Bob Perry (tennis)

{{Infobox tennis biography

|name = Bob Perry

|image =

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|fullname = Robert M. Perry

|country = {{USA}}

|residence =

|birth_date = {{birth date |mf=y|1933|3|17}}

|birth_place = Los Angeles, USA

|death_date = {{death date and age|mf=yes|2023|10|23|1933|3|17}}

|death_place =

|height = {{height|ft=6|in=2}}

|college =

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|retired =

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|singlesrecord = 173-120

|singlestitles = 8

|highestsinglesranking = No.18 (1956)

|currentsinglesranking =

|AustralianOpenresult = 2R (1954)

|FrenchOpenresult = 4R (1956)

|Wimbledonresult = 4R (1955)

|USOpenresult = 3R (1952, 1955)

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|grandslamsdoublesresults =

|AustralianOpenDoublesresult = QF (1954)

|FrenchOpenDoublesresult = W (1956)

|WimbledonDoublesresult = QF (1955, 1956)

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|WimbledonMixedresult = QF (1958)

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}}

Robert 'Bob' Perry (March 17, 1933 – October 23, 2023{{cite web|title=UCLA, Men's Tennis Program Mourn Loss of Bob Perry|url=https://uclabruins.com/news/2023/11/1/ucla-mens-tennis-program-mourn-loss-of-bob-perry|publisher=UCLA Bruins|access-date=June 14, 2024}}) was an American male tennis player who was active in the 1950s and 1960s.

Tennis career

Perry started playing tennis in 1944 at age eleven. He won the National 15 and under singles and doubles titles.{{cite web|title=Bob Perry (1933- )|url=http://www.sandiegotennis.com/HOF/2010/bob_perry.htm|publisher=USTA Southern California|access-date=May 16, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517121406/http://www.sandiegotennis.com/HOF/2010/bob_perry.htm|archive-date=May 17, 2014|url-status=dead}}

Perry won the Germantown Cricket Club Invitation in 1954 at Philadelphia, U.S. defeating Barry MacKay and in the final Herb Flam.Germantown Cricket Club Invitation 1954. https://www.tennisarchives.com/edition/?v=4742

He won the inaugural singles title at the ITF Auckland Championships in 1956, defeating Allan Burns in the final.{{cite news|title=Tennis: World of difference in the same game|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10006393|newspaper=The New Zealand Herald|date=Jan 13, 2005|author=Julie Middleton}}

Perry reached the final of the 1956 Lebanon International Championships where he lost to Lew Hoad.

Perry won the 1956 Düsseldorf International Championships in July defeating Don Candy in a five set final.Robert M. Perry. https://www.tennisarchives.com/player/?pl=4356

Later in 1956, Perry won the Washington State Championships defeating Noel Brown in the final in a long five-set match.Robert <. Perry. https://www.tennisarchives.com/player/?pl=4356

In 1956 Perry won the doubles title at the French Championships partnering Don Candy. They defeated Ashley Cooper and Lew Hoad in straight sets.{{cite book|last=Collins|first=Bud|title=The Bud Collins History of Tennis|year=2010|publisher=New Chapter Press|location=[New York]|isbn=978-0942257700|page=400|edition=2nd}}

Perry was ranked U.S. No. 6 for 1956 by the USTA, his finest year with three tournament victories in singles.Top 10 US Men's and Women's Rankings. https://www.usta.com/en/home/about-usta/usta-history/national/mens-womens-year-end-top-10.html#accordion-026ab76487-item-cac3bd6310

He won the Blankenberghe, Belgium, tournament in 1958 defeating Jacques Brichant in a close semifinal and Antal Jancsó in the final.Blankenberghe 1958. https://www.tennisarchives.com/edition/?v=8058

In 1972, after his active playing career had ended, Perry became a tennis coach at the La Jolla Tennis Club where he remained until 1999.{{cite web|title=Tennis phenom Perry enjoys serving up wisdom|url=http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2009/Jul/01/tennis-phenom-perry-enjoys-serving-wisdom/|work=The San Diego Union-Tribune|author=Jerry Magee|date=July 1, 2009}}