Ben Shelton continues to play inspired tennis at the US Open, with his girlfriend and soccer star Trinity Rodman consistently cheering him on. Shelton is through to the third round after handily beating Pablo Carreño Busta on Wednesday.
He scored a straight-sets win, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, at Louis Armstrong Stadium to follow up on his dominant opening victory versus Ignacio Buse.
After the match, the world No. 6 was all smiles as he faced the media. It, however, quickly changed when Rodman suddenly asked a question.
“So, how did it feel not being able to serve faster than 135 today?” said the Washington Spirit forward in a video posted by the US Open. “I just know you like to serve big, and it wasn't breaking 140 today.”
So much for always cheering her boyfriend on.
Trinity Rodman out here asking the tough questions of Ben Shelton 😅 pic.twitter.com/GofD84LNXY
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 28, 2025
After briefly covering his face out of embarrassment, the 22-year-old Shelton showed he was a sport and gave a gracious answer.
“Yeah, it was cold outside. So I think that was, you know, the main reason. I was focused on hitting spots. I didn't hit those spots. So maybe I should just serve bigger, but it's something that, you know, I'll definitely work on next time,” said Shelton.
Shelton, who had eight aces against Carreño Busta, is looking to win his first Grand Slam title. He reached the semifinals of the US Open in 2023 but lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
He and Rodman, who also plays for the US women's soccer team and is the daughter of NBA legend Dennis Rodman, started dating in March. They haven't been shy in expressing their love for each other in public, with Shelton even giving the 23-year-old Rodman a special shoutout after beating Buse.
“My girlfriend took the red-eye from California last night to be here,” said Shelton on Sunday, as Rodman flew straight to New York after her NSWL match.
Shelton will face Adrian Mannarino in the third round on Thursday.
