Coco Gauff recently discussed her impressions of the newly released film “Challengers,” featuring Zendaya, during a press conference. When asked about characters resembling Tashi Duncan, the protagonist, the world No. 3 reflected on the movie’s themes and characters.
The 20-year-old tennis player, seeded third in the main draw of the Rome Open, is rebounding from a loss in the Madrid Open quarterfinals against fellow American Madison Keys. The 2023 US Open champion is in close pursuit of Aryna Sabalenka, and a strong performance in Rome could elevate her to the world No. 2 ranking, setting the stage for her final tournament before the French Open.
In the movie, actors Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist took on the roles of tennis players, with their preparation overseen by Brad Gilbert, who is also Coco Gauff’s current coach. Gilbert emphasized the importance of authenticity in their training, ensuring that their portrayal of tennis players was as realistic as possible.
During the press conference, Coco Gauff humorously remarked that she doesn’t know any players on the tour like the characters depicted in the movie, joking about not being involved in any “throuples” on tour. She quipped, “I’m not Tashi Duncan. I don’t know any Tashi Duncans.” However, she did mention relating to Tashi’s mentality on the court, even if not everything happening off the court.