Teenage tennis star who portrayed Serena Williams in a Hollywood blockbuster is now making her US Open debut.
It will be a case of life imitating art when 17-year-old American tennis rising star Thea Frodin steps onto the court for her US Open singles debut on Tuesday in New York, facing world No. 2 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan.
Frodin’s journey has an intriguing connection to tennis history: before becoming a rising player herself, she served as the body double for Demi Singleton, who portrayed a young Serena Williams in the 2021 film King Richard.
A longtime admirer of Serena, Frodin said she already knew and looked up to the tennis legend before being invited to take part in the film. She described the opportunity as a tremendous honor, calling Serena someone she has always admired and looked up to.
Frodin reflected on Serena Williams’ lasting influence on tennis, saying it is difficult to fully comprehend the impact the legend has had on the sport and on generations of players.
Now, the 17-year-old has the chance to step onto the US Open court as herself.
“I’ve worked incredibly hard to reach this level, so having an opportunity like this is truly special to me,” Frodin said Monday in a phone interview with The Associated Press.
For Los Angeles native Thea Frodin, tournament tennis has opened the door to both the US Open and Hollywood. She secured her spot in the US Open draw by winning the USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 18s National Championships, earning a coveted wild card.
Her success on the court also led to an unexpected opportunity in film. While competing in California’s 10-and-under circuit, Frodin won sectional titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, which helped lead her to an audition to serve as the on-court body double for Demi Singleton in King Richard.
Frodin spent six months on set, working alongside notable actors, including Will Smith, who portrayed Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena. She described the experience as unforgettable, especially because she was doubling for someone she had admired and been inspired by for years.
“It helped that I was playing a sport I’ve done my whole life, so it didn’t feel completely unfamiliar,” Frodin explained. Her role mainly involved replicating Serena’s tennis strokes, and she recalled that Smith was kind and even shared helpful advice with her during filming.
Frodin found it surprisingly natural to recreate Serena Williams’ powerful strokes, having watched the 23-time Grand Slam champion throughout her career. But the experience came with an unexpected downside—it became so ingrained in her game that she struggled to return to her own technique after filming wrapped.
“It’s actually funny. After the movie, I got into the habit of using Serena’s strokes, and I couldn’t switch back to mine because I was so used to hers,” Frodin recalled. “My parents were a little upset because I was playing like Serena, so it took me a while to get back to my normal technique.”
Although Frodin competed in the US Open doubles last year, she has yet to meet Serena or Venus Williams in person. Her upcoming match against Rybakina will mark her first appearance at the WTA Tour level, following an earlier attempt to qualify in Miami this year.
With one year of high school still ahead of her, Frodin hasn’t decided what comes next. But if another Hollywood opportunity comes her way, she wouldn’t hesitate to explore it.
“Tennis has always been my No. 1 focus, but I’ve always had this little thought in the back of my mind,” she said. “I loved every second of being in that environment and experiencing that side of acting. I really enjoy it, so if I could somehow balance both, I’d definitely be open to having acting as a side career.”
