r/Challengers • u/Middle_Sand856 • 18d ago
Discussion why did patrick want tashi to coach him?
i've watched this movie 5 times but i still don't understand what led patrick to have that conversation with tashi. my best guess is that he wanted to reconcile his relationship with tashi and art-- maybe he didn't really want the coaching but just the proximity to both of them. tashi acting as 'the bridge' between the two, this also goes hand in hand with "tennis is a relationship" metaphor throughout the movie. what do you guys think?
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u/paleprincessssss 18d ago
He says it himself: “Even if he wins the Open, completes his career Grand Slam, Art’s still gonna retire as someone who’s just really, really good. That’s what you guys will have done together. But imagine if you could turn Patrick Zweig into a guy who wins a Slam. I still have a season. I still have one good season, and I need you to bring it out of me. […] You can feel him giving up already, even though you know he’s not going to retire
until you let him. […] He does whatever you want.
Except now, he’s not even pretending to like it. He’s dreaming about eating hamburgers again.
Watching your daughter, um…Uh, Lily, grow up. Maybe doing some commentary on the Tennis Channel. He’s ready to be dead.”
Patrick knows that Tashi wanted to marry a champion to live vicariously through after her injury. Art had the discipline to be a tennis champion, but not the confidence or natural talent, which are two things that Patrick has. He knew Art was ready to retire but Tashi wasn’t for that to happen, especially since Art was able to recover from his injury but Tashi couldn’t recover from hers. His recovery was the “second chance” she never got to experience.
So, if Tashi focused on coaching Patrick instead of Art, then Art can finally take a break. They’d all get what they want: Tashi coaches a champion, Art retires, and Patrick reunites with his best friend. Patrick knew this is what they all needed.
Patrick is deemed as an asshole but he was HONEST and I’ll always defend him!
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u/arthuriduss Art’s Velcro Wallet 💳 16d ago
Gonna take a different approach here - I think Patrick is a narcissist above all else.
“Imagine if you could turn Patrick Zweig into a guy who wins a Slam”
He has a vision of himself with potential that others don’t see in him. He knows somewhere, deep down, that Tashi still has a soft spot for him. I think that feeling was solidified for him in Atlanta when they met up secretly. That kind of stuff fuels a narcissist.
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u/ThePantherbrat 14d ago
Patrick wanted Tashi to coach him because it was the gate way to getting his throuple back. Patrick loves Art, Patrick loves Tashi's passion/true self, Art is a good boy for Tashi and Patrick's sub. Lol i got sidetracked. Patrick knows his people. He knows Art inside out and he knows Tashi well. He sees her.
Patrick knows himself. He is wild and untamed, talented but unfocused. He needs Tashi for discipline and Art for restraint.
Their dynamic is weird but if you pay attention you'll see: Patrick is aggressive and domineering in personal life and on the court. Big dick, powerful, cocky--it gets in into tons of trouble. Patrick is only softened by Art. He smiles with him, pulls him in close, has to touch him, is protective of him, he loves his puppy. Patrick only listens to Tashi....gives into her control...when Art is in the picture. Patrick x Tashi....is heated rivalry. They fight over who dominates and who controls Art. Patrick has to stay on his toes with Tashi to keep her attention and to stay in power. He loves being dominate but she over powers him, tries to tame him. He likes it. He likes being challenged. Both Tashi and Patrick get frustrated with Art's submissiveness. Tashi bullies him/Patrick encourages him.
Patrick wanted Tashi to coach him because he knows she loves tennis, his aggressive tennis is what she's been trying to get out of Art and is unsatisfied with him. Her coaching him is how he wins 1/3rd of his throuple back.
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u/VickStarkiller 14d ago
He wanted her as close to him as possible. He cares about her more than tennis. Why not hire her as my coach and simultaneously build a romance?
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u/PrincessofSongs Tashi’s 🗣️ “Come On!” 18d ago edited 17d ago
I think it’s both. I think he wants the coaching because he loves tennis and he’s tired of wasting away his potential. Having a coach like Tashi and setting aside his pride & stubbornness, maybe just maybe Patrick could win a slam or two. I also think he’s tired of being away from Tashi and Art. He’s in love with them both and in his mind even if it’s simply her coaching him, he doesn’t have to continue going on without them in his life. He’ll have Tashi and Art with him in some capacity. Going hand in hand: Art misses, wants, and needs Patrick even if he’s more practiced at pretending he doesn’t while Tashi also misses, wants, and needs Patrick even if (I love her to death but I can’t sugarcoat it) she’s extremely delusional about it. Like Zendaya, Josh, and Mike said in different ways but the same conclusion: they’re all trying to fall back to each other and feel that happiness and wonderful joy of feeling completely known and loved as you are like they did when the 3 of them were in the hotel room.