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Zendaya’s Latest ‘Challengers’ Premiere Look Is an Ode to Serena and Venus Williams

The actress’s latest ensemble is worthy of a grand slam title.

Ananya Panchal

Zendaya
Zendaya / Jack Gruber-USA TODAY

Zendaya has been championing the return of the tenniscore aesthetic with her Challengers press tour looks, whether she knows it or not. And, the actress’s final look and photo shoot pays homage to the sport in the most subtle yet symbolic way. The black-and-white striped ball gown is a dramatic ensemble for sure, but the sweet meaning behind the fashion choice is rather unnoticeable to the average viewer.

Fashion fanatics, and image architect Law Roach, however, know that the Carolina Herrera original is an almost perfect recreation of a look that sisters and tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams wore during a 1998 Vogue feature.

The 27-year-old, who is dating fellow actor and Spider-Man star Tom Holland, replicated the entire look, down to the antique couch pose and hair beads (a wig from Kim Kimble), which most tennis fans will know were a powerful (and controversial) statement throughout the Williams sisters’s tennis careers.

Serena and Venus were photographed by legendary creative Annie Leibovitz, while the Disney Channel alumnus was captured by Ernesto Casillas.

“An ode to the GREATS @venuswilliams @serenawilliams We thank you for all you have done!,” Roach captioned an IG post of Zendaya, and included a slide from the ’90s shoot. “With Love, Z and Law. Thank You to @wesgordon and the @carolinaherrera team for helping us recreate this iconic look.”

“WOWWWWWWWWW 😍😍😍😍😍,” SI Swimsuit model Kamie Crawford commented.

“This is Iconic. Wow. Thank you Law.🫶🏾🎾,” Antonio Newell added.

“Oh. My. God.,” Blakely Thornton wrote.

Tennis champ Coco Gauff, 20, who is the WTA's world No. 1 doubles player, chimed in with some heart-eye emojis. Zendaya and Gauff haven’t met, but the two have expressed their mutual love and admiration for each other. The athlete’s trainer, Brad Gilbert, worked as a tennis consultant on the sports-romance film. The two-time Emmy Award-wining actress also sent the Florida native flowers after she won the 2023 U.S. Open.

“He said that she picked up [playing tennis] decently well,” Gauff shared. “I mean, it’s hard to replicate tennis, but one thing he did say, she is a hard worker and she was trying as hard as she can to make it as perfect as she could and that she’s a super-sweet girl.”

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Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a NYC-based Lifestyle & Trending News writer at SI Swimsuit. Before joining the Swim team, the Boston University Alum worked for culture & entertainment beats at Bustle, The San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. When Ananya is not writing or doom-scrolling on social media, she can be found playing sudoku, rewatching One Tree Hill or trying new restaurants. She's also a coffee and chocolate (separately) enthusiast. 

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