Fred Perry
Encyclopedia
Frederick John Perry (18 May 1909 – 2 February 1995) was a championship-winning English
tennis
and table tennis
player who won 10 Majors including eight Grand Slams
and two Pro Slams. Perry won three consecutive Wimbledon Championships between 1934 and 1936 and was World No. 1 four years in a row. Perry also became the last British player to win the men's Wimbledon championship in 1936.
Perry was the first player to win all four Grand Slam singles titles (though not all in the same year) and completed this "Career Grand Slam" at the age of 26. Although Perry began his tennis career aged 18, he was also a Table Tennis
World Champion in 1929.
In 1933
, Perry helped lead the Great Britain
team to victory over France
in the Davis Cup
; the team's first success since 1912, followed by wins over the United States in 1934
, 1935
, and a fourth consecutive title with victory over Australia
in 1936
.
Perry was acclaimed across the tennis world, but was not universally admired in his homeland, and was widely ostracised by the tennis establishment for turning professional after completing a hat-trick of Wimbledon singles triumphs. After becoming disillusioned with the class-conscious nature of the Lawn Tennis Club of Great Britain
, the working-class Perry moved to the United States before becoming a naturalised US citizen in 1938. In 1942, he was drafted into the US Air Force during the Second World War.
Despite his unprecedented contribution to British tennis, Perry was not accorded full recognition by tennis authorities until his twilight years. In 1984, a statue of Perry was unveiled at Wimbledon, and in the same year Perry became the only tennis player listed in a survey of 2,000 Britons to find the ‘Best of the Best’ British sportsmen of the 20th century.
Perry was born in Stockport
, Cheshire
in 1909 where his father, Samuel Perry
(1877–1954), was a cotton spinner
. For the first decade of his life, he also lived in Bolton
and Wallasey
because his father was involved in local politics. Perry moved to Ealing
in London
aged nine when his father became the national secretary of the Co-operative Party
after World War I
. His father became the Co-operative Party Member of Parliament
for Kettering
in 1929.
Perry first began to play tennis on the public courts near his family's housing estate. He was educated at Ealing Grammar School for Boys.
. He had exceptional speed and played with the Shakehand style
, attacking the ball low and on the rise.
Along with the US, French and Australian Open, Perry won the Wimbledon men's title three times in succession between 1934 and 1936. His final triumph was a 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 victory over the German Baron Gottfried von Cramm which lasted less less than 45 minutes. It became the quickest final in the 20th century and the second shortest of all time.
Perry's success attracted the adoration of the crowds at Wimbledon particularly as he contrasted sharply from the privileged background of most patrons and players associated with the All England Club at that time.
In the Davis Cup
, Perry led the Great Britain
team to four consecutive victories between 1933-1936, with wins over France
in 1933
, the United States in 1934
and 1935
, and Australia
in 1936
. Perry competed in a total of 20 Davis Cup matches, winning 34 of his 38 rubbers in singles, and 11 out of 14 in doubles.
. In 1937 they played 61 matches in the United States, with Vines winning 32 and Perry 29. They then sailed to England, where they played a brief tour. Perry won six matches out of nine, so they finished the year tied at 35 victories each. Most observers at the time considered Perry to be the world No. 1 for the fourth year in a row, sharing the title, however, with both Vines and the amateur Don Budge
. The following year, 1938, the tour was even longer, and this time Vines beat Perry 49 matches to 35. Budge, winner of the amateur Grand Slam, was clearly the World No. 1 player. In 1939 Budge turned professional and played a series of matches against both Vines and Perry, beating Vines 21 times to 18 and Perry by 18 victories to 11.
and in 1934 he announced his engagement to the British actress Mary Lawson
, but the relationship fell apart after Perry relocated to America. In 1935 he married an American film star Helen Vinson
, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1940. In the meanwhile, Perry had abandoned his British nationality and become an American citizen. In 1941 he was briefly married to a model, Sandra Breaux, but then, in 1945, he married Lorraine Walsh, but the marriage ended quickly. Perry's final marriage to Barbara Riese in 1952 lasted forty years, until his death. They had two children Penny and David. The sister of Barbara (Bobby) Riese was the actress Patricia Roc.
Perry had one sister, Sylvia, and has a great-nephew and great-niece, Daniel and Laura Nightingale.
Perry died in hospital in Melbourne
, Australia
after breaking ribs following a fall in a hotel bathroom.
Kings of the Court, a video-tape documentary made in 1997 in conjunction with the International Tennis Hall of Fame
, named Perry one of the ten greatest players of all time. But this documentary only considered those players who played before the Open era of tennis that began in 1968, with the exception of Rod Laver
, who spanned both eras, so that all of the more recent great players are missing.
Kramer, however, had several caveats about Perry. He says that Bill Tilden
once called Perry "the world's worst good player". Kramer says that Perry was "extremely fast; he had a hard body with sharp reflexes, and he could hit a forehand with a snap, slamming it on the rise—and even on the fastest grass. That shot was nearly as good as Segura
's two-handed forehand." His only real weakness, says Kramer, "was his backhand. Perry hit underslice off that wing about 90 percent of the time, and eventually at the very top levels—against Vines and Budge—that was what did him in. Whenever an opponent would make an especially good shot, Perry would cry out 'Very clevah.' I never played Fred competitively, but I heard enough from other guys that 'Very clevah' drove a lot of opponents crazy."
Kramer also says that in spite of his many victories, both as an amateur and as a professional, Perry was an "opportunist, a selfish and egotistical person, and he never gave a damn about professional tennis. He was through as a player the instant he turned pro. He was a great champion, and he could have helped tennis, but it wasn't in his interest so he didn't bother." Kramer then recounts several instances in which it was clear to him that Perry was losing matches in which he had given up because he "wanted to make sure that the crowd understood that this was all beneath him."
Perry, however, recalled his days on the professional tour differently. He maintained that "there was never any easing up in his tour matches with Ellsworth Vines and Bill Tilden since there was the title of World Pro Champion at stake." He said "I must have played Vines in something like 350 matches, yet there was never any fixing as most people thought. There were always people willing to believe that our pro matches weren't strictly on the level, that they were just exhibitions. But as far as we were concerned, we always gave everything we had."
A final comment from Kramer is that Perry unwittingly "screwed up men's tennis in England, although this wasn't his fault. The way he could hit a forehand—snap it off like a ping-pong shot—Perry was a physical freak. Nobody else could be taught to hit a shot that way. But the kids over there copied Perry's style, and it ruined them. Even after Perry faded out of the picture, the coaches there must have kept using him as a model."
In the late 1940s, Perry was approached by Tibby Wegner, an Austria
n footballer who had invented an anti-perspirant device worn around the wrist. Perry made a few changes to create the first sweatband.
Wegner's next idea was to produce a sports shirt, which was to be made from white knitted cotton pique with short sleeves and a buttoned placket
like René Lacoste
's shirts. Launched at Wimbledon in 1952, the Fred Perry tennis shirt
was an immediate success.
The white polo shirt was only supplemented in the late 50s when mods began demanding more varied colour palettes. The Fred Perry shirt became the garment-of-choice for diverse groups of teenagers throughout the 1960s and 70s, ranging from the skinhead
s to the Northern soul
scene.
The brand's logo is a laurel wreath
. It was based on the original symbol for Wimbledon. The logo, which appears on the left breast of a garment, is stitched into the fabric of the shirt.
The brand is now owned by a Japanese corporation, The brand was previously the clothing sponsor of British tennis player Andy Murray.
in 1984 to mark the 50th anniversary of his first singles championship. It is located at the Church Road gate.
The Fred Perry Way is a designated walking route through the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport
which opened in September 2002. The 14 miles (22.5 km) route from Woodford
in the south to Reddish
in the north, combines rural footpaths, quiet lanes and river valleys with urban landscapes and parklands. Features along the route include Houldsworth Mill and Square, the start of the River Mersey
at the confluence of the River Tame
and River Goyt, Stockport Town Centre, Vernon and Woodbank Parks and the Happy Valley. The route also passes through Woodbank Park where Perry played some exhibition tennis matches.
The Fred Perry House in Stockport was opened by Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
and John Perry, Fred Perry's grandson in November 2010.
The building, which is the borough's new civic headquarters, will be used by various local government agencies.
in Newport, Rhode Island
in 1975. Perry also has a street named after him in El Paso, Texas
.
Finals:2 runners up
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
player who won 10 Majors including eight Grand Slams
Grand Slam (tennis)
The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
and two Pro Slams. Perry won three consecutive Wimbledon Championships between 1934 and 1936 and was World No. 1 four years in a row. Perry also became the last British player to win the men's Wimbledon championship in 1936.
Perry was the first player to win all four Grand Slam singles titles (though not all in the same year) and completed this "Career Grand Slam" at the age of 26. Although Perry began his tennis career aged 18, he was also a Table Tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
World Champion in 1929.
In 1933
1933 International Lawn Tennis Challenge
The 1933 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the 28th edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. 24 teams would enter the Europe Zone; while 9 would enter the Americas Zone, 4 in North America and 5 in South America...
, Perry helped lead the Great Britain
Great Britain Davis Cup team
The Great Britain Davis Cup team represents the United Kingdom in Davis Cup tennis competition and is controlled by the Lawn Tennis Association. The United Kingdom played in the very first International Lawn Tennis Challenge...
team to victory over France
France Davis Cup team
The France Davis Cup team represents France in Davis Cup tennis competition, and is governed by the Fédération Française de Tennis.France is the third most successful nation, with 9 wins...
in the Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
; the team's first success since 1912, followed by wins over the United States in 1934
1934 International Lawn Tennis Challenge
The 1934 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the 29th edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. 23 teams would enter the Europe Zone, 10 beginning in the main draw and 13 beginning in the Qualifying Rounds; while only 5 would enter the Americas Zone, 3 in North America and 2 in South...
, 1935
1935 International Lawn Tennis Challenge
The 1935 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the 30th edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. Due to increased political tensions in Europe, entries for the Europe Zone declined sharply, causing the Qualifying Round system to be scrapped...
, and a fourth consecutive title with victory over Australia
Australia Davis Cup team
The Australian Davis Cup team is the second most successful team ever to compete in the Davis Cup, winning the coveted title on 23 separate occasions, second behind the United States with 32....
in 1936
1936 International Lawn Tennis Challenge
The 1936 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the 31st edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. Argentina was the only South American team to enter, so the South American Zone was abandoned, and the Americas played as one Zone...
.
Perry was acclaimed across the tennis world, but was not universally admired in his homeland, and was widely ostracised by the tennis establishment for turning professional after completing a hat-trick of Wimbledon singles triumphs. After becoming disillusioned with the class-conscious nature of the Lawn Tennis Club of Great Britain
Lawn Tennis Association
The Lawn Tennis Association is the national governing body of tennis in Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.As the governing body, the LTA is responsible for the coaching and development of junior players, offering courses and qualifications on coaching, as well as the...
, the working-class Perry moved to the United States before becoming a naturalised US citizen in 1938. In 1942, he was drafted into the US Air Force during the Second World War.
Despite his unprecedented contribution to British tennis, Perry was not accorded full recognition by tennis authorities until his twilight years. In 1984, a statue of Perry was unveiled at Wimbledon, and in the same year Perry became the only tennis player listed in a survey of 2,000 Britons to find the ‘Best of the Best’ British sportsmen of the 20th century.
Early life
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
in 1909 where his father, Samuel Perry
Samuel Perry
Samuel Frederick Perry , was a Labour Co-operative politician in the United Kingdom. He was the father of the British tennis and table tennis champion Fred Perry....
(1877–1954), was a cotton spinner
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
. For the first decade of his life, he also lived in Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
and Wallasey
Wallasey
Wallasey is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in Merseyside, England, on the mouth of the River Mersey, at the northeastern corner of the Wirral Peninsula...
because his father was involved in local politics. Perry moved to Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
aged nine when his father became the national secretary of the Co-operative Party
Co-operative Party
The Co-operative Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom committed to supporting and representing co-operative principles. The party does not put up separate candidates for any UK election itself. Instead, Co-operative candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party as "Labour...
after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. His father became the Co-operative Party Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Kettering
Kettering (UK Parliament constituency)
Kettering is a county constituency in Northamptonshire which returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in 1929.
Perry first began to play tennis on the public courts near his family's housing estate. He was educated at Ealing Grammar School for Boys.
Amateur status
In 1928-29, Perry won several medals in the single, double, and team events in the World Table Tennis ChampionshipsWorld Table Tennis Championships
The World Table Tennis Championships are held since 1926, biennially since 1957. Seven events were included in the Championships. The World Team Table Tennis Championships, which include men's team and women's team events, were first their own competition in 2000. The Team Championships are held in...
. He had exceptional speed and played with the Shakehand style
Table tennis styles
Table tennis is unique among racket sports in that it supports a large variety of different styles of players. As players' levels increase, the diversity of styles decreases slightly, because technically weak styles are quickly eliminated. But even at the very top of international table tennis,...
, attacking the ball low and on the rise.
Along with the US, French and Australian Open, Perry won the Wimbledon men's title three times in succession between 1934 and 1936. His final triumph was a 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 victory over the German Baron Gottfried von Cramm which lasted less less than 45 minutes. It became the quickest final in the 20th century and the second shortest of all time.
Perry's success attracted the adoration of the crowds at Wimbledon particularly as he contrasted sharply from the privileged background of most patrons and players associated with the All England Club at that time.
In the Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
, Perry led the Great Britain
Great Britain Davis Cup team
The Great Britain Davis Cup team represents the United Kingdom in Davis Cup tennis competition and is controlled by the Lawn Tennis Association. The United Kingdom played in the very first International Lawn Tennis Challenge...
team to four consecutive victories between 1933-1936, with wins over France
France Davis Cup team
The France Davis Cup team represents France in Davis Cup tennis competition, and is governed by the Fédération Française de Tennis.France is the third most successful nation, with 9 wins...
in 1933
1933 International Lawn Tennis Challenge
The 1933 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the 28th edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. 24 teams would enter the Europe Zone; while 9 would enter the Americas Zone, 4 in North America and 5 in South America...
, the United States in 1934
1934 International Lawn Tennis Challenge
The 1934 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the 29th edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. 23 teams would enter the Europe Zone, 10 beginning in the main draw and 13 beginning in the Qualifying Rounds; while only 5 would enter the Americas Zone, 3 in North America and 2 in South...
and 1935
1935 International Lawn Tennis Challenge
The 1935 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the 30th edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. Due to increased political tensions in Europe, entries for the Europe Zone declined sharply, causing the Qualifying Round system to be scrapped...
, and Australia
Australia Davis Cup team
The Australian Davis Cup team is the second most successful team ever to compete in the Davis Cup, winning the coveted title on 23 separate occasions, second behind the United States with 32....
in 1936
1936 International Lawn Tennis Challenge
The 1936 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the 31st edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. Argentina was the only South American team to enter, so the South American Zone was abandoned, and the Americas played as one Zone...
. Perry competed in a total of 20 Davis Cup matches, winning 34 of his 38 rubbers in singles, and 11 out of 14 in doubles.
Professional career
After three years as the world No. 1 tennis amateur player, Perry turned professional in 1937. This led to him being virtually ostracised by the British tennis establishment. For the next two years he played lengthy tours against the powerful American player Elly VinesEllsworth Vines
Henry Ellsworth Vines, Jr. was an American tennis champion of the 1930s, the World No. 1 player or the co-No. 1 for four years in 1932, 1935, 1936 and 1937.-Biography:...
. In 1937 they played 61 matches in the United States, with Vines winning 32 and Perry 29. They then sailed to England, where they played a brief tour. Perry won six matches out of nine, so they finished the year tied at 35 victories each. Most observers at the time considered Perry to be the world No. 1 for the fourth year in a row, sharing the title, however, with both Vines and the amateur Don Budge
Don Budge
John Donald Budge was an American tennis champion who was a World No. 1 player for five years, first as an amateur and then as a professional...
. The following year, 1938, the tour was even longer, and this time Vines beat Perry 49 matches to 35. Budge, winner of the amateur Grand Slam, was clearly the World No. 1 player. In 1939 Budge turned professional and played a series of matches against both Vines and Perry, beating Vines 21 times to 18 and Perry by 18 victories to 11.
Personal life
Perry was one of the leading bachelors of the 1930s and his off-court romances were sensationalised in the world press. Perry had a romantic relationship with the actress Marlene DietrichMarlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
and in 1934 he announced his engagement to the British actress Mary Lawson
Mary Lawson (actress)
Mary Elizabeth Lawson was a stage and film actress during the 1920s and 1930s. In addition to her performances on stage and screen, Lawson was known for her romantic affairs, including with tennis player Fred Perry and her future husband, the married son of the Dame of Sark...
, but the relationship fell apart after Perry relocated to America. In 1935 he married an American film star Helen Vinson
Helen Vinson
Helen Vinson was an American film actress, who appeared in 40 films between 1932 and 1945.-Early life:...
, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1940. In the meanwhile, Perry had abandoned his British nationality and become an American citizen. In 1941 he was briefly married to a model, Sandra Breaux, but then, in 1945, he married Lorraine Walsh, but the marriage ended quickly. Perry's final marriage to Barbara Riese in 1952 lasted forty years, until his death. They had two children Penny and David. The sister of Barbara (Bobby) Riese was the actress Patricia Roc.
Perry had one sister, Sylvia, and has a great-nephew and great-niece, Daniel and Laura Nightingale.
Perry died in hospital in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
after breaking ribs following a fall in a hotel bathroom.
Sporting legacy
Perry is considered by some to have been one of the greatest male players to have ever played the game. In his 1979 autobiography Jack Kramer, the long-time tennis promoter and great player himself, called Perry one of the six greatest players of all time.Kings of the Court, a video-tape documentary made in 1997 in conjunction with the International Tennis Hall of Fame
International Tennis Hall of Fame
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. The hall of fame and honors players and contributors to the sport of tennis and includes a museum, grass tennis courts, an indoor tennis facility, and a court tennis facility.-History:The hall of fame and...
, named Perry one of the ten greatest players of all time. But this documentary only considered those players who played before the Open era of tennis that began in 1968, with the exception of Rod Laver
Rod Laver
Rodney George "Rod" Laver MBE is an Australian former tennis player who holds the record for titles won in career, and was the World No. 1 player for seven consecutive years, from 1964 to 1970...
, who spanned both eras, so that all of the more recent great players are missing.
Kramer, however, had several caveats about Perry. He says that Bill Tilden
Bill Tilden
William Tatem Tilden II , nicknamed "Big Bill," is often considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. An American tennis player who was the World No. 1 player for seven years, he won 14 Majors including ten Grand Slams and four Pro Slams. Bill Tilden dominated the world of...
once called Perry "the world's worst good player". Kramer says that Perry was "extremely fast; he had a hard body with sharp reflexes, and he could hit a forehand with a snap, slamming it on the rise—and even on the fastest grass. That shot was nearly as good as Segura
Pancho Segura
Pancho Segura, born Francisco Olegario Segura , was a leading tennis player of the 1940s and 1950s, both as an amateur and as a professional. In 1950 and 1952, as a professional, he was the World Co-No. 1 player...
's two-handed forehand." His only real weakness, says Kramer, "was his backhand. Perry hit underslice off that wing about 90 percent of the time, and eventually at the very top levels—against Vines and Budge—that was what did him in. Whenever an opponent would make an especially good shot, Perry would cry out 'Very clevah.' I never played Fred competitively, but I heard enough from other guys that 'Very clevah' drove a lot of opponents crazy."
Kramer also says that in spite of his many victories, both as an amateur and as a professional, Perry was an "opportunist, a selfish and egotistical person, and he never gave a damn about professional tennis. He was through as a player the instant he turned pro. He was a great champion, and he could have helped tennis, but it wasn't in his interest so he didn't bother." Kramer then recounts several instances in which it was clear to him that Perry was losing matches in which he had given up because he "wanted to make sure that the crowd understood that this was all beneath him."
Perry, however, recalled his days on the professional tour differently. He maintained that "there was never any easing up in his tour matches with Ellsworth Vines and Bill Tilden since there was the title of World Pro Champion at stake." He said "I must have played Vines in something like 350 matches, yet there was never any fixing as most people thought. There were always people willing to believe that our pro matches weren't strictly on the level, that they were just exhibitions. But as far as we were concerned, we always gave everything we had."
A final comment from Kramer is that Perry unwittingly "screwed up men's tennis in England, although this wasn't his fault. The way he could hit a forehand—snap it off like a ping-pong shot—Perry was a physical freak. Nobody else could be taught to hit a shot that way. But the kids over there copied Perry's style, and it ruined them. Even after Perry faded out of the picture, the coaches there must have kept using him as a model."
Clothing label
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n footballer who had invented an anti-perspirant device worn around the wrist. Perry made a few changes to create the first sweatband.
Wegner's next idea was to produce a sports shirt, which was to be made from white knitted cotton pique with short sleeves and a buttoned placket
Placket
A placket is an opening in the upper part of trousers or skirts, or at the neck or sleeve of a garment. Plackets are almost always used to allow clothing to be put on or removed easily, but are sometimes used purely as a design element...
like René Lacoste
René Lacoste
Jean René Lacoste was a French tennis player and businessman. He was nicknamed "the Crocodile" by fans because of his tenacity on the court; he is also known worldwide as the namesake of the Lacoste tennis shirt, which he introduced in 1929.Lacoste was one of The Four Musketeers, French tennis...
's shirts. Launched at Wimbledon in 1952, the Fred Perry tennis shirt
Tennis shirt
A polo shirt, also known as a golf shirt and tennis shirt, is a T-shaped shirt with a collar, typically a two- or three-button placket, and an optional pocket...
was an immediate success.
The white polo shirt was only supplemented in the late 50s when mods began demanding more varied colour palettes. The Fred Perry shirt became the garment-of-choice for diverse groups of teenagers throughout the 1960s and 70s, ranging from the skinhead
Skinhead
A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian rude boys and British mods,...
s to the Northern soul
Northern soul
Northern soul is a music and dance movement that emerged from the British mod scene, initially in northern England in the late 1960s. Northern soul mainly consists of a particular style of black American soul music based on the heavy beat and fast tempo of the mid-1960s Tamla Motown sound...
scene.
The brand's logo is a laurel wreath
Laurel wreath
A laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel , an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head...
. It was based on the original symbol for Wimbledon. The logo, which appears on the left breast of a garment, is stitched into the fabric of the shirt.
The brand is now owned by a Japanese corporation, The brand was previously the clothing sponsor of British tennis player Andy Murray.
Wimbledon
A bronze statue of Fred Perry was erected at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, LondonWimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
in 1984 to mark the 50th anniversary of his first singles championship. It is located at the Church Road gate.
Fred Perry Way
Metropolitan Borough of Stockport
The Metropolitan Borough of Stockport is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in north west England, centred around the town of Stockport. It has a population of about 280,600 and includes the outyling areas of Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme, Marple, Bredbury, Reddish and Romiley...
which opened in September 2002. The 14 miles (22.5 km) route from Woodford
Woodford, Greater Manchester
Woodford is a suburban village at the southern extent of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies south of Stockport, north-northwest of Macclesfield, and south-southeast of Manchester...
in the south to Reddish
Reddish
Reddish is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It is north of Stockport and southeast of Manchester...
in the north, combines rural footpaths, quiet lanes and river valleys with urban landscapes and parklands. Features along the route include Houldsworth Mill and Square, the start of the River Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
at the confluence of the River Tame
River Tame, Greater Manchester
The River Tame flows through Greater Manchester, England.-Source:The Tame rises on Denshaw Moor in Greater Manchester, close to the border with West Yorkshire but within the historic West Riding of Yorkshire.-Course:...
and River Goyt, Stockport Town Centre, Vernon and Woodbank Parks and the Happy Valley. The route also passes through Woodbank Park where Perry played some exhibition tennis matches.
Fred Perry House
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO is the third son and fourth child of Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh...
and John Perry, Fred Perry's grandson in November 2010.
The building, which is the borough's new civic headquarters, will be used by various local government agencies.
World
Perry was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of FameInternational Tennis Hall of Fame
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. The hall of fame and honors players and contributors to the sport of tennis and includes a museum, grass tennis courts, an indoor tennis facility, and a court tennis facility.-History:The hall of fame and...
in Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
in 1975. Perry also has a street named after him in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
.
World Table Tennis Championships
Gold:1; Silver 1; Bronze 4- 1928 StockholmWorld Table Tennis ChampionshipsThe World Table Tennis Championships are held since 1926, biennially since 1957. Seven events were included in the Championships. The World Team Table Tennis Championships, which include men's team and women's team events, were first their own competition in 2000. The Team Championships are held in...
: Silver Doubles; Bronze Mixed Doubles; Bronze Team. - 1929 BudapestWorld Table Tennis ChampionshipsThe World Table Tennis Championships are held since 1926, biennially since 1957. Seven events were included in the Championships. The World Team Table Tennis Championships, which include men's team and women's team events, were first their own competition in 2000. The Team Championships are held in...
: Gold Singles; Bronze Doubles; Bronze Team.
Singles
Finals:8 titles| Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
| 1933 | U.S. Championships |  Jack CrawfordJack Crawford (tennis player) ----John Herbert Crawford was an Australian tennis player of the 1930s. He was the World No. 1 player for 1933.Crawford was born in Urangeline, near Albury, New South Wales... |
6–3, 11–13, 4–6, 6–0, 6–1 |
| 1934 | Australian Championships Australian Open The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court... |
Jack Crawford |
6–3, 7–5, 6–1 |
| 1934 | Wimbledon Championships The Championships, Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors... |
Jack Crawford |
6–3, 6–0, 7–5 |
| 1934 | U.S. Championships (2) |  Wilmer AllisonWilmer Allison Wilmer Lawson Allison, Jr. was an American amateur tennis champion of the 1930s... |
6–4, 6–3, 3–6, 1–6, 8–6 |
| 1935 | French Championships |  Gottfried von CrammGottfried von Cramm Gottfried Alexander Maximilian Walter Kurt Freiherr von Cramm was a German amateur tennis champion and twice French Open champion.-Birth:... |
6–3, 3–6, 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1935 | Wimbledon Championships (2) | Gottfried von Cramm |
6–2, 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1936 | Wimbledon Championships (3) | Gottfried von Cramm |
6–1, 6–1, 6–0 |
| 1936 | U.S. Championships (3) | Don Budge Don Budge John Donald Budge was an American tennis champion who was a World No. 1 player for five years, first as an amateur and then as a professional... |
2–6, 6–2, 8–6, 1–6, 10–8 |
Finals:2 runners up
| Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
| 1935 | Australian Championships | Jack Crawford |
6–2, 4–6, 4–6, 4–6 |
| 1936 | French Championships | Gottfried von Cramm |
0–6, 6–2, 2–6, 6–2, 0–6 |
Performance timeline
Fred Perry joined professional tennis in 1937 and was unable to compete in the Grand Slams tournaments.| Tournament | Amateur career | Professional career | Titles / Played | Career Win-Loss | Career Win | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| '29 | '30 | '31 | '32 | '33 | '34 | '35 | '36 | '37 | '38 | '39 | '40 | '41 | '42 | '43 | '44 | '45 | '46 | '47 | '48 | '49 | '50 | '51 | '52 | '53 | '54 | '55 | ||||
| Grand Slam Tournaments: Grand Slam (tennis) The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and... |
8 / 22 | 101–15 | 87.07 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australian Australian Open The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court... |
A | A | A | A | A | W 1934 Australian Championships - Men's Singles Fred Perry defeated Jack Crawford 6–3 7–5 6–1 in the final to win the Men's Singles title at the 1934 Australian Championships.See also:-Seeds:The seeded players are listed below... |
F 1935 Australian Championships - Men's Singles Jack Crawford defeated Fred Perry 2–6 6–4 6–4 6–4 in the final to win the Men's Singles title at the 1935 Australian Championships.See also:-Seeds:The seeded players are listed below... |
A | A | A | A | A | Not Held | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1 / 2 | 9–1 | 90.00 | ||||
| French | A | A | 4R 1931 French Championships - Men's Singles Jean Borotra defeated Christian Boussus 2-6 6-4 7-5 6-4 in the final to win the Men's Singles title at the 1931 French Championships.See also:-Seeds:... |
QF 1932 French Championships - Men's Singles Henri Cochet defeated Giorgio de Stefani 6-0 6-4 4-6 6-3 in the final to win the Men's Singles title at the 1932 French Championships.See also:-Seeds:... |
QF 1933 French Championships - Men's Singles Jack Crawford defeated Henri Cochet 8-6 6-1 6-3 in the final to win the Men's Singles title at the 1933 French Championships.See also:-Seeds:... |
QF 1934 French Championships - Men's Singles Gottfried von Cramm defeated Jack Crawford 6-4 7-9 3-6 7-5 6-3 in the final to win the Men's Singles title at the 1934 French Championships.See also:-Seeds:... |
W 1935 French Championships - Men's Singles Fred J. Perry defeated Gottfried von Cramm 6-3 3-6 6-1 6-3 in the final to win the Men's Singles title at the 1935 French Championships.See also:-Seeds:... |
F 1936 French Championships - Men's Singles Gottfried von Cramm defeated Fred J. Perry 6-0 2-6 6-2 2-6 6-0 in the final to win the Men's Singles title at the 1936 French Championships.See also:-Seeds:... |
A | A | A | Not Held | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1 / 6 | 22–5 | 81.48 | ||||
| Wimbledon | 3R 1929 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles Henri Cochet defeated Jean Borotra 6–4 6–3 6–4 in the final to win the Gentlemen's Singles title at the 1929 Wimbledon Championships.See also:-Seeds:... |
4R 1930 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles William T. Tilden defeated Wilmer Allison 6-3 9-7 6-4 in the final to win the Gentlemen's Singles title at the 1930 Wimbledon Championships.-Seeds:... |
SF 1931 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles Sidney Wood defeated Frank Shields w/o in the final to win the Gentlemen's Singles title at the 1931 Wimbledon Championships.See also:-Seeds:The seeded players are listed below... |
QF 1932 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles Ellsworth Vines defeated Bunny Austin 6–4 6–2 6–0 in the final to win the Gentlemen's Singles title at the 1932 Wimbledon Championships.See also:-Seeds:The seeded players are listed below... |
2R 1933 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles Jack Crawford defeated Ellsworth Vines 4–6 11–9 6–2 2–6 6–4 in the final to win the Gentlemen's Singles title at the 1933 Wimbledon Championships.-Seeds:The seeded players are listed below... |
W 1934 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles Fred Perry defeated Jack Crawford 6–3 6–0 7–5 in the final to win the Gentlemen's Singles title at the 1934 Wimbledon Championships.See also:-Seeds:The seeded players are listed below... |
W 1935 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles Fred Perry defeated Gottfried von Cramm 6–2 6–4 6–4 in the final to win the Gentlemen's Singles title at the 1935 Wimbledon Championships.See also:-Seeds:The seeded players are listed below... |
W 1936 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles Fred Perry defeated Gottfried von Cramm 6–1 6–1 6–0 in the final to win the Gentlemen's Singles title at the 1936 Wimbledon Championships, the last time a British man won the Championship.See also:-Seeds:The seeded players are listed below... |
A | A | A | Not Held | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 3 / 8 | 36–5 | 87.80 | |||||
| U.S. U.S. Open (tennis) The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881... |
A | 4R | SF | A | W | W | SF | W | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 3 / 6 | 34–4 | 89.47 |
| Pro Slam Tournaments: | 2 / 9 | 19–7 | 73.08 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| French Pro French Pro Championship In 1930 the "Association Française des Professeurs de Tennis " held its first pro tournament, titled "Championnat International de France Professionnel" June 18–22, 1930, and is considered as a part of the professional grand slam from 1927 to 1967 till the advent of Open Era.From 1930 the French... |
N.H. | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | Not Held | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | N/A | |||||||||||||||
| Wembley Pro Wembley Championship The Wembley Championship was a tennis event held from 1934–1990 with some periods of inactivity in between and is considered as a part of the professional grand slam from 1927 - 1967 until the advent of the open era... |
Not Held | A | A | A | A | A | A | Not Held | A | A | QF | QF | A | N.H. | 0 / 2 | 2–2 | 50.00 | |||||||||||||
| U.S. Pro | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | W | F | F | W | A | A | N.H. | A | QF | QF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | QF | 2 / 7 | 17–5 | 77.27 |
| Total: | 10 / 31 | 120–22 | 84.51 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
See also
- List of male tennis players
- List of World Table Tennis Champions
- Fred Perry Grand Slam recordFred Perry Grand Slam recordThis is Fred Perrys record in the Grand Slams.- Australian Championships :- French Championships :- Wimbledon Championships :- U.S. Championships :...