Former footballer Forlan beaten on pro tennis debut
Retired footballer Diego Forlan lost 6-1 6-2 in 47 minutes on his professional tennis debut in a doubles event in his native Uruguay.
The former Manchester United and Atletico Madrid striker, 45, and Argentine partner Federico Coria lost to Bolivian pair Boris Arias and Federico Zeballos after receiving a wildcard for the Uruguay Open in Montevideo.
The tournament was on the ATP Challenger Tour – the level below the main ATP Tour.
Both Forlan and Coria and their opponents held serve to start the match, but Arias and Zeballos quickly pulled away after earning a break in the third game of the first set.
The second set followed in similar fashion with Forlan and Coria, who was ranked 49th in singles last year, struggling to compete in their opponents’ service games and not earning a break point.
Forlan was a promising junior tennis player in his youth and returned to playing more regularly following his 20-year football career.
He played with friends in the Montevideo club league and made his debut on the ITF Masters Tour in 2023.
Forlan was loudly supported by the home crowd throughout and posed for photographs with fans after the defeat.
