NEW YORK (AP) — Thea Frodin is playing her first U.S. 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 Wednesday when she faces Elena Rybakina.
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“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 U.S. 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.
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“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.
“It’s actually funny. After I was done with 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 U.S. 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.
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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?”
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