Trinity Rodman and Ben Shelton: soccer star and tennis pro become one of sport's leading couples
American soccer forward Trinity Rodman and tennis player Ben Shelton, whose relationship began with an Instagram message, have become one of the most recognizable couples in sport, regularly showing up to support each other, including at this year's US Open.
How the relationship started
Rodman and Shelton went public with their relationship in March 2025 on Instagram, according to USA Today. Rodman later recalled on Kylie Kelce's podcast "Not Gonna Lie" that the first contact came through a direct message — she told Shelton he was "sick," adding a fire emoji, and he replied by pointing out she had been "sick" at the Olympics too. The pair met in person a week or two later.
Two careers near their peak
Rodman is an Olympic gold medalist with the US women's soccer team from the 2024 Paris Games and was the youngest player ever drafted in NWSL history; as a rookie in 2021 she helped the Washington Spirit win their first NWSL championship. Shelton is currently ranked No. 9 on the ATP Tour and is the No. 8 seed at this year's US Open, with seven career titles and a 144–90 career record. He has yet to win a Grand Slam title, though he has reached multiple major semifinals.
Supporting each other courtside and on the pitch
Rodman was in the stands as Shelton beat Tallon Griekspoor in the first round and Hubert Hurkacz in the second round of this year's US Open on Wednesday, September 2. USA Today reports she wore a shirt reading "I ♥ my boyfriend" to those matches, while Yahoo Sports notes Rodman drew attention at the US Open in a distinctive crop top styled around Ben Shelton — it is not clear from the sources whether this refers to the same garment. Earlier this year, Rodman surprised Shelton at the Canadian Open in Montreal, where he won the title for a second consecutive year; she flew in shortly after the Washington Spirit's loss to the North Carolina Courage. In June, after Rodman attended his Stuttgart Open win, Shelton publicly called her his "good luck charm" and thanked her for flying in from Brazil.
The support runs both ways. Shelton was present when Rodman scored twice, including a stoppage-time winner, in a match against the Houston Dash, celebrating with a kiss in the stands afterward. The Tennis Channel has dubbed them the country's most athletic couple, though Rodman has pointed to others, such as basketball stars A'ja Wilson and Bam Adebayo, adding she would be too nervous to compete in the same sport as Shelton.
