SALT LAKE CITY — Anna Frey blew up social media one year ago after people said she looked like San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.
She has over two million followers on TikTok, but her popularity is growing more now because of her tennis than her familiar look. It's been an incredible year for the Utah tennis phenom.
"Crazy, just a lot of tennis, Lots of tournaments," said Frey. "Obviously, still a lot of social media, but not nearly as crazy as it was, which is kind of nice."
Anna had a major breakthrough on the court in August when she upset the 108th-ranked player in the world, Tamara Korpatsch, in a big tournament in Cleveland that is just three levels below a grand slam event.
"It was so fun," said Frey. "I got to play in front of a huge crowd, and everyone was cheering for me."
And now she has a WTA ranking of 824.
The 17-year-old high school junior has found a new path to take her tennis to the next level after she recently committed to play at the University of North Carolina in 2026.
"I am so excited," said Frey. "North Carolina was one of my dream schools since I was little. I think it will be good to switch up some training. I've been here my whole life, so I'm excited to elevate my game even more at UNC."
Her Name, Image and Likeness deal with the Tar Heels is nice, but she's also signed deals with international companies Fila and Head as an influencer and as a tennis player. It's a great time to be a female athlete.
"Right now, I think female sports is rising so much," said Frey. "And so is the N.I.L. department, so it is a good time."
While social media is not her number one focus right now, it's still a huge part of her life. She gets a lot of attention from fans and companies.
"I just got a huge thing of Nerds," said Frey. "My siblings ate it all of it all ready. I barely got any."
As she continues to rise on social media and the court, she's hoping to inspire young girls to pick up a racket and play.
"I hope so," said Frey. "That's my goal. I want to inspire others to play tennis. I meet a lot of little girls who play tennis and they're the sweetest girls ever."
