Teen Tennis Star Frodin Makes US Open Main Draw Debut

NEW YORK: (Sports Desk) – At just 17, Thea Frodin has already experienced a taste of Hollywood fame. This week, the Los Angeles high school student stepped onto an even bigger stage, making her US Open main draw debut against second-seeded Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina.

Frodin earned a wild card after winning the US national 18-and-under championship, but her first opponent was among the toughest possible. Rybakina, a former Wimbledon champion, produced a powerful performance to defeat the teenager 6-3, 6-2 in 1 hour and 14 minutes.

The Kazakh star never dropped serve during the match, using her powerful groundstrokes to control the contest.

Despite the defeat, Frodin said she approached the match without putting excessive pressure on herself.

“I tried going out there to see what it would be like just to feel no pressure,” Frodin said, adding that she wanted to enjoy the experience and learn from it.

She said she was pleased with several aspects of her performance and remained excited about the lessons the match provided.

Rybakina also praised her young opponent, saying Frodin “played really well today.”

From Hollywood to the US Open

Frodin’s path to professional tennis has included an unusual connection to Hollywood.

When she was 12, she served as the stunt and body double for actress Demi Singleton, who portrayed a young Serena Williams in the Oscar-winning film King Richard. The movie tells the story of Richard Williams and the journey of his daughters, Serena and Venus, toward tennis greatness.

Although Frodin has never met Serena Williams, she hopes that opportunity comes someday.

Her own future in tennis remains undecided. The teenager said she wants to complete high school before determining whether to pursue college or a professional tennis career.

For now, Frodin is taking things one step at a time rather than rushing into a major decision.

After facing Rybakina at the US Open, she is already looking forward to another possible meeting.

Frodin said she hopes that if she faces the Grand Slam champion again, she will have gained enough experience to make the contest much more competitive