Former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan is set to make his professional tennis debut at an ATP Challenger event in Montevideo – the capital city of his native Uruguay – on 11-17 November.

Forlan, who also counts the likes of Villareal, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan among his former clubs, is slated to play in the doubles draw alongside Argentina’s Federico Coria.

The 45-year-old’s foray into professional tennis follows a stint playing on the ITF World Tennis Masters Tour, most recently in the 45-and-over age category. His last outing in ITF Masters Tennis came at MT400 Asuncion in August where he reached the final.

Forlan was a keen tennis player in his youth and ex-Manchester United players have previously recounted a nail-biting on-court showdown between him and Ruud van Nistelrooy when both were on the books of the Red Devils.

He will now get the chance to test himself on the professional tennis circuit – the ATP Challenger Tour is a tier below the full-blown ATP Tour – in a similar way to fellow ex-footballer Paolo Maldini in 2017.

Speaking earlier in the year about his experiences on the ITF World Tennis Masters Tour, Forlan, who amassed more than 100 caps for Uruguay and won the Golden Ball at the 2010 World Cup, said: “I like to challenge myself in life.

“This is a different sport for me, and I really enjoy the challenge of competing against very good players from different countries. Off the court, it has been nice to meet people and to travel. These are aspects of the Masters Tour that I enjoy a lot.”

Forlan made his debut on the ITF World Tennis Masters Tour in July 2023 and has since contested five events.

Recreational tennis players from Uruguay and other nations around the world can sign up for an ITF World Tennis Number at www.worldtennisnumber.com. Further information on how ITF World Tennis Number may improve your experience of playing tennis - or maybe even encourage you to pick up a racket for the first time - is also available on the website.