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Roberto Bautista Agut makes perfect start to new sporting career after tennis retirement - 'A new stage of life' Published 15/08/2026 at 15:53 GMT+1 React to this story Roberto Bautista Agut only announced his retirement from tennis in July, wrapping up his career after a first-round defeat to Joao Fonseca at Wimbledon. But he has already made the transition to a new sport and he began impressively. 'Best my body has felt in two years' - Djokovic prepares for return in Cincinnati Video credit: SNTV The Spaniard is a well-known figure in tennis having been ranked as high as world No. 9 in 2019. He won 20 career titles, lost to Andy Murray in the final of the Shanghai Masters in 2016 and made the semi-final of Wimbledon in 2019, losing to eventual winner Novak Djokovic. Having racked up prize money of more than $20 million (£14.8m), it would have been understandable had the 38-year-old chose to enjoy a period of post-retirement leisure. Instead, he immediately signed for a football club, seventh-tier side CD Els Ibarsos, making his debut in a pre-season match. Els Ibarsos, based in Castellon in eastern Spain, won 4-2 against Morella, but all eyes were on Bautista Agut. Remarkably, he scored twice for his new club, perhaps proving that an elite sportsperson can excel across multiple disciplines. Bautista Agut, wearing the No. 11 shirt, was only on the pitch for around 40 minutes, but made a big impact. "It's a new stage of life that's making me very happy," he wrote on Instagram. "May the good start continue!" Bautista Agut is not a complete newcomer to football, of course: he was in the youth team at La Liga club Villarreal as a teenager. He played both football and tennis until the age of 14, eventually committing to the latter. Now he is set for his first full season as a footballer. - Swiatek ends title drought as Shelton retains Canadian Open crown - Roddick compares Djokovic late-career style changes to Federer's - 'Bit of a circus' - 'Best that my body felt in two years' - Djokovic reveals post-Wimbledon fitness boost "Thanks to everyone who came out to support us and create a great atmosphere on an unforgettable evening. And thank you, Roberto, for putting your trust in this project and this town," Els Ibarsos wrote on Instagram. "We have a whole season ahead of us to enjoy watching him play." Bautista Agut had just a few weeks earlier confirmed on social media that his tennis career would come to an end. "I am grateful to everyone who has been with me on this journey; today I can say it has been a demanding yet wonderful dream, thanks to everything tennis has given me," he wrote. Plenty of other top tennis players were promising footballers in their youth, including the likes of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Flavio Cobolli, who was in Roma's youth academy. Add TNT Sports as a preferred source here to enjoy more content like this. Watch and stream top tennis action, including the 2027 Australian Open and 2027 French Open, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max Related Topics Advertisement Advertisement