Gareth Bale retired from professional soccer in January this year. He was regarded as one of the greatest soccer players in the history of the sport. Bale was also known to be one of the fastest players on the pitch. His goalscoring ability made him the top player from Wales, and he represented his country in 111 matches. Now Bale has shown his abilities as a tennis player.
The former Real Madrid player was seen effortlessly hitting forehands on the court. Bale was hitting with pace and accuracy as he kept practicing his shots. His hidden talent stunned the fans. “Wow. I have seen worse forehands in the ATP Tour,” commented a fan after watching the video. The former soccer player has now found a passion for the sport.
Wow. I have seen worse forehands in the ATP Tour. https://t.co/KD5NKrCdV5
— Flavietto99 🇮🇹 (RAFA 22 🏆) (@FlavioBertolin8) October 25, 2023
Probably make top 10 in this era https://t.co/J8vIDXu0rz
— Vickesh | વિકેશ (@Vickesh) October 25, 2023
Fans began comparing his talents as they had seen him play at the Ryder Cup a few weeks ago. One of the fans commented,” He’s a great golfer too!,” as Bale is now excelling in all kinds of sports.
He’s a great golfer too!
— Ryan (@Mitchener1Ryan) October 25, 2023
The 34-year-old had spent his playing days at Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur. His final season was with Los Angeles FC. Now, Bale is spending time with his family and getting good rest. There have been a few soccer players who have tried their hand at professional tennis.
Which soccer stars have also played tennis?
Along with Gareth Bale, there have been multiple instances where soccer players have tried their hand at tennis. The former winger was practicing his shots on the court. Former Italian soccer player Paolo Maldini started practicing tennis after his retirement. He also qualified for an ATP Challenger event in 2017 and played one doubles match before retiring from the sport.
Maldini played professional soccer until the age of 41. Like Maldini, Michael Boulding played a few years of professional tennis while being a soccer player. Boulding played five doubles matches in the ITF circuit and two matches in the challenger in the late nineties. The British player also played nine singles matches on the ITF tour.
Capped 126 times 🇮🇹
Won 26 trophies with AC Milan 🏆
Made pro tennis debut ✔️Is there anything Paolo Maldini can’t do? pic.twitter.com/TFg9NeqYMh
— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) June 28, 2017
There have been a handful of athletes who have played in the international arena in multiple sports. The skillsets required in soccer and tennis are different. Physical fitness is the only common area in sports, but there are more things required from a professional athlete. Bale has shown his potential in soccer, golf, and tennis. Fans will be waiting to know which sport he will try next.