Thea Frodin has made her US Open debut at Flushing Meadows. (Getty Images: USTA/Pete Staples)
Thea Frodin has made her US Open debut, going down to Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina.
Frodin, from California, was a body double at the age of 12 in the 2021 film King Richard, a movie starring Will Smith about the rise of Serena and Venus Williams with the help of their father, Richard Williams.
Coco Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, 17th seed Alex Eala, and men's first seed Alexander Zverev are scheduled to play later on the final night of round one matches.
Making a US Open debut as a teenager is a daunting task, but American Thea Frodin is no stranger to the bright lights.
The 17-year-old played at her home slam for the first time, going down in straight sets to world number two Elena Rybakina 6-3, 6-2.
There were plenty of fans at Grandstand who were there to see Rybakina, this year's Australian Open champion, but Frodin was a mini-celebrity in her own right.
Frodin, from California, was a body double at the age of 12 in the 2021 film King Richard, a movie starring Will Smith about the rise of Serena and Venus Williams with the help of their father, Richard Williams.
Fordin was the body double for actor Demi Singleton, who played Serena in the film, and is now forging her own path at Flushing Meadows.
There was no Hollywood screenwriting for Fordin's debut, with Rybakina never troubled in the win that came after a near three-hour rain delay.
Fordin was not disgraced in the straight-sets defeat. Down 1-5 in the second set, the teenager fired four aces, saving three match points, to extend the match just one extra game.
"She played really well today, and she has great shots," Rybakina said of her teenage opponent.
Italian fifth seed Flavio Cobolli has rallied from two sets down to win his first-round match at the US Open, avoiding another early upset on the men's side.
Flavio Cobolli needed more than four hours, and five sets, to make it to the US Open second round. (Getty Images: Julian Finney)
The French Open runner-up beat Francisco Comesana 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, finishing his match that lasted 4 hours, 12 minutes, not long after some sun had broken through the clouds and allowed play to start on all the outside courts after a morning of rain.
