The tennis world just got a whole lot more interesting, because 17-year-old Thea Frodin, who literally played a young Serena Williams in a movie, is making her U.S. Open debut against the No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina in the first round on Tuesday. This isn’t just some junior stepping up; this is a wild story hitting the big stage.
From King Richard to the Hard Courts
Can you believe this kid’s backstory? Frodin was the tennis-playing body double for Demi Singleton, the actress who played a young Serena in the 2021 film, *King Richard*. That movie, with Will Smith as Richard Williams, was all about navigating the early, tough road to tennis superstardom for Serena and Venus. Frodin talked about that experience, saying it helped because she was “kind of playing a sport that I’ve done my whole life.” She said all she “had to go out and play tennis, try to replicate her strokes a little bit.” And get this, she even got on-set tips from Will Smith! How cool is that? She called him “super nice.” It sounds like a pretty incredible way to prep for your own pro career, honestly.
Junior Circuit Dominance Lands Her in New York
This isn’t just a feel-good story about a movie connection, though. Frodin has been absolutely tearing it up on the junior circuit. She hit the semifinals in girls’ singles at the 2026 Australian Open and made the quarterfinals in junior doubles there too, plus at Roland-Garros this year. And let’s not forget, she reached the junior doubles finals at Wimbledon back in 2025. That’s some serious hardware! Her big break onto the main major stage came after she won the USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 18s National Championships, which snagged her a wild card spot. Now, she’s hoping to meet the actual Williams sisters, who are also playing doubles as a wild card. “Hopefully, if I get a chance to hit with them or just meet them, anything, I’ll take it,” Frodin said, calling it “incredible” and “a dream.”
So Frodin is stepping onto one of tennis’s greatest stages after a truly tremendous run. She’s got a dream draw against a top seed, and the entire tennis world is about to see if the practice replicating Serena’s strokes will pay off in a major way. Keep an eye on her Tuesday match, because this could be the start of something special.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
Leave a Reply