For Tashi Duncan, Zendaya’s character in Challengers, tennis is not merely a sport, it is a relationship. This becomes the premise of director Luca Guadagnino’s sports drama, which delves into the intricacies of tennis to show how it mirrors the ebb and flow of life itself.

Guadagnino — known for his sensual storytelling in films like I Am Love, A Bigger Splash and Call Me by Your Name — elevates the tennis court to a stage where personal dramas unfold. The sport becomes metaphorical as characters play off not only against each other but also their desires and insecurities. Challengers takes us into the lives of three individuals whose paths diverged after a shared history. Their destinies meet once more, igniting a mix of competitiveness and unresolved emotions.

Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) and Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor), once inseparable boarding school companions, are now rivals on court. As Art grapples with a losing streak, Tashi (Zendaya), his partner and coach, comes up with the plan to reignite his confidence through a lesser-known tournament — the 2019 Phil’s Tire Town Challenger in New Rochelle, New York — where Art is unlikely to face strong opponents. The strategy backfires when Patrick, a long-lost figure from their past, emerges, shattering the fragile equilibrium they had built.

We learn that in college, both Patrick and Art were smitten by tennis prodigy Tashi Duncan. Unable to pick a favourite, Tashi announced she would date whoever between them wins a singles match. Patrick and Art face off, Patrick wins, and he and Tashi begin a relationship, leaving Art jealous and bitter.

Soon, Tashi’s obsession with tennis begins to strain her relationship with Patrick, and when she sustains an injury on court, her dreams of playing professional tennis come to an end. Tashi switches to coaching Art. Their relationship culminates in marriage and Patrick disappears from their lives, only to return 13 years later at the Challengers tournament. The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of this tournament, where past grievances resurface in the heat of competition.

Central to Challengers is an exploration of the darker aspects of human nature where ambition blurs the lines between friend and foe. Tashi, Art, and Patrick are driven by their desires to the point that empathy often takes a backseat to personal gain. Their relentless pursuit of success propels them into morally ambiguous territory.

Zendaya reaffirms her status as one of Hollywood’s finest young actors, commanding every scene she is in. Whether opposite Josh or Mike, her screen chemistry exudes intimacy, passion and tension throughout. Josh and Mike’s bromance, and rivalry, on court is to watch out for, too. The other formidable presence throughout the film is the soundtrack. Whether on the tennis court or in other intense moments in the bedroom, the pulsating techno beats of the score, composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, give an adrenaline rush.