MILAN (AFP) - Italian tennis federation president Angelo Binaghi said on Friday (May 29) he was confident that the ATP and WTA Rome clay-court tournament could now be played in September.

This year's edition had been scheduled to start at the Foro Italico on May 11, but was called off because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I think that, barring major upheavals, we are going to reorganise the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in September, between the middle and the end of the month," Binaghi told SuperTennis.

"They tell me, especially the Romans, that it is an extraordinary season, the best time to play tennis."

Binaghi said he would meet shortly with Italian Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora to discuss ways to "allow the public enjoy this great event".

The tournament would, however, overlap with the French Open at Roland Garros which begins on Sept 20, with qualifying the week before.