Uruguay legend Diego Forlan might have hung up his boots, but not his tennis shoes. The 45-year-old will be making a shock return to professional sport next month.
As per Diario AS, the former Manchester United, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal forward will take place in the challenger event as part of a doubles pair with Fede Corea in Uruguay next month. The 45-year-old is a fan of the sport, and having had a go at management at Penarol and Atenas, will now make the switch to a professional tournament.
🇺🇾 ¡DE LOS BOTINES A LA RAQUETA!
🎾 A los 45 años, Diego Forlán regresó al tenis y en Lima la está rompiendo en el circuito ITF Senior con dos victorias en el MT1000 peruano
✔️ 6-0 y 6-2 ante Carreño y 6-0 y 6-1 a Hernández los triunfos de Cachavacha
🎥 Tenis al Máximo pic.twitter.com/OksAQWkic9
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) June 19, 2024
“My father played football and after retiring at 41 he started playing tennis. That’s why I started when I was two years old. Then you already know that I dedicated myself to football before dedicating myself to this sport, as often as I do now,” he said after an event in Lima, Peru.
Ex-Villarreal, Atletico Madrid and #MUFC forward Diego Forlan has tried his hand at management since retiring, and is now giving tennis a go.
As per Diario AS, Forlan will play in a professional tournament, which takes place between the 11th and 17th of November. pic.twitter.com/hyx9LaGyDY
— Football España (@footballespana_) October 22, 2024
Forlan is ranked 112 in the world by the International Tennis Federation in the over-45 category, and won the doubles in Lima at a challenger event. He also reached the final in a singles match in Asuncion in Paraguay earlier this year. He has acted as an ambassador for La Liga in the past too, and outside of Artem Dovbyk, is the last player to have won the Pichichi award that did not play for Real Madrid or Barcelona.
