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Diego Forlán's Debut in Professional Tennis Begins with Doubles Loss at Uruguay Open

Uruguay's Diego Forlan looks at the ball during a men's doubles tennis match at the 2024 Uruguay Open in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Uruguay's Diego Forlan looks at the ball during a men's doubles tennis match at the 2024 Uruguay Open in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
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Diego Forlán's Debut in Professional Tennis Begins with Doubles Loss at Uruguay Open

Uruguay's Diego Forlan looks at the ball during a men's doubles tennis match at the 2024 Uruguay Open in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Uruguay's Diego Forlan looks at the ball during a men's doubles tennis match at the 2024 Uruguay Open in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)

Former soccer star Diego Forlán's newfound career in professional tennis started with a doubles loss Wednesday at the Uruguay Open.
The 45-year-old Forlán and Federico Coria of Argentina lost 6-1, 6-2 to Boris Arias and Federico Zeballos in the first round of the ATP’s second-tier challenger tour, The Associated Press reported.
Forlán and Coria were granted wild-card entries to play doubles in the tournament.
The Uruguayan striker retired from soccer in 2019 after playing with top clubs such as Manchester United, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan. Forlán was the 2010 World Cup’s best player and joint highest scorer; and netted twice in the 2011 Copa America final to help Uruguay win its first continental trophy in 16 years.
For the past five years, Forlán has taken part in amateur master’s tennis tournaments, and had some success that earned him the invitation to play in Uruguay’s biggest professional tournament.

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Hamburg Fires Steffen Baumgart as Coach after Five Games without a Win

08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)
08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)
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Hamburg Fires Steffen Baumgart as Coach after Five Games without a Win

08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)
08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)

Former Bundesliga heavyweight Hamburger SV has fired Steffen Baumgart as coach after five games without a win across all competitions.

The second-division club said Sunday it was letting Baumgart go because of a “crisis of performances and results” after the team’s 2-2 draw at home with Schalke on Saturday.

That left Hamburg eighth in the 18-team division, four points behind early leader Paderborn after 13 rounds.

“Steffen gave everything with great passion, energy and commitment right up to the end for HSV. However, our analysis of the current situation and yesterday’s game has once again made it clear that we believe a new impetus is necessary,” Hamburg sporting director Stefan Kuntz said.

The club said Baumgart, who was a Hamburg fan as a child, took the news “calmly” on Sunday morning.

“It was an exciting and very intense time,” the former Cologne coach said. “I remain connected to the club and hope that HSV achieves its goals.”

Hamburg has been bidding to return to the Bundesliga since its demotion from the top flight in 2018. It had been the only ever-present team in the league since it was founded in 1963, earning the nickname “der Dino.”

But every season since relegation has ended in disappointment. Hamburg rival St. Pauli was promoted last season to add to Hamburg fans’ woes.

Baumgart, a former Hansa Rostock and Union Berlin forward, took over as Hamburg coach in February, when the team was third, but ultimately it was unable to improve and finished fourth – one place behind Fortuna Düsseldorf in the promotion playoff spot.

Hamburg said Baumgart’s assistants Rene Wagner and Kevin McKenna were also let go, and that assistant coach Merlin Polzin will prepare the team for its next game at Karlsruher SC.

There was no mention of a permanent successor.