David Foster Wallace has written about Roger Federer's tennis game as a religious experience, and the sport's latest high-profile addition seems on the cusp of another sporting resurrection.
Paolo Maldini, the great AC Milan footballer who played with the club for a remarkable 24 years, making more than 900 appearances, many of which were burnished by trophy presentations. In all, Maldini won seven Serie A titles, five European Cups, and one Italian Cup in one of football's finest careers.
Since retiring at the age of 41, Maldini has left Milan, and has become the co-owner of MLS franchise Miami FC, employing former teammate Alessandro Nesta as manager.
49 later this month, Maldini is returning to play elite sport, although it's not the game he has graced since the mid-1980s.
Nope, Maldini and his playing partner Stefano Landonio have won a wildcard to compete in the doubles competition of the Challenger Tour in Milan. Tennis has three main divisions: the Futures tour, the Challengers tour, and the ATP tour are the respective Non-League, Championship and Premier League of the sport.
Maldini and partner will be competing for the £30,000 prize money, and ideally, a shot at the ATP tour, the fiefdom ruled by Messrs Federer, Djokovic, Nadal, and Murray.
Maldini took up tennis after retirement, and employed Landonio as his coach. Now, thanks to a wildcard entry, they have the chance of making a nice bit of dough.
Unlikely, perhaps, but Paolo Maldini has made a nonsense out of time in the past.
