“We are facing at all levels a wave that we have dreamed of and which is happening at all levels too quickly. And therefore we must contain the number of spectators. Jannick Sinner’s successes were difficult to predict that they would be like this ‘ fast from September onwards. At the internationals we have already 36% more pre-sales compared to last year and the men’s and women’s finals are already sold out despite us having doubled the price of tickets. However, the facilities are still insufficient, just think that compared to the 1000 masters we are missing 2500 places. The plant engineering problem is a problem that we will try to solve by investing the resources that we will draw from the Italian internationals”. This was said by the president of FITP, Angelo Binaghi, presenting the 2024 edition of Italian Tennis Internationals at the Colosseum scheduled from 8 to 19 May.
Rome can aspire to host the quinto Slam? “It was much more difficult to go from an edition that was technically a failure in 2002 to today’s success to the point that I believe that Rome has great prospects ahead of it. I believe that the time is running out that will only see the monopoly of grand slams. We are working to do better and better”, replied Binaghi.
“With the 22.5 million euros collected from pre-sales alone, we have already equaled last year’s record. The sales speed of pre-sales is newsworthy: we are growing by 36% compared to last year – revealed Binaghi -. Then considering that 29 thousand tickets were sold abroad, the growth is due to domestic demand. There is a different atmosphere, a lively atmosphere. It is the first time that our players have arrived here after having won 4 high-level tournaments higher than or equal to the Internationals. We will easily exceed last year’s 298,500 attendance and we are aiming to exceed 350 thousand spectators. Furthermore – he added – we will generate an impact of more than 600 million euros and an income of 120 million in tax revenue for the State and the employment of 350 full-time jobs for one year. We will attract foreign capital. We do it without a penny of public funding. Now the problem is the systems. We will create fund of 30 million euros to leverage also to stimulate private individuals by setting ourselves the medium-term objective of building a few thousand tennis, padel and pickleball courts in our country”.
“The union between the international Italy and Rome is even stronger – he recalled the mayor Roberto Gualtieri – : all the best tennis players in the world, both in the men’s and women’s fields, will be here. The numbers reported by Binaghi are impressive. Big global event. Today we are at the Colosseum. For the draw we will be in the Trevi Fountain and there will be tennis in Piazza del Popolo. As always, the large Roman squares are at the center of major events.”