Slightly more than a month following his retirement from professional tennis, Roberto Bautista Agut has made a comeback to competitive athletics—shifting his focus to the soccer field.
At 38 years of age, the ex-Wimbledon semifinalist has joined CD Els Ibarsos, a team in Spain’s seventh division, and managed to net two goals during a 4-2 victory in his inaugural pre-season appearance.
Over the course of his tennis journey, the Spanish athlete secured a dozen singles trophies alongside a Davis Cup victory representing Spain in 2019.
Finding similar triumph in association football is his latest endeavor.
“This marks a fresh chapter in my life, and it brings me immense joy,” shared Bautista Agut on his Instagram account.
“Hoping this positive momentum carries forward!”
This transition marks a return to his roots for Bautista Agut, who was part of the Villarreal youth academy until he was 14, at which point he decided to focus on tennis instead.
Located roughly 60 miles north of Valencia, Els Ibarsos revealed that Bautista Agut was introduced to supporters prior to kickoff, with the organization eagerly anticipating his contributions throughout the entire season.
“It is now official: Roberto Bautista Agut has joined CD Els Ibarsos,” announced the team via Instagram.
“We appreciate everyone who showed up to back us and generate such an incredible vibe during this memorable night. We also extend our gratitude to Roberto for believing in our project and our community.”
At the peak of his tennis journey, Bautista Agut climbed to a career-high ranking of world number nine in late 2019, a milestone propelled by his semi-final appearance at Wimbledon earlier that year.
