Casper Ruud has now reached all four 'big' clay finals with Rome run, secures Top 16 seed at Roland Garros

"Tennis can and has to start as soon as possible—a week's notice is enough," said Italian tennis federation president Angelo Binaghi, adding the sport has "unique characteristics" that allow it to be played in such circumstances.

ByKamakshi Tandon

Published Apr 16, 2020

Plans for Rome events include moving location, playing with no fans

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The Italian tennis federation is considering several plans to allow the ATP and WTA Rome tournaments to be played, including holding the events with no fans, and moving locations if rescheduled.

Speaking to Italy's *Corriere*, federation president Angelo Binaghi said that the first preference was to play in Rome "in September, or October, during the new clay season."

All tour events have been suspended through the grass-court season, along with the WTA tournament in Montreal.

The ATP Tour has confirmed that it is planning a potential clay season following the US Open, with the French Open having announced a rescheduling to late September. Madrid is also interested in being moved.

If it is pushed back further, Binaghi said the federation can use "Cagliari in November" or "Milan in December," with the men and women potentially assigned to "Milan and Turin."

They would hold the tournament with no crowds if required, he added, and is also willing to host the ATP Finals if they are not played in London.

The federation also holds the ATP NextGen Finals, but no specifics were given for this event.

Plans for Rome events include moving location, playing with no fans

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The federation president is emphasizing a restart, and provided description about some measures to protect players and the public.

"Tennis can and has to start as soon as possible—a week's notice is enough," he said, adding the sport has "unique characteristics" that allow it to be played in such circumstances.

"We have to be flexible, innovative because for a [while] nothing will be the same," he said. "Players will have to collect their own balls and towels. And they will not get to bring their team, it will go back to the days of Pietrangeli—player and coach. We already have experience with having no linespeople at the NextGen Finals.

"The locker rooms will not be open to others, the players will be on opposite sides and have sanitizers at every change... The players will all have the same hotel."

The Italian federation earns most of its funding from its professional tour events. It has suspended its contracts but also plans to provide 3 million Euros in help for the sport in the country.

"We are the federation that finances itself the most, so we are hurt the most," said Binaghi. "I have 3,200 clubs I don't know if we can open again and 9,640 coaches that do not have a lira in their pocket."

No events have officially been rescheduled.

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