Former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan made his much-anticipated professional tennis debut on Thursday.
The Uruguayan featured in a doubles match with Argentine Federico Coria which unfortunately ended in defeat for the South American pair.
As reported by The Daily Star, Forlan and Coria were comfortably beaten inside an hour by Bolivian duo of Boris Arias and Federico Zeballos.
The Uruguay Open match ended 6-1, 6-2 with Forlan and his partner struggling to make an impact from the beginning.
All of Forlan’s service games ended with a break but the former footballer showed flashes of his ability, particularly at the net.
Despite the loss, Forlan was honest with his assessment after the event and was grateful to play alongside Coria in front of a huge crowd.
Diego Forlan at the net! 💯#ATPChallenger | @DiegoForlan7 pic.twitter.com/p24PQgTVxJ
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) November 14, 2024
“I know my limitations. I’m grateful for the opportunity to play with Fede; it’s not easy for him to enter these tournaments with an amateur beside him.
“There was a big crowd, which you don’t always see in tennis. I used to experience it in football, playing in front of 60,000 people, but in that sport is normal for me, not here,” he said.
Forlan is now setting his sights on the ITF senior tour, targeting tournaments in the over-45 category.
“I know I have opportunities to play ITF tournaments in the +45 category, which is where I’ve been competing. The plan is to keep at it, with people from Lawn Tennis, friends, travelling, and enjoying it,” he added.
The 45-year-old enjoyed a fine footballing career which included a relatively short stint at United in which he became somewhat of a cult hero.
Having suffered early struggles in the Premier League, a quickfire brace at Anfield in late 2002 secured a fine win on enemy territory for United and earned Forlan a place in the hearts of fans in the process.
Forlan went on to score a hatful of goals for multiple clubs around the globe including Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan, Internacional and Mumbai City before eventually retiring in 2019 after a season in Hong Kong at Kitchee.
Given his hero status at Old Trafford, United fans will no doubt keep a close eye on Diego’s tennis journey and wish him all the best in his new sporting career.
