Teenage tennis star who played Serena Williams in Hollywood blockbuster is making US Open debut

It will be life imitating art when Thea Frodin makes her US Open singles debut against the world’s second-ranked player, Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, on Tuesday in New York.

Now 17, the rising American tennis star was once the body double for actor Demi Singleton, who played the younger Serena Williams in the 2021 film, King Richard.

‘Before I was even invited to play the role, I knew who [Serena] was. I’m such a big fan of hers. I always have been,’ she said this week, as quoted by USOpen.org. ‘I was super honored to play the role of somebody that I look up to and admire.’

‘It must be amazing to be someone who has made such an impact on our sport. What Serena has done for all of us is something that I can’t even grasp.’

Now, Frodin gets to play herself.

‘I’ve worked so hard to try and get to this level, and to have an opportunity like this is just really special for me,’ Frodin said Monday in a phone interview with The Associated Press.

Tournament tennis is what gave Frodin, who is from Los Angeles, the chance to reach the US Open. She won the USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 18s National Championships to earn a wild card into the field.

It’s also what got her into the movies.

She was playing at the 10-and-under level in California and won the singles, doubles and mixed doubles sectional titles. She was then invited to audition for the part, in which she would be the on-court body double for Singleton.

‘I was on set for six months and I got to be alongside some really cool actors and obviously Will Smith, and just the whole experience was super cool for me,’ Frodin said. ‘And obviously to be able to play the double, or the role of somebody that I look up to and I have always been inspired by was truly, like, a very special experience for me.’

Smith won an Oscar for his performance as Richard Williams, Venus and Serena’s father.

‘It helps that I was kind of playing a sport that I’ve done my whole life, so it didn’t feel too new,’ she said, according to USOpen.org. ‘I just had to go out and play tennis, try to replicate her strokes a little bit. Doing it with Will Smith was super cool. He’s a super nice guy. He actually gave me some on-set tips and things to take with me.’

Frodin found it fairly easy to replicate Serena Williams’ swings because of how familiar she already was with them from watching the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion’s career. The problem, she found, was that it started to affect her in her day job.

‘It’s actually funny. After I was done with the movie, I actually got into the habit of using, or playing with her strokes, and I couldn’t switch back to mine because I was so used to hers,’ Frodin said. ‘So my parents – I mean, obviously it’s a great person to replicate – but my parents were a little bit upset because I was playing like Serena, so it took me a while to get back to my normal technique.’

Frodin, who played in the US Open doubles last year, has not met Serena or Venus Williams.

The match against Rybakina will be her first at the WTA Tour level, having lost in the qualifying round earlier this year in Miami in her previous attempt. Frodin has a year left in high school and doesn’t know her plans after that.

If Hollywood comes calling, she’d be interested.

‘Obviously, my No. 1 focus always has been tennis, but I’ve always had this little thought in the back of my mind. I feel like it would be really cool if I could somehow balance both,’ Frodin said. ‘I mean, I loved every second of being in that kind of environment, of that kind of acting life. I enjoy it a lot and yeah, if it’s even possible, I don’t mind having that as a side gig, you know?’