- Snow seen on Mount Fuji after record time without
- Ohtani has surgery on injured shoulder - Dodgers
- Pop-up concerts try to soothe anxious voters as US goes to polls
- Sporting's rout of Man City doesn't guarantee success with Man Utd: Amorim
- Top Mexican court nixes bid to invalidate election of judges
- FBI warns of hoax bomb threats from Russia at US voting sites
- Liverpool the 'complete' team, says Alonso after Leverkusen humbled
- Diaz hits hat-trick as Liverpool spoil Alonso's return to Anfield
- Sporting stun Man City in Champions League as Liverpool, Milan claim fine wins
- 'Like a little boy': Uruguay's Forlan on his tennis pro debut
- Man City in a 'dark place' but Guardiola vows to solve the crisis
- Substitute Malen's late strike lifts Dortmund past Sturm Graz
- Lille deny Juventus in Champions League stalemate
- NBA suspends Embiid three games for shoving journalist
- Thousands in Tel Aviv protest Israel defence minister's sacking
- Kehrer snatches late Champions League win for Monaco at Bologna
- Celtic inflict more Champions League pain on Leipzig
- AC Milan topple Champions League holders Real Madrid
- Ruthless Liverpool spoil Alonso's return to Anfield
- Amorim's Sporting crush Man City as Gyokeres hits hat-trick
- German's family doesn't 'trust anything' said by Iran on his death: daughter
- Thousands protest in Serbian city over fatal roof collapse
- Harris or Trump? Millions vote in tense, tight US election
- What we know about the soldiers 'held hostage' by Bolivia demonstrators
- Israel's Netanyahu fires defence minister over 'trust' breakdown
- Ronaldo strikes as Al Nassr thump Al Ain in AFC Champions League
- Emery challenges Villa to seize Champions League chance
- Spain unveils $11 bn aid plan after catastrophic floods
- Gauff beats Swiatek at WTA Finals as Sabalenka earns year-end No.1
- Concern grows for Iran woman detained over underwear protest
- Cowboys' Prescott 'likely' to land on injured reserve - Jones
- Amid injury concerns Davis says Lakers must be better
- US writes off over $1 billion of Somalia debt
- Gauff beats Swiatek to reach last four of WTA Finals
- French court jails 18 members of Channel people smuggling gang
- Scotland's Graham ruled out of South Africa showdown
- Flamengo striker Bruno Henrique probed in Brazil betting scandal
- Stock markets climb, dollar dips as US votes
- Boeing union approves contract, ending over 7-week strike
- Gazans want new US president to end the war
- Bayern feel 'drama' after poor Champions League start, says Kompany
- England name unchanged team for Australia clash
- Davis Cup aiming for 'special' Nadal retirement celebration
- Inzaghi hints at Inter Milan turnover for Arsenal clash
- Stock markets rise, dollar falls as US votes
- Germany arrests eight members of far-right paramilitary group
- French women 'stunned' as partners accused in mass rape trial
- US September trade deficit widest in over two years
- Krejcikova ends Pegula's last-four hopes at WTA Finals
- Reform row puts Mexico at risk of 'constitutional crisis'
'Like a little boy': Uruguay's Forlan on his tennis pro debut
Former Manchester United and Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan said Tuesday that he felt "like a little boy" after swapping his football boots for a tennis racket at the age of 45.
Uruguayan forward Forlan was speaking at the launch of the Uruguay Open, where he will make his professional tennis debut next week.
"I enjoy it (tennis) like a little boy and having the privilege of playing a professional tournament is a luxury," Forlan said at the Carrasco Lawn Tennis Club in Montevideo which will host the tournament from November 10 to 17.
Forlan, who retired from the Uruguayan national team in 2015 and from club football in 2019, will play doubles with Argentina's Federico Coria, the 32-year-old brother of Argentina's Davis Cup captain, Guillermo Coria.
The winner of the Golden Ball for best player at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, who played tennis before becoming a professional footballer, has just made his debut in the over-40 circuit of the International Tennis Federation.
He said he was excited to compete on the courts where he played as a child.
"It's a gift, so I don't have to prove anything to anyone. I'm still a former football player enjoying a sport that I played from a very young age," he said.
He cited among his tennis heroes Uruguay's Diego Perez, Marcelo Filippini and Pablo Cuevas but also expressed admiration for Spanish legend Rafael Nadal, whom he described as a "fighter".
- 'Having a good time' -
The Uruguay Open, part of the ATP's second-tier Challenger Tour, is the country's biggest men's professional tennis tournament.
Besides Coria, it will also feature fellow top-100 players Francisco Comesana and Thiago Monteiro.
"I try to prepare in the best possible way, but I am clear about the fact that I am not at the level of professional players," said Forlan.
"First there is a significant age difference, even though I am in good condition physically."
He added that he knew "it will not be easy at all and that those who come here come to win".
"I do that in every sport, all the more so at professional level," he said, promising to do his best "and have a good time".
Over the course of his club career Forlan was twice the Spanish La Liga's top scorer.
He also won the Premier League with Man United in 2003, the Europa League with Atletico seven years later and helped Uruguay win the 2011 Copa America for a record 15th time.
Forlan said that while he had "greatly enjoyed" his time on the pitch he played "much more tennis" now.
"The truth is that I would never have imagined today that I would have the opportunity to play tennis at a professional level, not even close," he said.
"It's a sport that I play and that I have fun with, but I don't dominate it in the way I did football," he said.
O.Lorenz--BTB