Rating the tennis: 3.5/5
Dramatic umpire confrontation? No (though Zendaya’s assistant, Darnell Appling, who played the chair umpire for the dramatic final match, gets bonus points for the tenor of his score-calling)
The promotional tour for the film made no secret of the stars’ tennis training with a consultant Brad Gilbert, who allegedly put the stars through “boot camp” for “a few months” as a part of production. The former coach of Coco Gauff praised Zendaya’s athleticism and willingness to learn, and also noted Faist’s high-school tennis background.
“She was very focused, very determined to learn and do the best work possible,” Gilbert said. “She got really good at copying and mimicking swings.”
We’d agree on that, at least. Take one look at how Tashi Duncan hits a forehand and tell us that those deep cuts weren’t inspired by Daniil Medvedev. However, the reality of the tennis is much more surface-level. For the avid tennis fan, it might be tough to suspend your disbelief as you watch the trio hit obviously CGI-produced tennis balls, or make in-match tactical decisions that make no sense for their supposed skill level, just as it was for CinemaBlend’s Jessica Rawden. (And don’t get us started on the ending.)
