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Roberto Bautista Agut Signs for Seventh‑Tier Spanish Club and Scores Twice on Debut

The 38-year-old retired tennis star calls the switch a joyful new stage and the local club says it expects him to play through the season.

Overview

  • Roberto Bautista Agut has joined C.D. Els Ibarsos and scored two goals in a 4-2 pre-season win for the club after being presented to fans on the club's Instagram account.
  • The move follows his retirement from professional tennis just over a month ago and represents a return to competitive football at an amateur regional level rather than a professional transfer.
  • Els Ibarsos is a small, community-focused club about 60 miles north of Valencia that announced the signing on Instagram and said it hopes to feature Bautista Agut for the full season.
  • Bautista Agut played youth football with Villarreal until about age 14 before choosing tennis, and he leaves a decorated tennis career that includes 12 ATP singles titles, a 2019 Davis Cup win and a Wimbledon semi-final.
  • The switch has drawn public interest by linking a high-profile sports legacy to grassroots football and could raise the club's visibility while offering Bautista Agut a less pressured, community-centered sporting role.