I reached the final of Wimbledon but now I’m cheating death as a rally car driver after swapping sports
DAVID NALBANDIAN was one of the greatest tennis gamers in the world and reached the Wimbledon final.
But now he has swapped rallying on the lawns of the All England Club for the tracks of rally racing in a harmful profession change.
And he even cheated death with a spectacular crash whereas competing in his native Argentina in 2021.
Nalbandian and his co-pilot managed to stroll away unharmed regardless of rolling the car FIVE occasions in a terrifying second – his third main crash since taking the wheel.
It is a far cry from his 13 years as a tennis skilled on the ATP Tour.
The 41-year-old from Unquillo was a profitable junior star, beating Roger Federer in the US Open boys’ singles final, and made the step as much as the seniors in 2000.
And simply two years later, he competed in his solely Grand Slam final at Wimbledon the place he misplaced comprehensively to prime seed Lleyton Hewitt 6-1 6-3 6-2.
Nalbandian went on to achieve a additional 4 main semi-finals, received 11 profession titles together with the 2005 year-end ATP Finals and made a career-high world No3.
However, many tennis followers will keep in mind a well-known incident at Queen’s which noticed him disqualified in dramatic circumstances.
The Argentine ace – who went to Qatar to observe his nation win the World Cup – reached the 2012 final and took the opening set towards Marin Cilic.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
But after being damaged to path 3-4 in the second, he kicked out at a wood panel in entrance of a line decide’s chair, inadvertently crashing it into their shin and slicing it open to attract blood.
The outburst price him £36,114 in misplaced prize cash plus a most £8,000 fantastic and he was docked 150 in rating factors.
Overall, although, Nalbandian loved a fantastic tennis profession and hung up his racket in 2013 following shoulder surgical procedure earlier than making the change to the Argentine Rally Championship to finish a lifelong dream.
He mentioned: “Tennis was my job and racing is a interest. It’s very completely different.
“I don’t have strain right here. I am studying and attempting to do my greatest but not as a skilled.
“Rally is one thing I at all times wished to do, and now I have the time to do it.
“I take pleasure in the conventional rally the most, over rallycross, these are utterly completely different.
“Tennis and rally racing are two very completely different specialities, virtually unimaginable to match. The adrenaline in the car is even tough to elucidate.”
.