to host premium or showcase events.
Any such plan would require temporary court construction and operational adaptation, and remains at an exploratory stage.
