Internet Desk: One of the greatest legends of world football, will now likely be seen dominating the tennis court. Italian legend and AC Milan’s one of the all time greatest Paolo Maldini is now ready show his tennis skills. The powerful defender who starred for AC Milan over a number of years on the football pitch, now at 49 years of age and has qualified for a tennis tournament in Milan.
Maldini, now working as a director at Miami FC, qualified by wild card in the doubles in the weekend long Aspria Tennis Cup, part of the challenger circuit, the level below the ATP.
“He’s got a good service, he doesn’t have a speciality shot but he has no weak points either,” his partner and coach Stefano Landonio told local media.
Maldini only picked up a racket after hanging up his boots in 2009, finishing a career in which he played more than 600 times for AC Milan and won a further 126 caps for Italy.
Paolo Maldini has qualified for a professional tennis tournament in Italy after coming through a qualifying competition with his doubles partner Stefano Landonio.
The football legend will play in the Milan Open, which is a second-tier ATP Challenger Event and acts as a second-tier to the World Tour. However, it is still contested by people who have been playing tennis their whole lives.
Despite being 48 years old and with a fraction of the experience you would think he needs, Maldini and his doubles partner triumphed at the ‘rodeo’ competition at the Aspria Harbour Club, earning them a place in the main draw at the upcoming Milan Open.
His athletic prowess appears to have shone through on the court with Landonio telling Il Tennis Italiano: ‘We knew we could play well. It was our first competitive tournament, but we previously played some exhibition matches with Paolo for charity activities.