If you follow me on Twitter during the Slams, I apologize. There are a lot of tennis tweets. In my defense, this year’s US Open has been really good! There have been some great match-ups and storylines. Some of the storylines I will continue to ignore, like Coco Gauff – I think it’s completely irresponsible to put all of this hype on a 15-year-old. It makes me uncomfortable. But I’m here for the hype of adult players who are making big breakthroughs.
Very quietly, British women’s #1 Johanna Konta has been having a great season. She’s back in the top 20, and she might end up top 10 by the end of the year. Konta is doing really well in New York this year, a Slam where she historically has not done so great. And in her matches during the fortnight, she’s had some big support from… Tom Hiddleston! Yes, Tom Hiddleston has been in her box and he’s been very vocally rooting her on. Tom has been attending Konta’s matches with his Betrayal costar Zawe Ashton. That’s why Tom is in New York during the US Open – he’s on Broadway with Betrayal, and in his spare time, he’s checking out the tennis.
I’m pretty sure Konta has a boyfriend so it’s not like she and Tom are undercover dating. I suspect that Tom and Zawe are undercover dating though, and I’ve suspected that for months now. During one of her on-court interviews, Konta explained the connection:
Tom Hiddleston was spotted supporting Konta at the side of Court 17 during her 6-1 4-6 6-2 win over Daria Kasatkina on Monday afternoon and the 16th seed revealed the pair had only met a matter of days before. ‘Yes, he was in the box,’ Konta said. ‘He’s here in New York and has quite a few shows till Christmas, he said. We only met a few days ago and he turns out to be a big tennis fan and so I invited him down and he brought some of his co-stars and I had some of my friends there as well, so I had a lot of great support in the box, it was good.’
Konta wouldn’t divulge exactly where they met but gave an insight into their chance meeting in the Big Apple. ‘Just in New York actually, just literally we crossed paths,’ she added. ‘I did the Good Samaritan thing and said, “Don’t bother him, he’s obviously busy,” and then he actually said, “I don’t usually do this but I’m a massive fan,” and I was like, “What, who? Who else is here?” ‘It was basically that and then we got chatting and he’s super nice and his co-stars came as well and they’re also super nice, so it’s good.’
So there you go – Tom sought out Konta and possibly wanted some free tickets. It’s nice! We usually see Tom at men’s matches when he goes to Wimbledon and the French Open, but I’m glad to see a British guy showing support for a British WTA player.
Photos courtesy of Getty and Avalon Red.
I don’t know if they are dating but they’d make a really nice couple of they were.
Jo has been playing GREAT. And it’s always to see celebs attending less “prestigious” events like the women or double matches. You know they’re here for the love of the game, not to get their face in the press.
I think Zawe is in a relationship with someone else. They’re both working together, in NYC away from home, they get along well so it makes sense they would hang out together. There’s usually other members of the production with them. Charlie Cox is married and lives in the NYC area, otherwise he would probably be with them too.
I must admit I have enjoyed watching Tom watch tennis.
Looking at pics and clips of Tom watching tennis at the USOpen has been delightfully entertaining for me, and the Beeb, and The Guardian, and all the others who are Loki stanning Tom and saying he was Konta’s Loki charm!
It was good seeing him go all out and be invested in the actual game, unlike in Wimbledon, where he comes across as… well behaved, restrained, stiff even? Maybe reacting to the actual tennis matches is frowned upon in the Royal Box or in the debenture seats? Too funny the Fail said he was “looking in high spirits” again. It’s their go-to descriptor for him this year, it seems, as they’ve used this countless times.
Totally agree with Lightpurple comment earlier on.
Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton have worked together for a while: In 2018 both did some readings and improvisations for the Tolstoy and Dickens Great Debate, and also the Harold Pinter Birthday Celebrations.
Their work on ‘Betrayal’ started in February 2019 at the Pinter Theatre. As credit to the sold out performances in London under Jamie Lloyd’s amazing directorship, the show moved to Broadway N.Y.C at very short notice.
Both actors are very professional. I am sure, like in any work situation, friendship is often born out of mutual respect for each other and maintaining professional boundaries.
Tom Hiddleston is at the top of his game as an actor and is very recognisable.
Zawe Ashton has been around for a long time both in Theatre, TV and Cinema. Somehow, Ashton’s just being picked up on the radar by the press.
The cast of Betrayal are performing eight shows over six days a week.
With the exception of Charlie Cox, Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton together with Eddie Arnold are a long way from home. It is therefore only natural that any of those four members of the cast will often or occasionally be seen around New York City in each other’s company.
It will be a real pity if Tom, Zawe, Charlie and Eddie’s rights to have moments of relaxation are marred by unfounded assumptions of illicit relationships. Each one of those actors is surely entitled to a private life away from the Internet and media scrutiny. One must spare a thought for their silent, unseen and unknown or less know real partners!
Hiddles has made a practice of not being photographed in any kind of pose that might be interpreted as them “dating”. Maybe they are and maybe not, but because she was at US Open, I did go down a Zawe rabbbit hole this weekend. She seems cool.
I don’t get a romantic vibe from them, but if they are they’d make a lovely match. Good to see Tom out and about in NYC. He looks great.
And he was there again today with a blond woman, who definitely was not Zawe.
I saw Betrayal on Saturday during previews and it is excellent! It was so raw and emotional. I don’t know much about Tom Hiddleston other than he was Loki, but he was compelling and riveting to watch in Betrayal.
God, I love this man! Don’t know who the woman is, but they make a gorgeous couple.
For those unfamiliar with Zawe Ashton, check out the show Fresh Meat on YouTube. Best show ever about the university freshman (in the UK) experience. So funny!
I’m not big sports fan, but I find tennis immensely entertaining too.