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The ball is in her court now.
Thea Frodin is set to make her Grand Slam main-draw debut at the 2026 US Open on Tuesday — five years after acting as Serena Williams’ body double in the “King Richard” biopic.
The 17-year-old will enter the match as a wildcard, playing against Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour main draw.
“I’ve only dreamed of moments like this. The fact that I’m here right now, and able to experience it in real life, is still a little bit shocking to me,” said the tennis star, per the tournament’s website.
“To be standing here right now and actually getting a chance to play in the main draw, it means everything. [Rybakina’s] No. 2 for a reason, so I’m expecting a battle. Hopefully, I can bring out my best level against her.”
Frodin was 12 when she booked the role as Williams’ body double in “King Richard.”
The 2021 biopic followed the real-life story of Serena and her sister Venus Williams’ rise to professional tennis players with the help of their father, Richard Williams.
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The teen booked the role after she swept the singles, doubles and mixed at a local sectional tournament.
“It helps that I was kind of playing a sport that I’ve done my whole life, so it didn’t feel too new,” she explained in an interview at the time, per WTA Tennis.
“I just had to go out and play tennis, try to replicate her strokes a little bit. Doing it with Will Smith was super cool. He’s a super nice guy. He actually gave me some on-set tips and things to take with me.”
Smith, 57, won an Oscar for his role as Richard, while Serena was played by actress Demi Singleton.
Even though Frodin acted as Serena’s double onscreen, she has never met the tennis champ, 44, or Venus, 46, in person — at least not yet.
As for Serena, she made a surprise return to the US Open this year, competing in mixed doubles and preparing for a women’s doubles appearance.
In 2022, the mom of two announced she was retiring from tennis to focus on building her family.
Serena and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, share daughters Olympia and Adira, born in September 2017 and August 2023, respectively.
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