Why Zendaya’s Challengers Reminds Serena Williams of Roger Federer

Serena Williams was reminded of one other tennis icon — Roger Federer and his spouse, Mirka — whereas watching Zendaya’s new movie Challengers.

In a assessment of the film for Vogue, which was printed on Friday, April 26, Williams, 42, opened up about seeing the actual world of aggressive tennis mirrored within the story of Zendaya’s character, Tashi, and the 2 males in her life, Artwork (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor).

“I acknowledged Artwork, too. Plenty of male tennis gamers actually depend on their wives and girlfriends,” Williams wrote of Artwork and Tashi’s duel marital and coach-player dynamic within the movie. “Simply take a look at somebody like Roger Federer: he used to truly hit together with his spouse, Mirka, they usually had been like glue.”

Williams famous that gamers getting remoted is seen “a lot” in males’s tennis, particularly for these on the prime of their sport. She added, nonetheless, that even she was “codependent” with sister Venus Williams firstly of their careers.

“If you happen to’re on the highest, nobody speaks to you,” she mentioned. “You’re alone a lot that you find yourself being actually dependent in your group and their opinions. … So it’s fascinating that the film was capable of seize a few of that have.”

Whereas Serena seemingly had empathy for O’Connor’s character — “I’ve seen guys like that earlier than. … There are gamers who actually battle and generally find yourself residing of their automobile,” she wrote — she was most grated by Tashi, whom she described as “imply, for lack of a greater phrase.”

There have been parts to the character, nonetheless, that Serena may perceive. “It’s true that whenever you’re actually aggressive, you need to make powerful selections, together with in your courting life,” she defined. “It’s a must to discover somebody who actually understands your thoughts.”

Determining priorities in the case of private life and profession is one thing Serena is properly acquainted with. After a storied profession that included 23 Grand Slam titles and 4 Olympic gold medals, she formally retired from tennis in 2022 to spend extra time along with her husband, Alexis Ohanian, and their daughter, Olympia, now 6. (The pair have since welcomed their second daughter, Adira, who arrived in August 2023.)

“I’m right here to inform you that I’m evolving away from tennis, towards different issues which are necessary to me,” Serena wrote in a Vogue essay explaining her choice. “However I’ve been reluctant to confess to myself or anybody else that I’ve to maneuver on from taking part in tennis. Alexis, my husband, and I’ve hardly talked about it; it’s like a taboo subject. I can’t even have this dialog with my mother and pa. It’s prefer it’s not actual till you say it out loud.”

She continued, “Imagine me, I by no means needed to have to decide on between tennis and a household,” Williams continued. “I don’t suppose it’s truthful. If I had been a man, I wouldn’t be penning this as a result of I’d be on the market taking part in and profitable whereas my spouse was doing the bodily labor of increasing our household. Perhaps I’d be extra of a Tom Brady if I had that chance.”

Since stepping off the court docket, Williams has targeted on different endeavors. In April, she broke into the world of cosmetics with Wyn Magnificence — a make-up model that guarantees to supply merchandise that can permit athletes to serve face amid probably the most taxing circumstances. She additionally launched her wellness model, Will Carry out, which sells restoration merchandise like magnesium lotion, ache reduction gel and extra.

Federer, in the meantime, introduced his personal retirement from tennis simply weeks after Serena. The 20-time Grand Slam winner determined to hold up his racquet after a sequence of accidents. He underwent two knee surgical procedures in 2020 and returned to tennis the next yr, however withdrew from the Australian Open and French Open whereas he recovered. He underwent one other knee surgical procedure in August 2021 and subsequently withdrew from the U.S. Open.

“As lots of , the previous three years have offered me with challenges within the type of accidents and surgical procedures,” the athlete wrote in an emotional letter shared through Instagram in September 2022. “I’ve labored laborious to return to full aggressive type. However I additionally know my physique’s capacities and limits, and its message to me recently has been clear.”

He continued, “I’m 41 years outdated. I’ve performed greater than 1,500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has handled me extra generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I need to acknowledge when it’s time to finish my aggressive profession.”

In his announcement, Federer thanked Mirka, 46, and the couple’s 4 kids for his or her help over time. (The pair the knot in 2009 and are mother and father to 2 units of twins: Myla and Charlene, 14, and Leo and Lenny, 9.)

“Seeing my household cheering me on from the stands is a sense I’ll cherish ceaselessly,” he wrote.

Challengers is in theaters now.