Zendaya celebrates sultry appeal of 'Challengers': 'Tennis brings the heat'

Zendaya has hailed her latest film, Challengers, as "incredibly sexy," despite the absence of explicit sex scenes in the storyline.

The Euphoria star portrays a fallen tennis icon in the movie and emphasized the sensuality inherent in the sport itself. 

Despite the film's promotion heavily featuring a steamy love triangle between Zendaya's character and co-stars Josh O'Connor and Mike Faist, she clarified that no actual sex scenes were filmed. 

Speaking with People, she shared her amusement at being asked about intimate scenes in the movie, responding, "What sex scenes?"

Emphasizing the metaphorical sensuality inherent in the sport of tennis. The actress, highlighted how tennis serves as a conduit for various emotions such as desire, passion, pain, anger, and frustration. 

She explained, "We keep saying tennis is the sex in the movie, and I think tennis holds a metaphor for a lot of things." 

Zendaya elaborated on the characters' use of tennis as a means of communication when verbal expression fails.

Scheduled for release on April 26, Challengers follows Zendaya's character, an aspiring tennis star who abandons her career after a significant injury. 

She transitions to coaching her colleague, Art, played by Mike Faist, with whom she falls in love and eventually marries.