Tennis player Elena Rybakina, number two in the world, had a successful debut at the US Open on September 1, 2026. The athlete from Kazakhstan, second seed in the tournament, confirmed her position as favorite by beating the young American Thea Frodin, aged 17, by two sets to zero, with partials of 6/3 and 6/2. Frodin, who was Serena Williams’ stunt double in the film “King Richard: Making Champions”, made his first appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam.
The victory in this round brings Rybakina closer to reaching, for the first time in her professional career, the leadership of the women’s world rankings. Currently, Aryna Sabalenka maintains the number one position in the WTA, but the Kazakh athlete will secure the top spot if she manages to reach the US Open semifinals, breaking the Belarusian’s dominance. In addition to them, American tennis players Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff are also in contention for first place.
Frodin, who made her debut in a Grand Slam main draw at this tournament, was surpassed by Rybakina. The young American tennis player is ranked 580th in the global rankings this week, but had already reached 11th place in the youth category. She received an invitation from the US Open organization, joining the group of new promises from the United States. Her prominence began to emerge about five years ago, at the age of 12, when she was already seen as a promising talent and had won a regional championship in several categories, culminating in her participation in the film “King Richard”.
