Zendaya’s latest movie Challengers is not only influenced by athletes on-court but also by the people who support them off-court. The screenwriter of the movie, Justin Kuritzkes, revealed how Roger Federer’s wife, Mirka,
influenced Zendaya’s expressions in the movie. In an interview, Kuritzkes shed light on the story of a Wimbledon match that helped him shape the character of Tushi Duncan.
Throughout the creative process, Kuritzkes was drawn to the way Mirka would express herself during matches, especially when he observed her extreme tension during Wimbledon in 2019. When Federer was deep into the game playing against Novak Djokovic, Mirka Federer was in the stand with her hands on her face, watching her husband play. “I was watching her and just thinking, ‘Why are you so stressed out? You guys have all the money in the world. You’ve won 20 grand slams. What’s so stressful for you? It has to be something else.”
Although Roger Federer lost that game to Novak Djokovic, it created a source of inspiration for Kuritzkes. Mirka’s enigmatic past piqued Kuritzkes’ curiosity, prompting him to delve deeper into learning more about her. And soon he discovered that she had been a gifted tennis player and had previously reached a career ranking of 76.
But a foot injury cut her career short. Referring to the transition that she went through, Kuritzkes continued, “She kind of became [Federer’s] manager and sort of managed his life. “He credits her a lot for [his success].”