Rain prompts Rome to promise Foro Italico roof

Red-faced Rome tennis bosses are promising to add a roof to the centre court by 2026 after nearly a fortnight of rain delays made a hash of the just-completed event.

Federation officials were quick to make the announcement prior to what turned into a rain-delayed men’s final won by Daniil Medvedev over Holger Rune whose start was delayed by 90 minutes.

The May weather has often been a problem at the venue – but never more so than the past edition. 

“The roof is coming,” a national sports official said on Sunday. “This will be a futuristic project that will make the Foro Italico’s center court usable year round.”

Rain played an unwanted role in the just-completed ATP-WTA edition, with Elena Rybakina claiming the women’s title post-midnight on Sunday.

The Saturday women’s final only began at 11 p.m. and ended at midnight thanks only to an injury by Anhelina Kalinina. That followed the delayed second men’s semi-final between Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Italian bureaucracy is likely to play a role in the roof project, with building permit approval expected to take from eight to 10 months. 

There would then be another year and a half to two years to get the actual construction completed at an historical sporting park dating back nearly a century.

The project would be paused during upcoming editions of the Italian Open.

Plans call for increasing showcase court capacity from its current 10,000-plus to 12,500 spectators.

The venue would also be suitable for other events, including indoor sports and concerts.