Ben Shelton Girlfriend Trinity Rodman Steals the Show at US Open

Ben Shelton girlfriend Trinity Rodman has become one of the most recognizable faces in his player box during the 2026 US Open, but calling her simply a tennis star’s girlfriend misses most of the story.

Rodman is a Washington Spirit forward, a U.S. women’s national team player and a 2024 Olympic gold medalist. Shelton, meanwhile, has been putting together one of the biggest runs of his career in New York. Their relationship has suddenly landed at the intersection of two major American sports.

And this week made that impossible to ignore.

Rodman stayed at Arthur Ashe Stadium as Shelton battled Carlos Alcaraz for four hours and 28 minutes in a US Open quarterfinal that finished at 3:33 a.m. ET. Shelton won 6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 to reach another US Open semifinal. Rodman was there through the final point.

That was already a pretty serious commitment for someone who had her own professional soccer responsibilities waiting.

Ben Shelton Girlfriend Trinity Rodman Has Been All-In at the 2026 US Open

Rodman hasn’t exactly been hiding in the back row.

During Shelton’s second-round match against Hubert Hurkacz on September 2, she appeared in the stands wearing a black top that read “I ❤️ MY BOYFRIEND.” A few days later, she was back inside Arthur Ashe Stadium for the Alcaraz marathon.

After Shelton finally finished off the defending champion, the couple even shared his familiar “dialed-in” celebration from across the court. Rodman later celebrated the victory on social media and referred to Shelton as “my world.”

Then came the part that probably says more about their relationship than any Instagram photo.

Rodman returned to Washington Spirit training shortly after watching a match that didn’t end until after 3:30 in the morning. She’s in the middle of an NWSL season, so there wasn’t much room for a lazy recovery day.

Elite sports schedules aren’t romantic. Flights, training sessions and tournaments don’t care whether your boyfriend just won the biggest match of his season.

Are Trinity Rodman and Ben Shelton Together?

Yes. Are Trinity Rodman and Ben Shelton together? As of September 2026, all current public evidence says they are very much a couple.

Shelton and Rodman publicly confirmed their relationship in March 2025 after fans had noticed some playful exchanges between them on TikTok and Instagram. Shelton eventually included a photo of Rodman kissing him on the cheek in an Instagram post, turning speculation into confirmation.

More than a year later, the relationship doesn’t appear to have cooled off.

Rodman has attended Shelton’s tennis matches, including events in Munich, Montreal and New York. Shelton has also shown up for Washington Spirit games when his own schedule allowed it. Recent September 2026 coverage still consistently identifies the two as boyfriend and girlfriend.

How Did Ben Shelton and Trinity Rodman Meet?

Their story started where plenty of modern relationships start: Instagram.

Rodman explained during an appearance on Kylie Kelce’s “Not Gonna Lie” podcast that she sent Shelton a message after seeing him online. Shelton answered by complimenting her Olympic performance, and Rodman said they met in person roughly one or two weeks later.

No elaborate celebrity introduction. No carefully staged first meeting.

There was also some joking confusion over whether fellow American tennis star Frances Tiafoe deserved credit for bringing them together. Rodman has publicly pushed back on that version, saying the connection was between her and Shelton.

By March 2025, they were public.

Who Is Trinity Rodman?

Who is Trinity Rodman? She’s one of the leading American soccer players of her generation, and her career was established well before she began appearing in Shelton’s tennis box.

Rodman plays forward for the Washington Spirit in the National Women’s Soccer League and represents the United States internationally. U.S. Soccer lists her birth date as May 20, 2002, and credits her with 57 senior national-team appearances and 13 goals on its current player profile.

She also played a major role in the United States’ gold-medal run at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Her professional career started unusually early. The Washington Spirit selected Rodman with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft, when she was still 18. The club’s official profile lists her as an active Spirit player and notes that she has been with Washington since that draft.

Yes, she’s also the daughter of NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman. But by 2026, using her father’s name as the main introduction feels increasingly lazy. Trinity has her own Olympic medal, her own U.S. national-team career and her own packed professional schedule.

That’s quite enough identification.

Are Ben Shelton and Trinity Still Together?

For anyone searching Are Ben Shelton and Trinity still together?, the answer is yes based on their latest public appearances.

Rodman was courtside for Shelton’s September 2026 US Open run, while outlets including People, Yahoo Sports and the Los Angeles Times continued to describe her as his girlfriend this week.

There hasn’t been a public breakup announcement, either.

The stronger evidence, though, is what they’re actually doing. Rodman stayed through Shelton’s 3:33 a.m. finish against Alcaraz. Shelton has attended Spirit matches. Both have continued posting or speaking publicly about the relationship well beyond its March 2025 launch.

That’s considerably more useful than trying to decode whether somebody liked an Instagram photo.

Ben Shelton Girlfriend: How Old Are Ben Shelton and Trinity Rodman?

How old are Ben Shelton and Trinity Rodman? Rodman is 24, while Shelton is 23 as of September 12, 2026.

Rodman was born on May 20, 2002. Shelton was born on October 9, 2002, meaning Rodman is a little less than five months older. U.S. Soccer confirms Rodman’s date of birth, while current tennis data lists Shelton’s birthday as October 9, 2002.

So despite being stars in different sports, they’re essentially at the same stage of life and dealing with the same unusual problem: building a relationship while both careers require constant travel.

Ben Shelton and Trinity Rodman Relationship Timeline

The Ben Shelton and Trinity Rodman relationship timeline moved quickly at first.

In early 2025, Rodman reached out through Instagram. By March, the pair were generating dating rumors through social-media exchanges. On March 18, Shelton made the relationship unmistakably public with a photo of Rodman kissing his cheek.

By April 2025, Rodman was sitting in Shelton’s player box at the BMW Open in Munich. ESPN reported that she watched his semifinal victory over Francisco Cerundolo before Shelton eventually lost the final to Alexander Zverev.

The support soon went both ways.

Shelton attended a Washington Spirit match against the Chicago Stars in August 2025, while Rodman continued appearing at his tournaments. That pattern carried into 2026, despite two schedules that barely cooperate.

Ahead of the 2026 US Open, Rodman even traveled to support Shelton at the Canadian Open after playing for Washington. Shelton went on to win the Montreal tournament.

Then came New York.

His five-set quarterfinal win over Alcaraz put Shelton into a US Open semifinal against Frances Tiafoe and placed an even brighter spotlight on the couple. The tennis mattered most, obviously. But every television cut to Rodman’s reactions reminded viewers that one elite American athlete was spending her night watching another.

Why the Ben Shelton Girlfriend Story Keeps Getting Attention

There’s an obvious celebrity angle here. Two young American sports stars dating will generate clicks.

But this particular pairing is more interesting because neither person is standing on the sidelines of the other’s career.

Rodman has NWSL and USWNT commitments. Shelton spends much of the year moving from one ATP tournament to another. At the 2026 US Open alone, Shelton had already played five matches before his semifinal, including the 4-hour, 28-minute Alcaraz epic.

That creates a slightly different dynamic from the usual famous-athlete relationship coverage.

Rodman isn’t simply showing up to watch tennis. She might be watching until 3:33 a.m. and then heading back to soccer training. Shelton isn’t just cheering from a luxury box either; he’s fitting Spirit games around a professional tennis calendar.

There are easier ways to date.

And that’s probably why the interest around Ben Shelton girlfriend Trinity Rodman has lasted beyond the initial Instagram reveal. The public moments are fun, especially the matching celebrations and Rodman’s unapologetic “I ❤️ MY BOYFRIEND” shirt.

The better story is what happens after the cameras turn away.

One athlete has to get back on a tennis court. The other has soccer practice.

And somehow, more than a year after that first Instagram message, they’re still finding a way to show up.