A new tennis-themed rom-com was announced by Hollywood, with tennis fans already picking apart its cast and story. Amazon MGM Studios confirmed this week that Reminders of Him star Tyriq Withers and 1883 actress Isabel May will lead Love Love, a romantic comedy from writer-director Joey Power. The premise is based on a struggling tennis phenom who falls in love with a local ball boy at the US Open, and the magic of their unlikely relationship is said to be what gives her the energy she needs to get to the final. 

There is a solid track record in place for the project. Power co-wrote the script alongside Daniel Sweren-Becker, with RK Films’ Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum producing alongside 3 Arts Entertainment’s Ari Lubet and Jonathan Berry. Withers and May will also be executive producers on the film. 

Withers, 27, has been making a quick rise to fame in the last year, with two NAACP Image Award nominations for his horror film debut Him, as well as major roles in I Know What You Did Last Summer and the Colleen Hoover adaptation Reminders of Him. May, 25, is best known for her role in Paramount’s 1883 and is set to appear opposite Jennifer Lopez in The Last Mrs. Parrish. 

The film’s central concept sparked more conversation than the cast. Ball boys and ball girls at Grand Slams are typically teenagers who are young tennis players in academies and associations. Their age is roughly 13 to 18, and they are recruited through local clubs and schools. The idea that a ball boy is old enough to be romantically involved with a professional tennis player is a stretch that undermines the reality of the dynamics.

There’s one exception on the tour, the Madrid Open. To attract attention, the tournament recruits adult models as ball crew members on the main courts, which the writers might have been inspired by. The outer courts have the traditional teenage ball boys and ball girls. 

Fans furious after romcom announcement

The mismatch between the premise and reality has not gone unnoticed online. “Ballboy? He’s pushing 30 lol pretty sure they’ve never seen a tennis match,” one fan wrote, reacting to Withers’ casting despite the actor being 27, which doesn’t complement the role he will perform on screen.

Others also had a similar opinion regarding the age gap between the character and the role itself. “Aren’t those ball boys usually 13 years old or something?” one fan questioned, which cuts to the gist of the criticism.

One fan offered an explanation that might give a reason for the story. “Real tennis fans know that this could only happen at Madrid Open,” one wrote, referencing the tournament’s well-documented use of adult ball crew members.

Others continued to target the casting decision, while not doubting the actor’s skills. “He’s a great actor, but about a 10-12 years too old for this part. Guess no one in casting has watched a tennis match,” one fan wrote.

One of the user leaned into a joke regarding the title of the movie. “So is ‘Love Love’ a zero-zero score or a double romance?” one fan quipped. A fun reaction amid an ocean of comments scrutinizing the story and casting of the film.