Paolo Maldini is set to compete in an ATP tennis tournament

Paolo Maldini. The legendary Italian defender is one of the most respected players to have ever played the game. He is an absolute champion of AC Milan, having spent his entire playing career at the iconic club. And it looks like he is achieving great things even after his football career, as Paolo Maldini is set to compete in an ATP tennis tournament.

Maldini and Stefano Landonio will participate in the Aspira Tennis Cup, an ATP tournament later this month. The pair secured qualification yesterday and will take part in the event which will be held in Milan.

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It seems incredible that the five time European champion will participate in a tennis event, given his late arrival in the game. But according to his coach, Paolo Maldini is quite the talent on the tennis court.

‘Paolo’s gifted with a good serve in addition to some decent shots,’ he told the Tennis Italiano website.

‘He’s also improving his volleys and while he may not be catching the eye in any particular part of his game, he does not have any weaknesses either.

‘Since he only started playing five or six years ago, there are some deficits in terms of technique.

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‘If he’d started working on his technique earlier, then who knows?’

Paolo will make his ATP debut on June 26, which is incidentally the day he turns 49.

As if he was not a legend already, Maldini has just showed that a sportsman never does retire. You can bet on one thing though, the Milan crowd will support him no matter what happens in his match. And rightly so.