The crock of ages: Sustaining an injury in a new sporting persuit

I’m still nobbled on the cobbles ‘cos I hobble when I wobble...

After Paolo Maldini and his partner were soundly beaten in a doubles game in Milan last Monday, there was much attention paid to the great man’s lyrical description of his pro tennis debut, at the age of 49, as having felt like “writing a poem after years of studying maths”.

The celebrated Italian defender also made the startling revelation that, at the earliest of doors in a 6-1, 6-1 defeat, he had actually sustained an injury.