'Realized I Wouldn’t be Playing Tennis for a Living': When Matthew Perry Had to Choose Acting Over Tennis

Renowned actor Matthew Perry, who passed away at the age of 54 on Saturday, cultivated an immense fan following for himself for his portrayal of the much-loved telly character Chandler Bing on the hit show Friends.

The charming actor was a passionate supporter of the sport of tennis and has been associated with the sport throughout his life. Perry, who grew up in Canada, was ranked high in the junior tennis circuit and considered turning professional at one point before taking up a career in acting.

ICC World Cup: Schedule | Results | Points Table | Most Runs | Most Wickets

However, the Friends actor expressed that he did not see himself living up to the competition in Los Angeles following his move there.

“Giving up tennis wasn’t really a decision I had to make,” he once said to a magazine back in the year 2021.

“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,” he revealed.

“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.”

The thespian held on to his love for tennis and even took part in charity tennis events alongside legendary players of the game such as Andrew Agassi and Jennifer Capriati.

Perry is widely loved across ages by fans of TV shows as Chandler, the wisecrack on the show which is a cultural phenomenon, for his witty humour and slapstick physical antics.

The show ran for a grand ten years and set a template for TV shows that would follow, causing somewhat of a revolution in the sphere thanks to its content that struck a chord with the youth of the time.

The show has also retained its allure decades after it aired and has managed to stay relatable to youngsters from generations later as well.