Ben Shelton continued his strong clay-court run at the ATP 500 BMW Open in Munich with a composed march into the quarterfinals, but it was the visible backing from his girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, that added to his campaign. As Shelton builds momentum in one of the key European clay-court events, Rodman’s affectionate social media reaction offered fans a glimpse into their relationship.
Ben Shelton Builds Early Momentum in Munich as Girlfriend Trinity Rodman Cheers Him On
Seeded second in the 2026 edition, Shelton has opened his campaign by overcoming lucky loser Emilio Nava in a three-set battle, 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-3. He followed it up with a straight-set victory over Alexander Blockx, 6-4, 7-6(8), navigating a tight second-set tiebreak to seal his place in the quarterfinals.
The 23-year-old is now set to face rising Brazilian talent João Fonseca. Off the court, Shelton’s latest Instagram post, which featured snapshots of his clay-court action, drew attention after Rodman reacted with a string of heart-eyes emojis, signaling her continued support during his run.
Following his win over Blockx, Shelton shared the images on Instagram, highlighting moments from his performance in Munich. Rodman not only commented on the post but also reshared it to her Instagram Stories, amplifying the moment.
Shelton and Rodman started their relationship in early 2025. While Rodman remains committed to her role as a forward for the Washington Spirit in the National Women’s Soccer League, Shelton continues to manage the demands of a busy ATP Tour calendar. Their relationship has attracted additional attention because Rodman is the daughter of NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman.
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How Ben Shelton’s 2025 Munich Campaign Shaped Expectations for 2026
Shelton’s return to Munich has been closely watched after his standout run at the ATP 500 event last year. The 23-year-old made a strong impression in his debut campaign, defeating players like Borna Gojo, Botic van de Zandschulp, Luciano Darderi, and Francisco Cerundolo to reach the final.
He eventually finished runner-up after a straight-set loss to top seed Alexander Zverev. Shelton also featured in doubles alongside Rohan Bopanna, with the pair advancing to the quarterfinals before falling to Sander Gillé and Jan Zieliński.
Looking ahead, Shelton will take on Fonseca for the first time on the ATP Tour. The winner of this match will move on to the semifinals to face whoever emerges from the quarterfinal clash between the winners of the Denis Shapovalov-Fábián Marozsán and Daniel Altmaier-Alex Molčan second-round matchups.
