Man Utd cult hero beaten in just 47 minutes on professional tennis debut after switching sports at 45
MANCHESTER UNITED icon Diego Forlan had an expectedly difficult professional tennis debut.
The retired footballer, 45, has swapped the pitch for the court in a bid to play tennis at a professional level after excelling as a youngster.
Forlan, who played for the likes of Man Utd, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan, turned his attention to tennis after hanging up his boots in 2019.
And the 112-time Uruguay international has grafted on the ITF Tour to rebuild his skills, competing in over 45 events and ranking No.108 in that category.
But now the football hero has finally tried his hand at professional tennis, playing on the ATP Challenger Tour – tennis’ second tier circuit.
Forlan played alongside Argentine partner Federico Coria in a game of doubles after receiving a wildcard for the Uruguay Open in Montevideo.
However, the pair were beaten in just 47 MINUTES as opponents Boris Arias and Federico Zeballos smashed the debutant and his partner 6-1 6-2.
Things started positively for Forlan and Coria as they held serve to start the match, but their Bolivian counterparts soon showed their experience and pulled away.
Forlan’s partner, Coria, is no stranger to pro tennis.
The 32-year-old had a career-high singles ranking of 49 and has beaten stars such as British No.1 Cam Norrie in recent history.
Diego Forlan's football career
A brief look at the career of Diego Forlan..
CLUB CAREER
1998 – 2002: Independiente
2002 – 2004: Manchester United
2004 – 2007: Villarreal
2007 – 2011: Atletico Madrid
2011 – 2012: Inter Milan
2012 – 2014: Sports Club Internacional
2014 – 2015: Cerezo Osaka
2015 – 2016: Penarol
2016 – 2017: Mumbai City
2018: Kitchee
INTERNATIONAL CAREER
Caps: 112
Goals: 36
Assists: 13
Major tournament appearances: 28
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Speaking ahead of his debut Forlan acknowledged just how difficult facing seasoned pros would be, but hinted that he wanted to try his hand at it at least once to see what would happen.
Speaking to The Guardian, he said: “I’m far away from those guys. For me, everything is positive.
“Playing with professionals, just for one game, you never know, but I know it’s difficult. I will enjoy.
“It’s going to be in my club with so many people, good weather.
“Having the opportunity to be, I don’t know if I’m the first, a professional football player and professional tennis player, just for one game, it’s a privilege.”
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