Head of Italian tennis player at tournament in Naples: “ATP will fine us heavily”

Angelo Binaghi, president of the Italian Tennis Federation, had this to say about the organization of the ATP 250 tournament in Naples:

“They called me and said that the tournament has been postponed from Naples, asking the Florence authorities to give the courts another week.

I replied that it is impossible. Giorgio Di Palermo, one of the leaders of the Federation, and I intervened and did what we had to do: we rushed to the rescue and saved the tournament. We love this tournament, so it was necessary to intervene immediately and decisively. Although the organizers in Florence said they were ready, I never thought about rescheduling. In that case, we would have cut the prize money and this international fiasco would have remained in the history of Italian sports. I never thought for a second that I would do anything to save the tournament.

Club president Riccardo Villari, Giorgio Di Palermo and I saved the tournament. Neither Lorenzo Musetti nor Matteo Berrettini had planned to play here. President Villari came with me to Bologna to persuade them, they said it would be difficult, and they made it to the final. ATP will fine us heavily but I hope they take into account what the Italian organizers have been doing over the years. In any case, we will accept and fulfill our obligations. It is true that we will be punished but I hope they finally take note of the good the federation has managed to do in Naples.

I wouldn’t trust Mapei (veneer manufacturer – ed.). It’s like buying a Ferrari, walking out of the garage and discovering that the car is broken. Last Saturday we were in a panic, the tournament was under threat and we were still told that the courts could be repaired. We realized that the situation had been misjudged, so we had the time and courage to submit a new court to Naples and set it up within 24 hours. The rest is not our responsibility, for example the humidity in the field.”

The tournament ended on October 23. Lorenzo Musetti and Matteo Berrettini played in the final. Lorenzo won.