NEW YORK -- Thea Frodin is playing her first US Open singles match against the No. 2 player in women's tennis.
It's a big task for the 17-year-old, but Frodin hits the ball like Serena Williams. Well, like Serena Williams in the movies, anyway.
In the 2021 film "King Richard," Frodin was the body double for actor Demi Singleton, who played the younger Williams. Now, Frodin will play tennis on camera as herself on Tuesday when she faces Elena Rybakina.
"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.
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.
17-year-old Thea Frodin, who was the body double for the actor who played Serena Williams in the 2021 film "King Richard," will play her first US Open singles match Tuesday against No. 2 Elena Rybakina. Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images 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.
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.