Ex-Manchester United star set to make his professional tennis debut after swapping sports
Former Manchester United forward Diego Forlan is swapping the football pitch for the tennis court making his professional debut in the Uruguay Open next month.
Ex-Manchester United star Diego Forlan is returning to professional sport next month as a tennis player, not a footballer.
Forlan has a remarkable career on the pitch and shot to fame following a move to Old Trafford back in 2002. However, after hanging up his boots, Forlan has now turned his attention to tennis.
The Uruguayan is set to make his professional debut in the sport next month at his home tournament on the ATP Challenger Tour. A statement from the event read: "Attention tennis and sports fans! This year at the Uruguay Open, we have an unmissable duo in doubles.
"Argentine tennis player Federico Coria (currently number 78 in the ATP ranking) and former Uruguayan football player Diego Forlan. Yes, our number 10 is smashing it in tennis too!"
His partner is the world number 101 in singles and previously reached a high of 49 so Forlan has a decent chance of doing well in the event. Becuase the Uruguay Open is on the ATP's second-tier Challenger Tour, the former Untied star is permitted to enter as a wildcard.
Tournament organisers also revealed a fun fact about Forlan who is a left-handed tennis player despite being right-footed during his football playing days.
After arriving at United to the tune of £6.9 million, he soon became a hero after scoring a brace in a dramatic 2-1 victory away to arch-rivals Liverpool at Anfield.
Despite winning the Premier League during his three-and-a-half-year spell at the club, his most successful years came when he left, most notably at Atletico Madrid - a club where he won the Europa League and the European Golden Shoe on two occasions
He also had a highly successful international career reaching the World Cup semi-final in 2010 and lifting the Copa America a year later. At, 45, Forlan is proving there's still life left in him even if it isn't on a football pitch.