Zendaya shines in ‘Challengers,’ a refreshingly complex tennis romance

(***)& Sometimes, three’s a crowd. Sometimes, not. Especially when a very desirable female tennis star enjoys making two male tennis players compete for her affection. “Whoever wins, gets my number.”& & They’ve known each other since the early 2000s. As a teenager, Tashi Duncan (Zendaya, Dune), was once the queen of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTS) juniors. She won tournaments, was on the verge of big endorsements and was a media darling. Back then, from a distance, her two biggest admirers were American Tennis Professional (ATP) junior players Art Donaldson (Mike Faist, West Side Story) and Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor, The Crown). Those two schemed to meet, seduce and endear themselves to Tashi. What they hadn’t fathomed was that she would smack their emotions around like tennis balls.& Zendaya and Josh O’Connor in “Challengers.” The screenplay by Justin Kuritzkes curiously eschews a linear narrative. Instead, it starts with the older trio in 2019 and when roles have switched. Art is a world champ, Tashi is his wife and demanding coach who presses him to beat his opponents: “Decimate that little bitch!” Patrick, who beat Art unmercifully on court in their younger years, is a washed-up player. He’s back competing on...