We Desperately Need To Unpack That ‘Challengers’ Ending

Call me a sports girl, ’cause Challengers is my new favorite movie. When I left the theater, I felt inspired to become a professional tennis player and find two hot guys to fight over me. (Still working on that.) Zendaya is the embodiment of main character energy, so it’s actually shocking that this was her first time playing one in a major movie. Needless to say, the Euphoria queen fucking killed her role as the tennis star-turned coach. Tashi is fierce, sexy, ruthless, and an instant fictional legend.

The Tashi, Art, and Patrick love triangle is the heart of the steamy film. First, Tashi goes for Patrick, who’s a little more confident and has bad boy energy. After he semi-causes the injury that ruins her career, Tashi marries the boring but reliable choice, Art — a tale as old as time. Art is on a losing streak at the start of the movie, and Tashi, who’s also his coach, isn’t having it. She enrolls him in a Challenger tournament where he ends up facing Patrick in the final match. Naturally, Tashi asks Patrick to lose the game on purpose and also informs Art that she’ll leave him if he doesn’t win. No biggie. Yeah, there’s a lot going on at the end… we all had questions. Who wins? Who does Zendaya end up with? What’s going on with Patrick and Art? Allow me to explain.

**SPOILER ALERT** Don’t read on if you don’t want to know the ending.

Who Wins The Challenger Tournament?

Ahead of the tournament, Tashi cheats on Art with Patrick and convinces him to let Art win. A messy icon! However, Patrick boasts to Art mid-match that he just slept with Tashi by putting a tennis ball in the throat of his racket — their old move from college. That realllly pisses Art off, and the former besties proceed to play some crazy intense tennis until Art ultimately earns the victory and Tashi screams with excitement.

Who Does Zendaya’s Character Tashi End Up With?

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Yes, Art won, and Tashi implied that she’d stay with him if he won. But honestly? It’s hard to say. Art literally knows Tashi and Patrick just slept together, which wasn’t part of Tashi’s plan. Ultimately, there is no “better” man or perfect match for Tashi between these boys. One is a problematic loser and one is boring as fuck and not as obsessed with tennis as she’d like him to be. What the three of them have always had since their teenage years is serious sexual chemistry (yes, I’m including the chemistry between Patrick and Art in that), admiration for each other’s tennis skills, and not-always-friendly competition. It doesn’t feel like Tashi’s in love with either of them.

Do Art And Patrick Make Up At The End?

After avoiding each other for years, Patrick and Art get a powerful rush from competing with each other on the court and also competing for Tashi again. For some twisted reason, they get so much adrenaline from these conflicts that they suddenly remember their fondness for each other and have a cathartic embrace. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was those two who ended up together in the end. #Artrick for the win.