Former A.C. Milan soccer star turns to pro tennis at 48

Jun 20, 2017
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Former A.C. Milan soccer star turns to pro tennis at 48

Paolo Maldini, age 49, will play an ATP Challenger doubles event

Published Jun 20, 2017

Paolo Maldini, the former A.C. MilanĀ defender hasĀ five UEFA Champions League and seven Serie A titles among his many soccer accomplishments, will look to make his mark on professional tennis.

The 48-year-old Italian and his coach, former world No. 1,004-ranked doubles player Stefano Landonio, earned their way into the doubles drawĀ for theĀ ATP Challenger in Milan, which begins on Monday (Maldiniā€™s 49th birthday).

It will be Maldiniā€™s first professional tennis event after what was a long and illustrious soccer career.

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Could the same player who competed in his first match for A.C. Milan beforeĀ Rafael Nadal was born manage to hang in there with professionals in a new sport?

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ā€œTennis I play with friends. I play more tennis now. My knees are not too good,ā€ Maldini toldSport360 last year, adding that he's a fan ofĀ Roger Federer.

MaldiniĀ reportedly only started playing tennis "five to six years ago."

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Itā€™s safe to say that many of the players who will compete at the Milan ATP Challenger will have that same reaction when they see Maldini's name in the draw.

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