Sport
Former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan starts his professional tennis career next month
Before you say anything, yes, we know that's technically a padel raquet.
Danny Jones -
22nd October 2024 
In a surprising sporting story, ex-Manchester United forward Diego Forlan is set to restart his days as a professional athlete half a decade on from hanging up his boots – only this time it will be as a tennis star.
Former Man United striker Forlan, now 45 years old, played for the Red Devils between 2002 and 2004, going down as a bit of a cult hero among fans even with only just over a dozen goals for the club – mainly because of that one he scored against Liverpool.
The Uruguayan officially retired back in 2019 following a successful career that spanned nearly three decades, but now Uruguay’s 2010 World Cup Golden Boot winner is set to swap his studs for a tennis racquet this November.
At an age when the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are retiring from the sport, Forlan is getting back in action.
Former Manchester United forward Diego Forlan will make his professional tennis debut at next month’s Uruguay Open 🇺🇾😮 pic.twitter.com/5ZaSDzLXwm
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) October 22, 2024
While it might sound a little left-field at first, the fact is that before Diego Forlan the footballer who arrived in the Premier League just after the Millennium, the striker actually played plenty of tennis as a kid and at one point looked destined for tennis.
It was only in his teens that he officially decided to direct all his attention towards the beautiful game and started his youth career at his boyhood club, Peñarol, before getting his first senior contract at Independiente in 1997.
After impressing in a number of amateur games, the former athlete will make his professional tennis debut alongside 32-year-old Federico Coria in a double event back in his home country.
An official announcement from the tournament organisers reads: “Attention tennis and sports fans! This year at the Uruguay Open, we have an UNMISSABLE duo in doubles: Argentine tennis player Federico Coria and former Uruguayan football player Diego Forlan.”
‘Cachavacha’, as he was sometimes known, is actually already part of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and holds a 45+ singles ranking of 108, having won eight matches and lost three.
Diego Forlán was 16 when he gave up tennis to focus on his football career.
— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) June 20, 2024
Now 45, he’s playing tennis outside of Uruguay for the first time in his career and has dropped just three games in his last two matches on the ITF circuit in Lima. pic.twitter.com/mTpb7mOHRL
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The Uruguay Open fixtures are at Challenger Tour level – the second-highest professional tier in tennis – but should Forlan and Argentine partner Coria progress, this could be the start of a whole new career who’s already enjoyed a lifetime as a professional athlete.
If you look back through history, there have been all manner of sports personalities that have changed disciplines and gone on to have plenty of joy too.
Michael Jordan trying his hand at baseball, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was an American footballer before a wrestler and even Stockport’s very own Paralympic hero Dame Sarah Storey was winning medals as a swimmer way before she became a cyclist.
We don’t know how serious the prospect of becoming a full-time professional tennis player is in his mind and his age will no doubt be a big factor but who knows, maybe Forlan will see the same fortune?
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Featured Images — Ailura (via Wikimedia Commons)/Diego Forlan (via Instagram)
