Even the biggest names in sports and entertainment can be starstruck sometimes. While on the red carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of the upcoming tennis-themed movie Challengers, Tennis Channel asked Zendaya, the movie’s lead, if there are any tennis players she would like to meet. She responded by saying she wants to meet Coco Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion and top American player.
"I love Coco, I haven't met her yet, but I sure hope so!" said the two-time Emmy winner, who plays a tennis prodigy-turned coach named Tashi Duncan in the upcoming film.
At the time, Gauff was halfway across the world, playing in Stuttgart, Germany. However, she reposted the Tennis Channel’s post and discussed the movie and Zendaya in her press conference after winning her second-round match.
It was all "very, very cool," the 20-year-old said.
There is a chance that the two could meet in the future, as Gauff’s coach, Brad Gilbert, was the movie’s tennis consultant. In fact, when Zendaya wanted to send Gauff flowers after her championship run in Queens, Gilbert passed along the now-world No. 3’s address.
“He said that she picked it up decently well. I mean, it's hard to replicate tennis, but one thing he did say [is] she is a hard worker and she was trying as hard as she can to make it as perfect as she could and that she's a super-sweet girl,” Gauff said.
Gauff hasn’t seen Challengers yet, but she's hoping no one goes into the movie critiquing the tennis, particularly because the story is more about what transpires off the court between Zendaya and her two male co-stars. She also said that parts of the movie, which hits American theaters next Friday, were “a little out there” for her coach, as there are some explicit scenes in the R-rated film.
“He said ‘I just wanted to focus on the tennis and not the storyline,’ but for me, I love that type of stuff. I love the drama, and I love the love triangles. I love all of that,” Gauff said.
And she will be there to watch it all unfold on the big screen in between matches on the European clay swing.
“I'm really excited to see it. I literally have it on my list of movies I'm going to go to see in Europe. As soon as it releases, if I'm not playing a match, I'm going to go.”
