Ben Shelton had special support in the crowd during his blockbuster clash with João Fonseca at the Canadian Open, with his girlfriend, soccer star Trinity Rodman, cheering him on. Arthur Fils was also in attendance for the high-profile showdown, having booked his place in the quarterfinals of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Montréal just a day earlier.
Shelton ensured that Rodman and Fils’ presence was well worth it with an impressive display against Fonseca.
How Trinity Rodman and Arthur Fils Reacted to Ben Shelton’s Winner
No. 5 seed Shelton is producing a strong campaign at the Canadian Open as he looks to defend his title. Following a first-round bye, the American claimed straight-set wins over Jenson Brooksby and Zizou Bergs to set up a meeting with João Fonseca in the Round of 16.
During the opening set, Shelton unleashed a stunning forehand winner that elicited plenty of applause from the crowd. The shot also impressed his girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, and Arthur Fils, who were spotted cheering him on with wide smiles.
Even Trinity Rodman and Arthur Fils were impressed with today’s @BetMGM Shot of the Day 😉
Bravo to Ben Shelton for this one 👏 #NBO26 pic.twitter.com/tp7nzUzsQY
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) August 9, 2026
Shelton went on to secure a 6-3, 7-6(3) victory over Fonseca in one hour and 48 minutes to advance to the quarterfinals in Montréal. The 23-year-old will be looking to clinch his fourth title of the season at the Canadian Open after commencing his North American swing with a loss in the quarterfinals of the Mubadala DC Open.
Interestingly, during his campaign at the DC Open, Shelton attended a Washington Spirit game with Fils and Hailey Baptiste to show his support for Rodman. While speaking to the press at the ATP 500 event, he opened up about the experience of watching his girlfriend’s heroics alongside his fellow tennis stars.
“She definitely gets more nervous than me, 100%. I can see it in her face when I’m playing. But it was a lot of fun, you know, being able to go with Hailey and Arthur and watch her play and see how invested and pumped up they were to go watch that. I had a lot of fun watching that soccer game with Arthur,” he said.
Ben Shelton will continue his title defense against No. 13 seed Jakub Menšík in the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open. Menšík will head into the showdown with an advantage, holding a 2-1 lead in his head-to-head record against Shelton.
