Italian Tennis Federation President Angelo Binaghi is optimistic that the Italian Masters 1000 tournament will be held with a limited number of spectators.
“I met Italian Sports Minister Valentina Vezzali and I saw a new sensitivity towards sporting events. I expect them to tell us who will be able to attend the Internazionali d’Italia. Spectators have been admitted in Barcelona and Madrid. Over 4000 spectators will be admitted for each day. We are pleased to note that the authorities in charge are dealing with the Internazionali d’Italia. We respect the choice of the Italian Government , but we are convinced that there will be spectators, albeit in a reduced way, at the Internazionali d’Italia and, to a greater extent, at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan and at the ATP Finals in Turin”, said Binaghi.
Binaghi thinks that there is hope that more spectators will be admitted at the ATP Finals in Turin. “I think that the situuation can improve between now and November. If we managed to get 25 % of the spectators at the Internazionali in May, it would be the best calling card to get an even higher audience in Turin. We see what will happen in the next few hours and if spectators will be able to return to attend the Masters 1000 in Rome live, albeit in limited numbers. We have to recall that last season the Italian Open was played in September due to Covid-19 global pandemic. Our crowd is more like that of theatres than that of team sports. Tennis spectators do not scream, do not hug each other and not go into a rage, so that they must be treated differently than other sports that create situations of greater attention ”, said Binaghi.
