Matthew Perry was ‘doing really well’ before tragic death, pickleball coach says

Matthew Perry was playing pickleball shortly before his tragic and shocking death at age 54 on Saturday, and now his pickleball coach has broken his silence. 

Matt Manasse, 35, told People that the sport was an outlet and a tool that Perry had used to aid his sobriety.

“He thought it was something that could help with his recovery,” Manasse said, referring to Perry’s struggles with addiction to alcohol and painkillers, which the “Friends” star was open about. 

Perry reported last year in his memoir that he had attended 6,000 AA meetings, gone to rehab 15 times, and been in detox 65 times. The actor once estimated he spent around $9 million trying to get sober.

“And he was doing an awesome job,” Manasse, said. “He loved it. He came out five times a week, would always talk about it. [He] got so much better, always made everyone laugh. He was competitive, just a genuine, good guy — caring for everybody. Pickleball was his outlet. He really looked forward to it. He was a competitive guy, not in a bad way at all…When he hit an unbelievable shot, he would tell you about it for days.”

Manasse – who has been called “pickleball coach to the stars” – teaches the sport to clients at the Riviera Country Club, a private members club in Pacific Palisades near Perry’s home. 

Perry’s cause of death has not yet been made public, but he played pickleball hours before his reported drowning in a hot tub. According to TMZ, no drugs were found at the scene and no foul play is suspected, but prescription drugs were found in his home. 

Manasse said that Perry was “doing really well” before his death, and was also using the sport to try to help other people who were staying at the rehab facility that he established.

“He had so much that he was doing with his rehab facility and trying to get people clean,” Manasse said. “He would bring them to teach them pickleball. He was just always trying to help people.”

That includes Manasse, who was trying to build his reputation as the go-to pickleball coach, as the game grew in popularity in Hollywood. 

Perry was supportive of his ambitions, and told him, “Whatever you need. Anything you need, I’m there for you,” said Manasse.

“That was just the kind of guy he was. We went to dinner together. I was over at his place for the Super Bowl. He cared about other people. He was a really good person.”

The Post reached out to Manasse for comment.