"As if Serena Williams didn't make the sport iconic!" "Federer, Sharapova retired before this came out"- Fans react to Zendaya's 'Challengers' remarks

Fans reacted with mixed emotions to Zendaya’s comment about making tennis "sexy," through her movie Challengers, with many highlighting that tennis legends like Roger Federer and Serena Williams had already solidified the sport's iconic and appealing status.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly published on October 3, Zendaya shared that several tennis players had "thanked" her for making the sport "sexy" and "cool" through her tennis-themed movie, Challengers.

"I've had a couple of tennis players say, 'Thanks for making tennis sexy' or 'making tennis cool,'" she recounted.

However, Zendaya was quick to acknowledge that tennis had always possessed those qualities, adding:

"I feel like tennis has always been cool and sexy, but I'll take it. It’s fun that more people are getting into the sport now."

Some found humor in her remark, while others expressed pride in tennis' long-standing appeal.

"Federer and Sharapova retired before this movie came out. Tennis was sexy already," one fan wrote.

"Zendaya thinks she made tennis sexy after 'Challengers'? As if Serena Williams and other legends didn't already make the sport iconic! Hollywood always late to the party," another fan wrote.

"I think tennis is cool. Only sexy thing about tennis is Serena Williams," a third fan said.

Some fans speculated about which tennis player might have made the comment Zendaya talked about.

"My only guess is Riley Opelka," one fan wrote.

"Grigor Dimitrov for sure," another fan guessed.

One fan, however, was critical of the movie and wrote:

"I think now is the time to say I thought Challengers was really quite rubbish."

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Serena Williams gives her verdict on Zendaya's tennis-inspired movie 'Challengers'

Serena Williams at the 2024 US Open (Image: Getty)

Challengers, released in April 2024, is a sports drama centered around love, and rivalry in professional tennis.

Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), a former tennis prodigy turned coach, is married to Art (Mike Faist), a struggling player. The film explores their relationship and Art's competition against Patrick (Josh O'Connor), Tashi's former lover, and Art's old friend.

In her April column for Vogue, Serena Williams reviewed the movie and had kind words for the actors.

"Just the talent of the actors—wow. If they had started playing tennis sooner, they could have gone on tour. I would’ve been in trouble. Tennis movies are incredibly difficult to make, but Zendaya was good, and so were Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist," Williams wrote.

"Yes, I could tell when the ball was added in post, but it was still impressive. That’s really a testament to how seriously they all took their training, and how careful they were to portray the world of tennis in the right way," she added.

Meanwhile, Zendaya revealed to Entertainment Tonight that she was nervous about Serena Williams watching the movie. She called the 23-time Grand Slam winner the "best of the best."

After the success of 'Challengers,' Zendaya collaborated with the Roger Federer-backed Swiss brand, On. The partnership brought the actress and the Swiss tennis legend together for a promotional campaign.