The tennis season could possibly consist of five Grand Slam tournaments in the future instead of the current four. Officials of the Italian Tennis Federation would like to join the biggest events. According to available information, they have offered over $500 million to buy the venue in Madrid, which is owned by IMG.
Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open - four Grand Slams, and that's it. That's the way it's been for years. But maybe the number of grand slams will grow in the future. The Italian Tennis Federation has huge ambitions and wants to organise a fifth major.
According to the Italian newspaper La Stampa, the federation has offered around $550 million to buy the Madrid Open, which is owned by global company IMG. The Italians want to buy the tournament and also get its date on the calendar so they can create a new Grand Slam event.
The Madrid Open and the Italian Open are on the calendar immediately after each other and each event lasts two weeks, shadowing the WTA 1000 and ATP Masters 1000 events. This year's edition of the Madrid tournament will end three days before the start of the main event in Rome.
The last major clay court dress rehearsal in Rome is scheduled for May 7th-18th, and the second major of the season, the French Open, starts just a week later.
The position in the calendar is thus not ideal and it is quite hard to imagine two Grand Slams taking place in one month, most likely on the same surface. It should be remembered, however, that Wimbledon starts just three weeks after the end of the battles on the Paris clay.
Italian tennis has come alive recently
A Grand Slam in Italy? Given the last 12 months or so, it makes sense. After all, Jannik Sinner has dominated the men's tennis circuit since the start of last season and it is at this year's Masters in Rome that he will jump back into action after a three-month doping ban. Among the women, Jasmine Paolini is in the top 6 of the world rankings.
In addition, the Italians have dominated the last two editions of the Davis Cup and the Italians beat Slovakia in the final of the last edition of the Billie Jean King Cup.
On top of that, Sinner is the reigning champion of both Hard Grand Slams and last year in Melbourne became the first Italian Grand Slam winner since Flavia Pennetta at the 2015 US Open.
Apparently the federation is really serious about hosting a fifth Grand Slam. In fact, it will already build three new courts for this year's Italian Open, including the Supertennis Arena, which will hold 6,500 spectators and will be the second largest court after Campo Centrale."
Aside from the above Italy has more competitve players in the Top 50 ranked players than the UK, France and Australia have and they are all very young still and are competitive in the matches they play in. Some majr sponsorships must have provided the $500 million.
What Italy have in mind is to get the time used by the ATP 1000 Madrid and Rome tournaents and combined it into the Major tournament. Like in all professioanl sport money counts and that is what is likely to influence he final decision on that score. The prize money is not the issue - to get time allotted for another Grand Slam is the real issue.
The poblem is that if IIaly is allowed to have a Grand Slam the question arises will China not want to get into the act too. China at present has 3 APT 250 tournaments, 1 APT 500 Tournament and one ATP 1000 tournament. I am sure what they would rather reduce the number of minor tournaments to one ATP 500, one ATP 1000 Tournament and one grand slam tournament to be played in early October each year - the first one in Hong Kong to be played in early January before the Aussie Open and the other 2 in the last week in September ,and the first two weeks in October,
The players led by Djokovic are complaining there are two many tournaments - but I would think that if their are 6 majors played and 10 ATP 1000 tournaments played - it would cover 32 weeks a year. The playes can reduce their work load by not playing in ATP 250 and ATP 500 tournaments.
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The tennis season could possibly consist of five Grand Slam tournaments in the future instead of the current four. Officials of the Italian Tennis Federation would like to join the biggest events. According to available information, they have offered over $500 million to buy the venue in Madrid, which is owned by IMG.
Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open - four Grand Slams, and that's it. That's the way it's been for years. But maybe the number of grand slams will grow in the future. The Italian Tennis Federation has huge ambitions and wants to organise a fifth major.
According to the Italian newspaper La Stampa, the federation has offered around $550 million to buy the Madrid Open, which is owned by global company IMG. The Italians want to buy the tournament and also get its date on the calendar so they can create a new Grand Slam event.
The Madrid Open and the Italian Open are on the calendar immediately after each other and each event lasts two weeks, shadowing the WTA 1000 and ATP Masters 1000 events. This year's edition of the Madrid tournament will end three days before the start of the main event in Rome.
The last major clay court dress rehearsal in Rome is scheduled for May 7th-18th, and the second major of the season, the French Open, starts just a week later.
The position in the calendar is thus not ideal and it is quite hard to imagine two Grand Slams taking place in one month, most likely on the same surface. It should be remembered, however, that Wimbledon starts just three weeks after the end of the battles on the Paris clay.
Italian tennis has come alive recently
A Grand Slam in Italy? Given the last 12 months or so, it makes sense. After all, Jannik Sinner has dominated the men's tennis circuit since the start of last season and it is at this year's Masters in Rome that he will jump back into action after a three-month doping ban. Among the women, Jasmine Paolini is in the top 6 of the world rankings.
In addition, the Italians have dominated the last two editions of the Davis Cup and the Italians beat Slovakia in the final of the last edition of the Billie Jean King Cup.
On top of that, Sinner is the reigning champion of both Hard Grand Slams and last year in Melbourne became the first Italian Grand Slam winner since Flavia Pennetta at the 2015 US Open.
Apparently the federation is really serious about hosting a fifth Grand Slam. In fact, it will already build three new courts for this year's Italian Open, including the Supertennis Arena, which will hold 6,500 spectators and will be the second largest court after Campo Centrale."
Aside from the above Italy has more competitve players in the Top 50 ranked players than the UK, France and Australia have and they are all very young still and are competitive in the matches they play in. Some majr sponsorships must have provided the $500 million.
What Italy have in mind is to get the time used by the ATP 1000 Madrid and Rome tournaents and combined it into the Major tournament. Like in all professioanl sport money counts and that is what is likely to influence he final decision on that score. The prize money is not the issue - to get time allotted for another Grand Slam is the real issue.
The poblem is that if IIaly is allowed to have a Grand Slam the question arises will China not want to get into the act too. China at present has 3 APT 250 tournaments, 1 APT 500 Tournament and one ATP 1000 tournament. I am sure what they would rather reduce the number of minor tournaments to one ATP 500, one ATP 1000 Tournament and one grand slam tournament to be played in early October each year - the first one in Hong Kong to be played in early January before the Aussie Open and the other 2 in the last week in September ,and the first two weeks in October,
The players led by Djokovic are complaining there are two many tournaments - but I would think that if their are 6 majors played and 10 ATP 1000 tournaments played - it would cover 32 weeks a year. The playes can reduce their work load by not playing in ATP 250 and ATP 500 tournaments.