Where would a potential 5th Grand Slam take place? – World tennis magazine

For 100 years, the current collection of four Grand Slam tournaments has been the prominent part of the tennis schedule. Wimbledon was the first in 1877, followed by the US Open in 1881, then the Australian Open in 1905 and finally the French Open in 1925. In 1968 they were named the sport’s big four by the Open Era.

The four major tournaments are the most prestigious annual tennis events and offer a range of different surfaces and environments to challenge all the best players the sport has to offer. Yet, after a century of running these four tournaments, there is increasing talk of expanding from four to five.

While a certain European administration has been the most vocal about this, another region that is becoming increasingly prominent could be the dark horse that can land such a huge addition to the calendar.

The Middle East may want the fifth Grand Slam

As we see across the sporting world, the Middle East is playing an increasingly important role, especially when it comes to hosting both prestigious and lucrative events. Martial arts have long collected significant purses from the region, just like individual football players and Formula 1 racing.

While they arrived before the more recent wave of new tournaments and even Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup, the Dubai Tennis Championships continues to offer 1000 WTA and 500 ATP points tournaments in the UAE. More recently, the region’s tennis presence has grown with the inaugural Six Kings Slam of 2024, which Jannik Sinner has won twice.

The surrounding infrastructure and interest in sports are growing particularly in the region. Part of this is due to the investments of the various capital funds. Another is that third-party companies are bringing in their offers. This can be seen from the verified bookmakers who offer odds on a sports bet in the GCC.

The very presence of these platforms speaks to the growing intrigue and demand for sports in the region. Furthermore, it shows that there is a very real and modern environment for world-class sports. In addition, the 10th Masters will be added to the ATP Tour, which will land in Saudi Arabia as early as 2028.

Another important European date is added to the

The Middle East is a new player in the highest segment of professional tennis. However, the Foro Italico’s outdoor clay courts have been around since 1930. The Italian Open is already one of the ATP and WTA 1000 events, but the governing body is calling for a fifth Grand Slam.

The president of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation, Angelo Binaghi, is keen for the Italian Open to become tennis’s fifth Grand Slam. To do so would turn a century upside down tennis historybut that’s Binaghi’s point. He says, “In what other part of society is there a monopoly that lasts for more than a hundred years?”

In particular, the recent success of top Italian talents such as Jannik Sinner and Jasmine Paolini has greatly stimulated interest in the Italian Open. And although it is one below the Grand Slams in prestige, the event now lasts two weeks, just like the four majors. Binaghi’s wishes are certainly not unfounded, but seem difficult to realize.

It seems unlikely that a fifth Grand Slam will be added to the tennis calendar, but just in case Italy has thrown its hat into the arena, and no doubt a Middle Eastern country would love to host one.