Teen US Open Debutant Was Serena Williams' Body Double

At just 12 years old, Thea Frodin was learning tennis choreography on a Hollywood set as Serena Williams' body double in the award-winning film "King Richard." Five years later, she's living her own tennis dream at the US Open.

The 17-year-old California native made her grand slam debut at Flushing Meadows this week, playing on the same Grandstand court where countless tennis legends have competed. While she lost to Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina 6-3, 6-2, Frodin showed flashes of the talent that brought her from movie sets to major tournaments.

Frodin stood in for actor Demi Singleton during the 2021 film's tennis sequences, helping bring the Williams family story to life alongside Will Smith. Now she's writing her own chapter in the sport that inspired that Hollywood blockbuster.

The teenager didn't go down without a fight. Down 1-5 in the second set and facing elimination, Frodin fired four powerful aces and saved three match points to extend the contest one more game.

"She played really well today, and she has great shots," Rybakina said after the match, offering praise that any young player would treasure from a world number two.

Sunny's Take

There's something beautifully full-circle about Frodin's journey. The same girl who mimicked Serena's movements for cameras is now developing her own style, her own story, her own memorable moments on tennis's biggest stages.

The grandstand crowd came to watch Rybakina, but they witnessed something equally special: a teenager chasing the same dream she once helped portray, proving that sometimes the best stories aren't scripted at all.