Italian tennis never fails to make the headlines. But let me tell you that the corridors of Italian tennis haven’t felt this tense in years. A chill swept through the headquarters of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation (FITP) as new cameras rolled and microphones were raised – because this time, the questions weren’t about individual brilliances or Italy’s three-peat at the Davis Cup. They were about power, influence, and the shadows cast behind the scenes.

At the center of it all stood Angelo Binaghi, the long-serving and often celebrated president of Italian tennis. He became the president of FITP in 2001, and it has now been almost 24 years since his tenure at the helm of Italian tennis. For years, his tenure has been associated with growth, visibility, and a booming era for the sport in the country. But now, that legacy is being entangled with something far more sinister. It began when Rai, one of Italy’s most respected and trusted broadcasters, dropped an investigation report that sent ripples through the national sports landscape. 

Their team had pieced together testimonies, documents, and internal accounts that painted a disturbing picture – one that many viewers, athletes, and insiders began comparing to corruption. As per the reports published by the insiders, “A Rai investigation reveals practices by Binaghi & FITP that many have likened to corruption.“ The person also highlighted, “Inflated membership numbers, €18M ($20,755,530) spent on new headquarters, €4M ($4,612,160) + in public funds directed to the club founded by Binaghi’s father,“ in his tweet.

In another tweet, the person took a subtle dig, saying, “If Binaghi and FITP are willing to abuse their power to get Binaghi re-elected, misappropriate funds, and manipulate numbers. What wouldn’t they have been willing to do to protect Sinner in his doping case? He represents billions in economic impact.”

Previously, while sharing his thoughts on Jannik Sinner’s doping saga, we saw Binaghi claim, “Apart from a few imbeciles, people all around the world understand what happened. No matter what type of decision is issued, there’s no doubt that Sinner is one of the cleanest and most honest athletes in world sport.“ These comments raised quite a few eyebrows at that time as well, but there were a few other times when he managed to make the headlines in the tennis world with his bold statements.

For example, in April 2023, Angelo Binaghi gave an interview with Corriere dello Sport. During that interview, he shared his opinion about his own work. Binaghi claimed, “I know, I’m a heretic. But heresy applied to ourselves gives excellent results. I’m not saying it; it’s data processed by third parties. I saved tennis. I remember the beginning; everyone ran away from the federation.”

Not only that, he further added, “The Italian Open lost 3-4 billion a year; there was a lack of victories and practitioners. Today we are talking about a reality that has quadrupled its membership in twenty years, employs more than a thousand people, when in the past it did not reach a hundred. I don’t want to customize. I just represented a new venue: our money, which will give us opposing philosophies.”

Now, with all these recent reports, Binaghi stands at the eye of the storm, confronting a narrative far more daunting than any on-court battle Italy’s athletes have faced. The world of tennis watches closely, waiting to see whether this story becomes a tale of redemption or the unraveling of an empire built in the name of sport. Until further reports, let’s take a look at his reaction to Italy’s historic feat in Bologna.

What did the Italian Tennis President say about their recent Davis Cup triumph?

The lights inside the packed arena in Bologna were still shimmering from Italy’s historic triumph when Angelo Binaghi, the long-serving president of Italian tennis, stepped into the mixed zone. Players like Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli helped Italy secure a 2-0 win over Spain at the Davis Cup finals. With this win, Italy became the first nation to win the Davis Cup for three years in a row since Team USA’s heroics (1970-72). They also became the first nation to claim the Davis Cup without losing a single match in each tie since 1972. Quite remarkable, isn’t it?

That too in the absence of one of their biggest stars on the team! When Jannik Sinner first announced his withdrawal from the 2025 Davis Cup, the Italian Tennis President, Angelo Binaghi, said, “For him and for all of us, the Davis Cup represents a symbol of pride and belonging, and we are certain that he will soon return to endorse the Italian national team with the same passion and determination as always. At the same time, I want to underline the great trust we place in the Group led by Filippo Volandri: a solid, united team, with the ability to transform and challenge into a further boost.“ He spoke about how Italian players have already demonstrated that they can achieve extraordinary things together.

He had faith in them, and they delivered for their nation! So, following this incredible win, Binaghi went on to add, “Sinner was right. We didn’t need him because we’re a great team. They’ve proven it on the court. Attachment to the team and the country. It’s a big family, as Berrettini and Cobolli said. You have to think about the results achieved by Italian tennis and have a vision of what we’ve managed to build with the girls and boys.”

With this Davis Cup triumph, Italy has now become the first non-Grand Slam nation to win the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup titles in the same season on multiple occasions (after the USA and Australia). He said the team performed really well in the absence of Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti and also stated that the guys are very good, there’s a system that works as they’ve now won three times with 8-10 different players. He admitted that he is extremely satisfied to label Italy as the “strongest nation” in the tennis world. Do you agree with it too?