MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay — Former soccer icon Diego Forlán has embarked on a new journey in professional tennis, but his debut yielded a disappointing result. On Wednesday, the 45-year-old and his partner, Argentine tennis player Federico Coria, faced off against the duo of Boris Arias and Federico Zeballos in the first round of the ATP Challenger Tour at the Uruguay Open. The match concluded with a score of 6-1, 6-2, marking a challenging start for Forlán in this new athletic endeavor.

Forlán and Coria received wild-card entries to compete in the doubles category of this prominent tournament. Known for his amazing soccer career, Forlán transitioned to tennis following his retirement from professional soccer in 2019. He enjoyed a successful run with prestigious clubs like Manchester United, Atletico Madrid, and Inter Milan. In 2010, he was honored as the best player of the World Cup and was one of the top scorers. His contributions also led Uruguay to clinch their first Copa America title in 16 years in 2011, where he played a crucial role by scoring two goals in the final.

Over the last five years, Forlán has participated in various amateur master’s tennis competitions and has achieved notable success, which ultimately earned him the right to compete in Uruguay’s premier professional tennis event. As he continues to make strides in this sport, fans are eager to see how the former soccer legend adapts to the challenges of tennis.