Thea Frodin’s path to the U.S. Open has been unusual, but it has also been built on years of tennis work. The 17-year-old earned a wild card into the main draw after winning the USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 18s National Championships in San Diego on Aug. 16, 2026, and she is set to play her first U.S. Open singles match Wednesday against Elena Rybakina, the No. 2 seed.
For Frodin, the chance is both a breakthrough and a reward. In a phone interview Monday, she said the opportunity to compete at this level is “really special” for her, which fits the long road she has taken to get here.
From junior tennis to the Grand Slam stage
Frodin’s tennis background goes back to California, where she played at the 10-and-under level and won singles, doubles and mixed doubles sectional titles. That early success led to an unexpected connection to the film King Richard, when she was invited to audition for the body-double role for Demi Singleton.
She ended up spending six months on set in 2021, working alongside actors and Will Smith while helping bring the story of Richard Williams to life. Frodin said the experience was “super cool” and described playing the double for someone she looks up to as a very special opportunity.
That history makes this U.S. Open debut stand out even more. Frodin is not just another junior wild card trying to find her footing on a big stage. She arrives with a background that blends high-level junior tennis and a rare Hollywood link, and now she gets a major test right away against one of the top players in the draw.
For a player who has already seen the sport from both inside the lines and from a movie set, Wednesday brings a different kind of spotlight. This time, it is all about what happens on court.
