US Open 2026: Thea Frodin follows in Serena Williams' footsteps after playing idol in 'King Richard' film - BBC Sport
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From playing Serena Williams on screen to following in her footsteps at the US Open.
Thea Frodin once played a young Serena Williams on the big screen. Now, the teenager is ready to follow in the American great's footsteps.
By Harry Poole
BBC Sport journalist
Published 1 hour ago
Thea Frodin reached the final of the Wimbledon girls' doubles alongside fellow American Julieta Pareja in 2025.
"Being able to play the role of somebody that I looked up to for my whole life was super special," Frodin told the WTA website. "I was honoured. She was one of the players that I looked up to most, just when I was starting to play. She's such an inspiration to me."
Now, Frodin will make her main-draw singles debut at her home Grand Slam, where Serena and Venus will this year team up in the doubles. To make the occasion even more special, she has been drawn against world number two Elena Rybakina, a two-time major winner and the reigning Australian Open champion.
"I'm trying to stay in the moment as much as possible," said Frodin. "This is a huge opportunity for me to enjoy the moment, have fun and see what I can do. The atmosphere, how loud the crowd will be, I feel like I fit well in that environment."
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Published 3 hours ago
Frodin, who is ranked 580th in the world, worked on set with Hollywood star Will Smith for a few days a week over a period of six months while portraying a young Serena Williams in the Oscar-nominated film 'King Richard'. She has fond memories of her experience working with Oscar-winner Smith, who would always remember to bring hot water to shoots to keep Frodin warm during their cold, rainy days filming out on the courts.
During that time, she became so accustomed to playing like 23-time major singles champion Serena that her coaches had to help her rediscover her natural style. "After I was done shooting, I got used to her strokes," Frodin told the US Open website. "My coaches were a bit frustrated because I naturally started to hit like her. I picked up Serena's backhand, but I tried as much as possible to go back to my strokes."
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Published 4 hours ago
It has not taken long for Frodin to secure her maiden appearance at the sport's highest level. The 17-year-old earned a wildcard into this year's US Open women's singles competition - just as Venus Williams has done - by winning the United States Tennis Association' (USTA) Girls' 18s National Championships.
It comes in a year where Frodin reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open girls' singles - her best result as a junior at a major. She also made her qualifying debut on the WTA Tour as a wildcard in Miami, and pushed former world number 35 Viktorija Golubic in a three-set loss in her first meeting with a player ranked inside the top-100.
But on Tuesday...