ROME (AP) — Former French Open finalist Sara Errani is going to trade in her tennis racket for a padel immediately after Roland-Garros.
Errani was granted a wild card on Tuesday to play in Premier Padel’s Italy Major at the Foro Italico next week.
The 38-year-old Errani will pair with 20-year-old Giulia Dal Pozzo.
Errani has advanced to the semifinals in both women’s doubles (with Jasmine Paolini) and mixed doubles (with Andrea Vavasssori) in Paris. She and Paolini also won gold in doubles at the Paris Olympics and have won two consecutive titles at the Italian Open, which is also contested at the Foro Italico.
Errani has said she plans to move full time into padel when her tennis career is finished. When she lost in qualifying at the French Open, she said that was her final singles match in tennis. But she plans to continue playing doubles with Paolini.
Errani lost the 2012 French Open singles final to Maria Sharapova.
Errani also took part in two pro padel events this year in Melbourne, Australia, and Dubai.
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The Associated Press
