Just over a month after retiring from tennis, Roberto Bautista Agut has stepped back into competitive sport—this time in football.
The 38-year-old former Wimbledon semi-finalist has joined Spanish seventh-tier side CD Els Ibarsos and marked his pre-season debut with two goals in a 4-2 victory.
Bautista Agut’s tennis résumé includes 12 ATP singles titles and a Davis Cup win with Spain in 2019. Now he’s turning his focus to success on the pitch.
“It’s a new stage of life that makes me very happy,” he wrote on Instagram, adding, “May the good start continue!”
Before committing to tennis at 14, he played in Villarreal’s youth system. Els Ibarsos, based about 60 miles north of Valencia, presented him to supporters before his first appearance and said they’re eager to watch him for an entire season. The club announced his signing on Instagram, thanking fans for the atmosphere and Bautista Agut for believing in the project and the town.
He reached a career-high tennis ranking of world No. 9 in late 2019, boosted by his run to the Wimbledon semifinals earlier that year.