Serena Williams Reacts to Zendaya’s ‘Challengers’ Tennis Scenes

When it will come to Zendaya’s tennis skills, Serena Williams gave the Challengers star her stamp of acceptance.

“She did say that it was wonderful thinking about that I experienced hardly ever, by no means touched a tennis ball in advance of,” Zendaya, 27, told Entertainment Tonight in an job interview printed on Friday, April 19.

Zendaya noted that Williams, 42, also took detect of the magic of filmmaking. “She was like, ‘I know there undoubtedly weren’t authentic [tennis] balls,” Zendaya said. “She is familiar with. She’s the greatest of the very best.”

Whilst Zendaya been given praise from Serena, the actress pointed out that she hadn’t spoken with Venus Williams about the film but. Zendaya extra that “fingers crossed” Venus, 43, would also approve of her skills.

When Venus showed up to the Los Angeles premiere of Challengers, Zendaya admitted to becoming starstruck by her visual appearance. “I heard that she arrived and I was like, ‘No way, this is the coolest point!’ So I’m quite nervous ’cause I know Serena has noticed the film but I’m very nervous about her seeing my tennis,” Zendaya told Enjoyment Tonight in an job interview posted on Thursday, April 18.

Throughout her push tour for Challengers, Zendaya paid out tribute to the tennis greats by recreating their seems from an legendary 1998 Vogue shoot.

In the spread, Serena and Venus experienced posed in matching black-and-white Carolina Herrera robes, pairing the glimpse with white beads in their hair, which was a signature design for them in the early times of their occupations. Zendaya, for her section, surprised in the similar Carolina Herrera dress and beaded wig by Kim Kimble.

Challengers facilities all over Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), who’s caught up in a like triangle with her ex Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) and her partner Art Donaldson (Mike Faist). Just after encountering an damage, Tashi pours her strength into reworking Art into a Grand Slam winner and enters him into a “Challenger” event wherever he faces off against Patrick.

In advance of filming Challengers, Zendaya reportedly educated for months. “She’s superb,” director Luca Guadagnino explained to Selection in October 2022. “I suggest, wow. We edited the film and we virtually truly never use any of her double. She’s so fantastic.”

Zendaya beforehand gushed that she was psyched about using on additional mature roles, like portraying her character Tashi. “From a character standpoint, I want to discover issues that will thrust me,” she explained to Elle in August 2023. “As I get more mature, you know, I can not participate in a teenager for the relaxation of my lifestyle.”

Challengers hits theaters on Friday, April 26.