Gauff responds to ‘Challengers’ star Zendaya’s wish

Zendaya, star of the upcoming tennis-themed blockbuster “Challengers” — which opens in U.S. theaters on April 26 — has been a fixture at tennis tournaments to promote the film this spring, from the BNP Paribas Open to last week’s ATP Rolex Monte-Carlos Masters.

But, the A-lister says, despite having chatted with champion Iga Swiatek after the women’s final in Indian Wells, and sharing the red carpet with Hologic WTA Tour stars Eugenie Bouchard and Venus Williams at the film’s Los Angeles premiere on Tuesdaythere’s one star player who she’s still itching to meet.

“I love Coco [Gauff]I haven’t met her yet, but I sure hope so!” Zendaya said in an interview with Tennis Channel. “I know Brad’s [Gilbert, who worked as the tennis consultant on the film] her coach, so I’m like, ‘I want to meet her!'”

The feeling is mutual: Gauff responded to the actress’ wish with her own fan-girl moment after winning her second-round match at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart on Wednesday, also saying that Gilbert had nothing but praise for how eagerly Zendaya embraced the source material.

“He said that she picked it up decently well,” Gauff said. “I mean, it’s hard to replicate tennis, but one thing he did say, she is a hard worker and she was trying as hard as she can to make it as perfect as she could and that she’s a super-sweet girl.”

While the pair have never met, Gauff got flowers delivered to her home from the two-time Emmy Award-winner last summer after she won the US Open — thanks to Gilbert, who gave Zendaya Gauff’s address. Gauff, who last fall called receiving the bouquet the “coolest thing” about her US Open win, also had high praise for Zendaya’s on-theme looks for the movie’s press tour, which included a glittering, green dress modeled after a tennis ball at the Sydney premiere.

“I loved all the ‘Challengers’ fashion looks,” Gauff said. “I thought that was really cool to see tennis in that way, because I felt for a tennis player for us, a lot of us wouldn’t want to do that, but she made it look like high fashion and chic.”

Gauff says she’s “excited” to see the talked-about blockbuster, which stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a promising tennis player whose career is cut short due to a devastating injury. Her character ultimately becomes a coach for her husband, but becomes embroiled in a love triangle with one of his opponents, who is also her former lover.

The plot is a little “out there” for the 60-year-old Gilbert, Gauff says — the movie is rated R for explicit themes and scenes — but Gauff has her own message to any fans flocking to see it on the big screen.

“I think people shouldn’t go into the movie critiquing the tennis. I think really that’s just not what the story is about, so he did tell me that,” she said.

“But he said, ‘I just wanted to focus on the tennis and not the storyline,’ but for me, I love that type of stuff. I love the drama, and I love the love triangles. I love all of that. So I’m really excited to see it. I literally have it on my list of movies I’m going to go to see in Europe. As soon as it releases, if I’m not playing a match, I’m going to go.”