Serena Williams was reminded of another tennis icon – Roger Federer and his wife Mirka – watching Zendayas new film challenger.
In a review of the film for Fashionthat was released on Friday, April 26, Williams, 42, talked about how the real world of competitive tennis is reflected in the story of Zendaya’s character Tashi and the two men in her life, Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor).
“I also recognized art. “A lot of male tennis players really rely on their wives and girlfriends,” Williams wrote in the film about Art and Tashi’s marital duel and the dynamic between coach and player. “Just look at someone like Roger Federer: he actually hit with his wife Mirka and they were like glue.”
Williams noted that it is “common” in men’s tennis for players to be isolated, particularly those who are at their best. However, she added that even she is “codependent” with her sister Venus Williams at the beginning of her career.
Zendaya is bringing heat on and off the court in her upcoming sports drama “Challengers.” Directed by Luca Guadagnino, the film stars Zendaya as Tashi, a tennis star caught up in a messy love triangle with fellow athletes Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor), following the trio from teenage years into adulthood. […]
“When you’re upstairs, no one talks to you,” she said. “You are so alone that you end up really depending on your team and their opinions. … So it’s interesting that the film was able to capture some of that experience.”
While Serena seemed to have sympathy for O’Connor’s character, “I’ve seen guys like that before. … There are players who really struggle and sometimes live in their car,” she wrote – most annoyed with Tashi, who she described as “mean, for lack of a better word.”
However, there were elements to the character that Serena could understand. “It’s true that when you’re really competitive, you have to make tough decisions, even in your dating life,” she explained. “You need to find someone who really understands you.”
Serena is well versed in setting priorities in both her personal life and career. After a storied career that included 23 Grand Slam titles and four Olympic gold medals, she officially retired from tennis in 2022 to spend more time with her husband. Alexis Ohanianand their daughter Olympia, now 6. (The couple has since welcomed their second daughter, Adira, who was born in August 2023.)
“I’m here to tell you that I’m moving away from tennis and into other things that are important to me,” Serena wrote in one Fashion Essay explaining her decision. “But I hesitate to admit to myself or others that I need to stop playing tennis. Alexis, my husband and I barely talked about it; It’s like a taboo topic. I can’t even have this conversation with my mom and dad. It’s like it’s not real until you say it out loud.”
She continued: “Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family,” Williams continued. “I don’t think it’s fair. If I were a man I wouldn’t be writing this because I would be out there playing and winning while my wife did the physical work of growing our family. Maybe I’d be more of a Tom Brady if I had that opportunity.”
Since leaving the field, Williams has focused on other endeavors. In April, she broke into the world of cosmetics with Wyn Beauty – a makeup brand that promises to offer products that allow athletes to care for their faces even in the most difficult conditions. She also launched her wellness brand Will Perform, which sells recovery products like magnesium lotion, pain relief gel, and more.
Federer, meanwhile, announced his own retirement from tennis just weeks after Serena. The 20-time Grand Slam winner decided to hang up his racket after a series of injuries. In 2020, he underwent two knee surgeries and returned to tennis the following year, but withdrew from the Australian Open and French Open during his recovery. He underwent knee surgery again in August 2021 and subsequently withdrew from the US Open.
Legend! Serena Williams has overcome every obstacle in her path to become one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Perhaps even more impressive is that she now balances perfecting her game with raising her daughter Olympia. Williams was born in September 1981 in Saginaw, Michigan. She started playing tennis at the age of 4 after her sister […]
“As many of you know, the last three years have presented me with challenges with injuries and surgeries,” the athlete wrote in an emotional letter shared via Instagram in September 2022. “I have worked hard to be fully competitive again.” But I also know my body’s capabilities and limitations, and the message it’s been sending me lately is clear.”
He continued: “I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1,500 games in 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever imagined, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career.”
In his announcement, Federer thanked 46-year-old Mirka and the couple’s four children for their years of support. (The couple married in 2009 and are parents to two sets of twins: Myla and Charlene, 14, and Leo and Lenny, 9.)
“Seeing my family cheering me on from the stands is a feeling I will remember forever,” he wrote.
challenger is now in the cinema.