Serena Williams ‘King Richard’ body double makes US Open debut

The actress who played 12-year-old Serena Williams in the Oscar-winning “King Richard” is now living her own tennis dreams.

Thea Frodin was the body double for Williams in the 2021 biopic and competed in the US Open wildcard. Frodin hit the court for the Australian Open champion to face Elena Rybakina. Frodin played her match earlier today on Sept. 1, where she lost to No. 2 seed Rybakina. This was Frodin’s biggest match to date following her U.S. Tennis Association Girls’ 18s National Championship victory.

“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,” Frodin told US Open, according to People. “To be standing here right now and actually getting a chance to play in the main draw, it means everything.”

“King Richard” earned Will Smith his first Oscar for Best Actor for portraying Serena and Venus Williams’ father, Richard Williams. Frodin looked back on her time on set, sharing that she had a “blast” and that the role came naturally to her as she has been on the court for all of her life.

“Being able to play tennis and be on camera, two great combos,” she told WTA Tennis at the time. I truly had such an amazing time …. It helps that I was kind of playing a sport that I’ve done my whole life, so it didn’t feel too new.”

Frodin earned her way into the audition after winning singles, doubles and mixed doubles sectional titles at the 10-and-under level in California. For the young tennis, it was more than just being able to use her talents on a Hollywood set but to portray someone she has looked up to.

“Being able to play the role of somebody that I looked up to for my whole life was super special. I was honored,” she said. “She was one of the players that I looked up to most, just when I was starting to play, and she’s such an inspiration to me.”

While she spent six months on set, she never met the tennis superstars in person, yet she has big dreams for the future in getting a chance to meet them.
Her US Open path is over for now, but she plans to return to junior tennis and wants to compete at this level again sometime in the future.

As for Serena,  she will be on the court for the US Open with her sister Venus as they face Maya Joint for their opening women’s doubles match on Thursday, Sept. 3.

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