Thea Frodin Plays Herself at U.S. Open, Making Grand Slam Debut Thea Frodin, the 17-year-old California native who portrayed young Serena Williams in the 2021 film King Richard, made her Grand Slam debut at the U.S. Open on Tuesday, losing in the first round to No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina. The match, which ended 6-3, 6-2, marked Frodin’s first appearance at Flushing Meadows and her first step into the world’s most prestigious tennis tournament. Despite the early exit, Frodin expressed satisfaction with her experience, highlighting the support from the home crowd and the opportunity to compete on a global stage. Frodin’s journey to the U.S. Open began with her role in King Richard, a biographical film about the coaching of Serena and Venus Williams. The 12-year-old actress spent six months on set with stars like Will Smith, who played Richard Williams, and other cast members. She described the experience as “super fun,” filled with memorable moments and camaraderie with the actors. However, her time on the film set also influenced her tennis style, as she adopted Serena’s techniques during filming. Her coaches initially expressed concern about this shift, but Frodin eventually reverted to her natural playing style. The daughter of a tennis enthusiast, Frodin was introduced to the sport at age 4. By 2019, she had already demonstrated her talent by winning singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles at the USTA SoCal Junior Sectional Championships. This success earned her an invitation to audition for the role of Serena’s body double in King Richard. Her performance in the film, which premiered in 2021, brought her into the spotlight, blending her passion for acting with her athletic pursuits. Frodin’s U.S. Open debut came after securing a wild card entry following her victory at the USTA girls’ 18s national championships.#elena_rybakina #us_open #usta #thea_frodin #king_richard
