- The former footballer participates in a professional tennis tour from 2023
- The tournament was excited to announce the “tremendous news” this week.
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A former Manchester United striker will take part in the Uruguay Open next month, the tournament has announced.
The Premier League winner, who left Old Trafford in 2004 before retiring from football completely in 2018, will star alongside Argentine athlete Federico Coria in the professional tennis competition in Montevideo.
The tournament was delighted to announce the “tremendous news” this week, exciting fans who will no doubt be eager to see the Uruguayan legend in action in a completely different sport.
United’s cult hero taking part in the Uruguay Open is none other than Diego Forlán, who won the English top flight with the Red Devils under Sir Alex Ferguson in 2002-03.
The Uruguayan also won the FA Cup at Old Trafford in 2004 before moving to La Liga side Villarreal, where he made more than 100 appearances for the club.
A former Manchester United striker will participate in the Uruguay Open next month
Since July of last year, Forlán has been competing on the ITF Masters professional tennis circuit.
He will partner Federico Coria, pictured in action against Cameron Norrie at the 2020 US Open.
Forlán then took up arms with Atlético Madrid during the most prolific period of his career in terms of goals, scoring 74 goals in 134 appearances before moving to Inter Milan in 2011.
The former Uruguay international, who earned 112 caps for his country, toured Brazil, Japan, India and his homeland before retiring at Hong Kong’s Kitchee in 2018.
The 45-year-old has since managed his boyhood club Peñarol and Uruguayan club Atenas, before turning to tennis.
Since July of last year, Forlán has competed in the ITF Masters professional tennis circuit and reached the quarterfinals at the ITF MT1000 Lima tournament in Peru, a competition for athletes 45 years of age and older.
When announcing the news of Forlán’s participation alongside Coria in the Uruguay Open, which will be held between November 11 and 17, the tournament said: ‘Attention tennis and sports fans!
‘This year at the Uruguay Open we have an UNMISSABLE duo in doubles: the Argentine tennis player Federico Coria (currently number 78 in the ATP ranking) and the former Uruguayan soccer player Diego Forlán.
Forlán (right, pictured with David Beckham) helped Man United win the Premier League in 2003.
Since retiring in 2018, Forlán has managed his childhood club, Peñarol, in Uruguay.
‘Yes, our number 10 is also succeeding in tennis! This year, Forlán has competed in more than three +40 tournaments in Montevideo, also standing out in the MT1000 in Lima of the ITF World Tennis Masters Tour.
‘Fun fact: Forlán is left-handed in tennis, unlike how he played soccer, and his right-footed shot is the most powerful. What do you think of this news? Do you have faith in this duo?
Coria reacted to the news by publishing: ‘Uffff, the double of the year.’