American tennis sensation Ben Shelton made a remarkable comeback against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego to win their first-round clash at the 2025 French Open. Following his triumph, Shelton shared a bold message to celebrate the victory. His thrilling performance also earned praise from his girlfriend, American soccer star Trinity Rodman.
Trinity Rodman Awestruck by Ben Shelton’s Phenomenal French Open 1R Comeback
The 13th-seeded American won the first set 6-4; however, Sonego regained control, securing the next two sets 6-4 and 6-3. But Shelton, who smashed 15 aces in the match, came back from that deficit, securing the fourth and fifth sets 6-2, 6-3, to win the late-night first-round thriller on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
The American now leads the Italian 2-1 in the pair’s head-to-head record. Thrilled by the triumph, Shelton shared the poster of his win, accompanied by a message on his Instagram story.
“Get out the shovel,” he wrote.
The USWNT and Washington Spirit soccer star and Shelton’s girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, later shared a laudatory message for her boyfriend’s French Open escape act. The 23-year-old also shared the World No. 13’s picture from the match and wrote:
“I’m in awe of you.”
Speculation about Rodman and Shelton’s relationship began circulating in March after the couple shared a cryptic TikTok that sparked buzz online. Soon after, the American tennis star made their relationship official with an Instagram post, catching the tennis fraternity by storm.
Ben Shelton Reflected on the Toughness of the French Open 1R Match Against Lorenzo Sonego
Speaking after the match, Shelton acknowledged the challenge of facing Sonego in their first-round encounter, describing him as a big-match player. The 22-year-old also expressed his joy at the overall match experience, also his first on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
This was a tough one for sure,” Shelton said. “I played him in the quarters in Australia and I know he is a big-match player, a Grand Slam player and you guys saw some hot shots tonight and some crazy tennis from him. For me, I thought the crowd was great. It was my first time being out here on Court Philippe-Chatrier and it will not be one that I forget,” he added.
Shelton hasn’t had a great lead-up to the Roland Garros this year, with his best being a runner-up finish at the BMW Open. Apart from that, he faced a first-round defeat in Monte Carlo, a third-round exit in Madrid, and a second-round exit in Rome.
Next in line for Shelton will be the winner of the first-round match between Hugo Gaston and French qualifier Ugo Blanchet.
