Uruguayan football icon Diego Forlan experienced a challenging day on the tennis court during his doubles match at the Uruguay Open on Wednesday, as reported by AFP.
The former Uruguay striker, teaming up with Argentina's Federico Cori, faced a tough debut in tennis, suffering a 6-1, 6-2 defeat against Bolivia's Boris Arias and Federico Zeballos. The 45-year-old Forlan struggled under the pressure, with the duo managing only 27 points in the 47-minute match. This performance was in stark contrast to the enthusiastic support from the packed crowd at the Carrasco Lawn Tennis Centre, who were eager to witness the same brilliance Forlan once displayed on the football field.
Despite the loss, Forlan remained positive in a post-match press conference. "I enjoyed it quite a lot. I knew that the possibility of it being a difficult game for us was very high. I was happy. It's not easy at all. I played an exhibition in 2017 and 2018 and I didn't have the experience of today," he said.
Forlan's football career was marked by numerous achievements, including 36 goals in 112 appearances for Uruguay and a memorable run to the semifinals of the 2010 World Cup. After retiring from football in 2018, he has shifted his focus to tennis, participating in over three +40 tournaments in Montevideo and making a notable appearance in the MT1000 in Lima of the ITF World Tennis Masters Tour. However, his journey from football star to tennis novice will undoubtedly require more practice and dedication.
The Challenger Tour event in Montevideo is set to continue from November 11-17.
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