Former world number nine Roberto Bautista Agut made a goalscoring start to his football career, weeks after giving up his day job. Agut scored twice in a 4-2 pre-season win for CD Els Ibarsos on his debut for the Spanish seventh-tier team, dusting off the boots after being on the books of Villarreal's youth team before opting for a career in tennis.
Retirement announced
The 38-year-old will officially retire from professional tennis at the end of the season and bring to an end a glittering career. Bautista Agut is a former Wimbledon semi-finalist after falling short in 2019, but was a part of the Davis Cup team with Spanish great Rafael Nadal that same year.
Despite closing in on his 40s, he's opted to ply his trade in the seventh rung of Spanish football, where he is looking to add to his 12 tennis singles titles.
New stage of life
“It's a new stage of life that's making me very happy”, Bautista Agut said on Instagram. “May the good start continue!”
Bautista Agut's Wimbledon run seven years ago was his best performance in Grand Slams across his career. The campaign at SW19 that year played a key role in catapulting him into the top 10 world rankings, following an Australian Open quarter-final where he lost out to Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Farewell on court
Announcing his retirement, he said: “I've been living a dream for many years. I've given everything I had in every practice session and every match.
“Now I feel the time has come to start saying goodbye, to enjoy every tournament in a different way and to end this phase of my life with gratitude for my beloved tennis.
“I want to be present until the final point of the year. I want to feel and appreciate the support of the people, to compete one more time in the tournaments that have been part of my life, and to say farewell on court, which is where I’ve always been happiest.”
Bautista Agut failed to progress beyond the first round at this summer's Wimbledon as 19-year-old Brazilian prospect Joao Fonseca won in straight sets.
