Being a multi-champion footballer didn’t quench Diego Forlán ‘s thirst for competition and triumph in sports: at 45, he will debut as a professional tennis player.
The former Uruguay captain, a World Cup semifinalist in South Africa 2010, will compete in the doubles draw of the Montevideo Challenger in mid-November. He will partner with Argentine Federico Coria, currently ranked 101st in the world in singles.
This milestone will take place at the Carrasco Lawn Tennis Club, the most traditional tennis club in the small South American country.
The former Atlético Madrid, Manchester United, and Inter Milan forward could arrive at the clay courts on foot or by bike if he wants to: after retiring from football, Forlán settled in Carrasco, very close to the club, in a neighborhood known for its beautiful houses and gardens on the outskirts of Uruguay’s capital.
It was there that he began taking tennis seriously after setting it aside for years. Forlán was a very good player in his childhood and teenage years, but he left the racket behind to focus on football. Uruguayan media have reported that he made this decision to ensure better financial support for his sister, Alejandra, who was left quadriplegic after a car accident in 1991.
Diego Forlán se encuentra jugando un torneo de tenis en Lima y la está rompiendo.pic.twitter.com/NbpghLUFh6
— Pulso Sports Perú (@PulsoSportsPeru) June 19, 2024
“He plays every day and trains with me three times a week,” Enrique Pérez Cassarino, the legendary captain of Uruguay’s Davis Cup team, told Relevo. Forlán approached him to improve his game and compete in tournaments. He played several ITF seniors events before shinnings at the ITF 1000 in Lima, Peru, where he reached the quarterfinals in singles and won the doubles title.
“He struggles a bit when it comes to choosing shots to win points, but he’ll keep improving because he loves competing; he’s super competitive,” analyzed Pérez Cassarino. The man guiding Forlán in tennis believes his decision to choose football over tennis wasn’t due to his sister’s accident but rather his heritage: Diego’s father, Pablo Forlán, won the Copa Libertadores with Peñarol, Uruguay’s biggest club. His grandfather, Juan Carlos Corazzo, was also a footballer and even coached the Uruguayan national team.
The former Uruguayan Davis Cup captain described Forlán’s tennis attributes to Relevo in detail: “He’s left-handed, and like all lefties, he’s talented. He has a lot to improve in terms of being more aggressive, especially with his forehand. He uses it a lot, and his backhand keeps him in the game. His serve? It’s natural, but he doesn’t hit it as hard in tournaments as he does in practice. That’s also true of his other strokes; it happens when you lack match play. He’s in great shape. Really great. I’ve known him since he was 12, and I’ve witnessed his entire European career. Diego has enviable professionalism and discipline.”
“During his time at Villarreal and Atlético Madrid, he always found time for tennis. He even hit with Marat Safin when the Madrid tournament was played on hard courts. What he needs most now is to compete, play more matches, and make better decisions. But he enjoys it a lot. He wants to improve, compete, and win.”
It will be at the Uruguay Open, starting November 11, when the 2010 World Cup Golden Ball winner faces a new challenge in his multi-disciplinary sports career.
