Ben Shelton has arrived at the Mubadala DC Open and begun gearing up for his campaign at the ATP 500 event. His girlfriend, soccer star Trinity Rodman, joined him at the venue in Washington, D.C., and showed her support during his latest training session.
Rodman plays for the Washington Spirit in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), making it easier for her to cheer on Shelton during his run.
Ben Shelton and Girlfriend Trinity Rodman Spotted at the DC Open
Shelton will be determined to bounce back strongly at the DC Open after his shocking first-round exit at Wimbledon. Although he kicked off his grass-court season by triumphing at the BOSS Open and reaching the quarterfinals in Halle, his Wimbledon campaign ended in an unexpected 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(8), 6-2, 7-6(9) loss to Otto Virtanen in his tournament opener.
After enjoying a short break, Shelton turned up at the DC Open venue, where he was seen practicing with fellow American Frances Tiafoe. During a later session, the 23-year-old enjoyed the company of his girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, with the couple having a conversation on the sidelines before he took the court.
View this post on Instagram
Rodman’s gesture of support comes after Shelton’s appearance at the Washington Spirit’s home game against the Houston Dash after his Wimbledon exit. The world No. 6 watched Rodman score two impressive goals to seal a 2-1 win for the Spirit.
Although Rodman later acknowledged that it was bittersweet to have Shelton in the stands rather than competing at the grass-court Major, she was delighted that he was there to witness her heroics.
“Obviously it’s bittersweet. I wish he wasn’t here but I’m obviously happy whenever he’s able to come and support me and I get to spend time with him. I love that that little amount of time that he’s able to see me that I can put goals in the back of the net. So, I’m happy about that,” Rodman told Victory Plus.
Apart from showing his support for Rodman, Shelton has been focused on preparing for the North American hardcourt swing, which he revealed to be his favorite stretch of the season while speaking to the press after his Wimbledon exit.
“There is a lot you can look back on and wish it could have gone differently. Obviously for me now, it’s just focusing on the U.S. hard court swing. Obviously a much earlier exit here than I would have hoped, but the best part of the season for me is coming up,” he said.
Ben Shelton will kick off his campaign at the DC Open as the No. 2 seed, leading the bottom half of the draw. He will face tough competition from fellow contenders Taylor Fritz, Lorenzo Musetti, Learner Tien, Tiafoe, and defending champion Alex de Minaur as he looks to get his hands on the ATP 500 trophy.
Following his campaign in Washington, D.C., Shelton will head to Montreal for his highly anticipated title defense at the Canadian Open, which is set to begin on August 2.
