In Challengers, who wins Art and Patrick's final tennis match?
Art seemed to have won the last match in Challengers at first, but given Guadagnino's ending of the movie, it's not certain. Audiences saw Art filming the last scene of the movie, but umpire David Hanzes says Challengers' final match has no winner. The game went on even with the ending. Though one rule says, according Hanzes, one "cannot go over into the other player's side while the point is still in play." Art had already touched Patrick physically. Also, you cannot touch your opponent."
The finish of the passengers is more of an emotional climax for the story and the relationships at its core than about the tennis match itself. Art lost the point at the end of Challengers, hence he wasn't the champion. Anything could have happened to propel either of the pals toward triumph as the game was still in progress. Though Challengers' finale suggests that Art and Patrick had at least mended their friendship and left bygues be bygones, whether Art won or if they both forfeited the match will always be an issue. The film's denouement is ultimately more of an emotional climax for the story and the people at its core than about the tennis match itself.
Why Art and Patrick Hug Following a Final Tennis Match for Challengers?
For different reasons, Art and Patrick were totally absorbed in the last tennis match. Since Tashi had asked him to be his tennis coach and she had asked him to lose on purpose, Art wanted to get his confidence back so he could win the match to please her as he headed into the US Open fully retired. But Art and Patrick had not been close for years since they stopped talking to one other following Tashi's tennis accident in one of the greatest Movies of 2024.
But Patrick's revelation of a secret to Art—as though they were old friends once again—that they were both drawn into Tashi's gravitational pull drew out their long-standing friendship. Their real-life inspired Challengers most likely reminded them of their shared tennis days before they met Tashi. But Patrick's candor about his relationship with Tashi let Art back off and see what he had lost in that regard. Art most likely understood he could beat Patrick and then reconcile with him simultaneously.
Why Tashi Yells "Come On!" Towards The End Of Challengers?
Tashi Duncan has always loved and respected tennis greatly. She has so dedicated herself to the activity that she probably feels inadequate without it. Art and Patrick see Tashi exclaim "come on!" in the first game and she does the same at the last point in Art and Patrick's Challengers match. Tashi yells this when she is totally absorbed in the tennis match under progress. She was, after all, earlier deprived of seeing some decent tennis.
Art and Patrick hadn't been playing in a way that challenged or particularly entertained Tashi before the moment. By Challengers' end, Tashi was really engaged in the game and her yells "Come on!" demonstrated her love of it and how great it could be when both players were honestly giving it their all. At last, Art and Patrick were providing her what she craved: an incredible, high-stakes match that would inspire her own love of tennis once more.
Signature Racket Move of Challengers: How Art Learn Tashi & Patrick Slept Together
Art is not a victim in the relationship Tashi, Patrick, and he is performing. Art questioned the extent of Patrick and Tashi's connection in college, after all, did not improve matters and he did it for selfish reasons. But Patrick decided to inform Art — in the same manner he revealed in college—that he and Tashi slept together after feeling as though strings were being tugged.
Patrick was definitely not doing it since he felt guilty about what had transpired, or since he was actually looking out for Art (he would have told him about their tryst in Atlanta, too, otherwise). Rather, Patrick thought the material would irritate Art and drive him over the brink in the epic drama film set for 2024. After all, Patrick was hoping to win the game in order to persuade Tashi to coach him rather than her husband. Either way, Art's knowledge that Tashi had betrayed him with his ex-friend transforms everything. Now that Tashi tells Art he will leave him should he fail, it could be that Art will be the one to distance himself from their connection going forward. Art may potentially stay anyhow, particularly given he reconnected with Patrick.
Why Tashi Needed Art To Outperform The Challengers Match So Badly?
Tashi has been Art's tennis instructor for the whole of their relationship, helping him to keep on top and relevant by increasing his career and confidence. Challenger's major commercial makes it very evident that the pair is a tennis power couple. Tashi wanted Art to win, though, not just so he may get confidence before the US Open but also because it would embarrassing her should he fail.
Tennis prodigy Tashi was, in some respects, living vicariously through Art's tennis career in Luca Guadagnino's 2024 Oscar candidate. More than anything else in her life, Tashi was intensely passionate about tennis. Tashi's rating and reputation suffered if Art wasn't the greatest at tennis. She pushed him so she may look nice too. Art not being up to par at tennis made Tashi less fond of him.
Who Tashi Ends Up With Following Challengers?
After hugging it out at the end of their match, Art and Patrick seem to be on their road to reconciliation. Challengers' ending opens the path for a dynamic and future transition in the trio. Art and Patrick could ice Tashi following the game, which would mostly come from Art due of Tashi's adultery, although it seems doubtful they would. At least with tennis, they need her more than she needs them. Thus, the complex love triangle of Challengers most certainly persists well beyond the conclusion.
Instead, Art and Patrick might go back to be friends; Art can at last retire from tennis knowing Tashi can instruct Patrick instead. The three might at last let go of the past and go forth free from mind and bodily games among themselves. Tashi might still leave Art to work with Patrick, but it would be a fresh start for her and Art because she told him about her declining interest. Art might retire in peace free from tennis concerns. On the other hand, the game could have just sparked his competitive drive again.
What The Cast and Luca Guadagnino Said About Challengers' Ending
The ending of the movie most obviously reflected the complex love triangle of the passengers, which may influence the fate of all three of them. Considering the ambiguity of Challengers' ending, everyone likely walks away from it feeling something different about what exactly transpired — be that in the debate over who will win the match, whether Art and Patrick have truly reconciled, or how their future will look like with Tashi. Talking with EW, Josh O'Connor thinks the trio finding each other drives Challengers' ending.
Mike Faist, on the other hand, finds it fascinating that, independent of their perspective on the match and its most intense events, the ending evokes so many various feelings from audience members. He said following on the ending of Challengers:
"That's the point: everyone is both correct and wrong. The interesting thing about this movie is that people will develop a really visceral opinion. People are leaving the theater engaged still with the material itself, and that's in itself the joy for me."
The Real Interpretive Value Of Passenger Terminals
Guadagnino's film explores relationships—including romantic ones—when combined with the athletics world. In Challengers, the characters take tennis very seriously, but by the end it’s clear to see that the competition and the games played off the court have irrevocably altered Tashi, Art, and Patrick’s dynamic — mostly for the worse.
Challengers also asks the audience to wonder about the strength of relationships in such an intense environment, as they’re so easily influenced and changed throughout the film. Challengers wades into class, competition, opportunity, and status, while the end suggests the intense passion for tennis outweighs them all and is worth risking relationships for.
How Roger Federer Inspired The Challengers Movie
Challengers writer Justin Kuritzkes told GQ about how professional tennis player Roger Federer and his wife, Mirka Federer, partially inspired him to pen the 2024 Zendaya movie. Kuritzkes explained how he watched Federer face off against Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon in 2019 and noticed that the camera kept cutting to Mirka in the stands. The screenwriter said:
"[Mirka] looked so stressed out, every point. 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 to you? It has to be something else.'"
Afterward, Kuritzkes did some research and discovered that Mirka was a rising tennis star in her youth. However, similar to Zendaya's character in Challengers, a foot injury forced Mirka into early retirement. Kuritzkes remarked, "[Mirka] kind of became [Federer's] manager, and sort of managed his life. He credits her a lot for [his success]." So, it's easy to see the comparisons between Roger and Mirka Federer's tennis journey and Tashi and Art's story in Challengers.
