Zendaya’s highly anticipated Challengers less than a month away

by Hailey Goebel

Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino, follows Tashi, a former tennis player turned coach, who has transformed her husband, Art, into a world-famous Grand Slam champion.  

Tashi signs Art up for a challenger event, hoping to help him break out of his recent losing streak. 

The tournament is close to the lowest level of professional play, where Art faces his former best friend and Tashi’s ex-boyfriend across the net. 

In an interview with ABC News, Zendaya, who stars as Tashi, described her character as a go-getter who is ruthless about how she goes after the things she wants and needs.

“I often say tennis is a metaphor and outlet in which the characters use to stay connected to each other, depend on each other, wield power over each other and hurt each other,” said Zendaya. “I just think that Tashi is incredibly complicated.” 

While attending the Marrakech Film Festival, director Luca Guadagnino said in an interview with The Upcoming that fans can expect a cinematic tour de force of jealousy, rivalry and love from the soon-approaching film. 

“Zendaya has a complex, fierce and smart personality,” Guadagnino said. “She is a great worker and is a person of cinema. She knows cinema very well.” 

After being significantly delayed by the SAG-AFTRA strike, Challengers will finally premiere on April 26, 2024.