<p>For Matthew Perry, life nearly took a very different path. The actor, who was raised in Canada and was born in Massachusetts, was originally destined to become a tennis star until a fortuitous relocation to Los Angeles dashed his hopes. He would go on to win over fans’ hearts as Chandler Bing on the hit television series Friends. <img decoding=”async” class=”alignnone wp-image-257743″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/theindiaprint.com-d30e6600e21fa9132d10b0be63cae166.jpg” alt=”theindiaprint.com d30e6600e21fa9132d10b0be63cae166″ width=”1314″ height=”1553″ srcset=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/theindiaprint.com-d30e6600e21fa9132d10b0be63cae166.jpg 253w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/theindiaprint.com-d30e6600e21fa9132d10b0be63cae166-150×177.jpg 150w” sizes=”(max-width: 1314px) 100vw, 1314px” title=”'More Than Chandler Bing': Sports World Honors 'Friends' Star Matthew Perry 3″></p>
<p>“I didn’t really have to give up tennis,” Perry said in a 2012 interview with Men’s Health. In Ottawa, Canada, I was a nationally rated tennis player when I was, like, thirteen years old. Then, when I was fifteen, I went to Los Angeles, and I was murdered by everyone there.</p>
<p>“I had a terrific time in Canada. Not in Los Angeles, at least. It was crazy. I chose acting after realizing I wouldn’t be able to support myself by playing tennis.</p>
<p>Perry, however, continued to be an avid sports enthusiast and often shared his passion for tennis on social media. At the height of his popularity, he even took part in a few exhibition matches and was a regular at the US Open competitions in the past.</p>
<p>It is said that Perry, who played for the New York Knicks and New York Giants on television, was a real-life supporter of the Toronto Blue Jays and the New England Patriots. But judging by his many courtside appearances, it’s safe to infer that the actor’s greatest passion was sports in general.</p>
<p>Many people were saddened by Perry’s loss, and even many in the sports industry sent condolences. Here are a few examples of the same:</p>
<p>Chandler Bing, one of the six major characters on Friends, was portrayed by Matthew Perry in 236 episodes over the course of 10 seasons of the show.</p>
