"Better than Coco Gauff's if you ask me"; "Inspired by Daniil Medvedev octopus" - Tennis fans amused by Zendaya's forehand in 'Challengers' trailer

Tennis fans drew comparisons between Zendaya's forehand in the recently-launched 'Challengers' movie trailer to that of the techniques of Daniil Medvedev and Coco Gauff.

The film tells the story of a former tennis star, played by Zendaya, who now coaches her husband, portrayed by Mike Faist. Under her guidance, he achieves incredible success on the court. However, things become complicated when he finds himself facing off against his wife's former lover, played by Josh O'Connor, in a high-stakes challenger tournament.

Recently, the trailer for 'Challengers' was released, and it has sparked some interesting reactions from tennis fans. Many were taken aback by the shots Zendaya played, particularly her forehand.

Fans took to social media to express their opinions on Zendaya's forehand swing. One fan stated that her swing was too long and also that it appeared to be inspired by Medvedev's "octopus forehand".

"Zendaya's forehand swing is so long she's going to have MAJOR shoulder issues in a couple years. that shit's inspired by the medvedev octopus forehand," a fan tweeted.

Another fan expressed that Zendaya's forehand surpasses that of Coco Gauff's.

"Better than Gauff's if you ask me," the fan tweeted.

Here are a few more reactions from fans:

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Brad Gilbert worked with Zendaya for 'Challengers' movie

Brad Gilbert with Andy Murray at the French Open

Former tennis player and Andre Agassi's former coach Brad Gilbert lent his expertise to director Luca Guadagnino for his film, 'Challengers.' In an interview with Variety, Guadagnino spoke highly of the film's talented cast, who worked tirelessly alongside Gilbert to perfect their tennis skills for the movie.

Gilbert, who had an impressive career in the 1980s, boasting 20 singles titles, was brought on board as a consultant for the movie. Following his playing days, Gilbert transitioned into coaching, where he notably helped Agassi secure six Grand Slam titles.

During the production of 'Challengers,' Gilbert dedicated three months to training with Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, and Mike Faist. The director, Guadagnino, was thoroughly impressed with their unwavering commitment to learning the nuances of the sport.

“They spent like three months working very hard,” Guadagnino said of the trio of actors. “Everybody – technically, athletically.”

The Oscar-winning director specifically mentioned Zendaya, whom he jokingly suggested was more than ready to take on the US Open. He praised her for her professional movements and noted that upon reviewing the final edit, he was impressed to find that she did not require a body double

"She’s wonderful, I mean, wow. We edited the movie and we almost actually don’t use any of her double. She’s so good.” he added.

'Challengers' will be Guagadnino's first comedy and is due for release in August 2023.