Naomi Osaka pays tribute to Zendaya's “inspired” character in “Challengers”
Naomi Osaka and Zendaya (Courtesy: Reuters)
Tennis champion Naomi Osaka took to TikTok to channel Zendaya’s character, Tashi Duncan, from the hit romantic drama, “Challengers.”
Sporting sunglasses and spinning her racket, the tennis star captioned her TikTok, “No one: Me after watching Challengers,” with the film’s intense score playing in the background.
@naomiosaka i tried my best 😖 #tennistok #howtoserve #wta #naomiosaka
♬ original sound - Naomi Osaka 大坂なおみ
Screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes revealed at a press conference that the storyline for “Challengers” was inspired by Osaka’s victory over Serena Williams at the 2018 US Open.
The movie, directed by Luca Guadagnino, centers on the tense dynamics between former best friends in a high-stakes tennis match.
Fans are speculating that the next “Challengers” trend Osaka might adopt is Tashi Duncan’s iconic “I TOLD YA” T-shirt.