Ex-Man Utd striker Diego Forlan set to make ATP debut with first professional tennis match

Ex- star Diego Forlan is prepping for a maiden appearance as his first professional tennis match looms.

The former footballer, who also enjoyed stints at Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and Villarreal, turned his hand to tennis after hanging up the boots and has made a positive impression on the ITF senior circuit.

However, Forlan is now looking to turn things up a notch, as he gears up for his professional debut aged 45 years old.

Forlan, who won the Player of the Tournament award, is in the line-up for next month's Uruguay Open in Montevideo.

Alongside doubles partner Federico Coria, Forlan has been granted a wildcard spot for the ATP Challenger event, which is played on an outdoor clay surface.

Coria is ranked 101st in the world and the Argentine is also set to compete in the singles tournament.

Commenting on his post-football pastime, Forlan told The Athletic earlier this year: "I need something where I can run.

"Golf, you play in beautiful places - I like it and I still do it, but I need something different, something more similar to football. I started training and playing tennis and I was getting better and better.

"At first, I would play the top players at the club and players from around Uruguay and it was easy for them to beat me.

"Then it became more difficult. Now I can win. At the club tournaments, I was losing in the first round, now I'm winning a lot of them."

The Montevideo-born ace does have one thing going his way ahead of his first professional outing on the court, given he shares a familiar trait with tennis legend Rafael Nadal.

Forlan, just like Nadal, is right-handed and footed for everything he does... apart from playing tennis.

It's a trait that has stuck with Forlan his entire life, having been challenged to play with his left hand as a kid by his brother.

Reminiscing on his love for tennis, Forlan added: "If you see me play, you will think, 'This guy has played since he was a kid because the technique is more of a tennis player. Of course, not a professional tennis player. But it looks like he played tennis his whole life.'

"I'm not saying a good player, but if you see me play nowadays you will see a tennis player, not an ex-football player."