Matthew Perry wanted to become a professional tennis player

• Celebrated American actor Matthew Perry loved playing tennis
• Perry, 54, passed away a few days ago at his Los Angeles home
• The world of comedy has bid farewell to one of its legendary figures

Celebrated American actor Matthew Perry loved playing tennis just as much as he enjoyed his acting career.

Perry, 54, passed away a few days ago at his Los Angeles home. He is famous for ‘Friends’ and many other films he appeared in.

The world of comedy has bid farewell to one of its legendary figures with the passing of Perry. But the world of tennis is also grieving the loss of one of its most ardent supporters.

Perry’s passion for tennis started during his upbringing in Ottawa, Canada, where he enthusiastically ventured into the sport and quickly became enamoured with it.

At the tender age of 13, he soared to become a top-ranked junior player and harboured aspirations of forging a professional tennis career.

The late American actor Matthew Perry. Photo/Sky News

However, as he transitioned to his teenage years in Los Angeles, he candidly acknowledged that his perspective on his own abilities underwent a significant transformation.

He said in 2012 that giving up tennis wasn’t an easy decision to make for him and this was because Los Angeles didn’t support tennis as much as Canada did.

Instead, he switched his mind to acting, which this city in the state of California is globally known for.

“Giving up tennis wasn’t really a decision I had to make,” he reflected in an interview in 2012. I was a very good tennis player in Ottawa, Canada—nationally ranked when I was, like, 13.

“Then I moved to Los Angeles when I was 15, and everyone in L.A. just killed me. I was pretty great in Canada. Not so much in Los Angeles. It was insane. I realized I wouldn’t be playing tennis for a living, so I went for acting,” he said 11 years ago.

Perry said that both tennis and acting are mentally intense and highly competitive, but that they have different dynamics.

He acknowledged that tennis competitiveness was a significant driving force in his youth, and it wasn’t as hard getting onto acting because he already had the zeal.

Matthew Perry. Photo/Men’s Journal

Acting into his 40s also taught him the value of helping other people become equally successful, such that he didn’t focus on his personal wins as much.

Perry was a frequent presence at major tennis tournaments such as Wimbledon and the US Open.

More recently, he developed a strong interest in pickleball while in Los Angeles. Reports indicate that he engaged in a two-hour pickleball session on the Saturday prior to his passing.

Perry, a well-known figure from the 10-season run of the television series Friends lost his life in what appears to be a drowning incident, as reported by the Los Angeles Times and the celebrity website TMZ.

Warner Bros, the production company behind Friends, released a statement describing Matthew as an exceptionally talented actor and an integral member of the Warner Bros. Television Group family.

They emphasized the global influence of his comedic brilliance and assured him that his legacy will endure in the hearts of countless individuals.