90 Day Fiancé: The Singe Life plays pickleball

DALLAS, TX – One of my favorite things is when pickleball appears on reality TV.

After Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner visited the Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships this past fall, and the Real Housewives of Potomac gave America's fastest-growing sport a try, too, pickleball and reality TV became the combo I didn’t know I needed.

Earlier this week, pickleball was featured on TLC’s 90 Day Fiancé spin-off series, 90 Day: The Single Life. 

Single Life stars, couple Veronica Rodriguez and Jamal Menzies, played Tim Malcom and his date, Luisa, in mixed doubles at their local courts in Charlotte, NC.

This wasn't a friendly game, though, after Menzies and Malcom got into a nasty fight the night before.

It's safe to say there was some major drama and bad blood upon arrival. 

“I cannot have them both get into these massive explosive fights every time we get together,” said Rodriguez, who was convinced that pickleball could help with reconciliation.

Rodriguez asked both men to put their issues aside and just enjoy the day.

Things didn't exactly play out that way...

As soon as Malcom got there, the tension was palpable.

“I can definitely feel some tension with Jamal,” said Malcom. “We need to play like our lives depend on it. We can’t lose.” 

Nevertheless, the competition wasn’t fierce. Their collective knowledge of the game was lacking, even though they were using high-quality PBPRO paddles. 

Luisa served overhand like she’s at Wimbledon. Despite claiming to have played before, Menzies didn’t serve cross-court. And in a grand finale, Malcom ran to get the ball at match point, crashed into the net, and then knocked it down in one fell swoop.

It was a bit of a disaster.