"To be a Black female tennis player, I can’t imagine" - Zendaya impressed by Venus and Serena Williams' grace under intense scrutiny and pressure

Zendaya has expressed her admiration for Venus and Serena Williams' remarkable ability to handle the intense pressure and scrutiny they have had to endure.

Zendaya is engaged in promotional activities for her tennis-centric film 'Challengers,' slated to hit theaters in the United States on April 26. The movie revolves around Zendaya's character Tashi, who transitions to coaching her husband Art, portrayed by Mike Faist, after a career-ending injury.

However, things take a turn when she has to coach her husband against Patrick (Josh O'Connor) in a Challenger tournament. Patrick has a complicated past with both, as he is Tashi's ex-lover and Art's former best friend.

A few months after wrapping filming, Zendaya indulged her newfound interest in tennis by visiting New York to witness Serena Williams compete at the 2022 US Open, the final tournament of her illustrious career.

In a recent Vogue interview, Zendaya admitted that her knowledge of tennis only extended to the Williams sisters and Roger Federer before she filmed Challengers. She also opened up about what impressed her the most about the Williams sisters, lauding their grace under the intense scrutiny and pressure.

Acknowledging the lonely nature of tennis, she empathized with the amplified loneliness Venus and Serena Williams had to endure as Black female players.

"Fu**ing all of it. The story, the amount of pressure, the microscope that they were under, the loneliness they must have felt—because it’s already lonely to be a tennis player, but to be a Black female tennis player, I can’t imagine," she said.

The 27-year-old also admitted that she was "absolutely terrified" of the prospect of playing in front of a packed crowd, emphasizing that players were not only expected to win but also to be nice in such "anxiety-inducing" situations.

"Like, we’re going to put you in a very stressful, anxiety-inducing situation where you have to compete and there are millions of people watching,” she added. "And you have to win…and be nice about it."

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"Venus and Serena Williams taught all of us it doesn't matter where you come from; if you set your mind to something, anything's possible" - Danielle Collins

Venus Williams (L) and Serena Williams

Venus and Serena Williams recently also earned praise from fellow American Danielle Collins. Following her Charleston Open triumph, Collins hailed Serena as her idol. She asserted that the Williams sisters' success proves that one can transcend their background and financial status through hard work.

"Serena was my idol. I think the Williams sisters taught all of us it doesn't matter where you come from, doesn't matter your background, what you look like, how much money your parents have. If you set your mind to something and you work your tail off, anything's possible," she said.

The 30-year-old also opened up about relating to their humble beginnings, revealing that her parents had to pick up extra shifts to support her dream.

"I think I resonated with their story a little bit too. My dad was my coach and we were at the public parks, and my parents were driving me all around, and working double, triple shifts just so they could support my dream," Collins added.

Danielle Collins also established a connection with Serena Williams, becoming the first player since the 23-time Grand Slam champion in 2013 to win titles in Miami and Charleston in the same year.