The Trofeo Bonfiglio was first played in 1959 in honour of Antonio Bonfiglio, who died of pneumonia earlier that year, as a demonstration of young tennis talent. Antonio Bonfiglio was himself a talented junior player who dominated in Milan and at the age of 19 had begun to compete at a European level before he became suddenly ill.
The event has long been a magnet for the best junior players in the world boasting former champions such as Ivan Lendl, Simona Halep and Alexander Zverev. The tournament was awarded Grade A status in 1978, making it the joint longest running Grade A event along with the Orange Bowl.