Ben Shelton’s grass swing is off to an excellent start. The 23-year-old clinched his third title of 2026 and his first-ever title on grass, dethroning his compatriot, Taylor Fritz, in Sunday’s Boss Open final in Stuttgart. During the match, Shelton received support from his coaching team and his girlfriend, soccer star Trinity Rodman.
Rodman later showed her love and appreciation on social media. Shelton’s sister Emma, too, acknowledged his milestone win, as Coco Gauff and other tennis stars joined in.
Ben Shelton Beats Taylor Fritz To Win the Boss Open
Shelton and Fritz entered the Boss Open as the top two seeds. The latter was the defending champion at the tournament, having won his fifth grass-court title in Stuttgart last year. Shelton, meanwhile, reached his first grass-court final on Sunday after surviving a series of tough tests en route. Each of his four matches went the distance.
The top seed started his campaign with a scare against compatriot Marcos Giron, saving a match point to secure a 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(5) win. He then staged a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 comeback against Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro before saving a couple of match points against Jiří Lehečka to win the semifinal 6-7(4), 7-6(14), 7-6(6). In the all-American final, Shelton edged out Fritz with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 score.
The player’s sister, Emma, proudly showed off her brother’s achievement on Instagram. Shelton’s girlfriend, Rodman, made an appearance at the event after competing for the United States women’s national soccer team in Brazil. She received a special mention from her partner during the victory speech.
“I want to thank my girlfriend for flying here from Brazil. I won a title at I think every tournament that she’s been at this year, maybe not in Auckland, but that doesn’t count. You’re definitely the lucky charm, so I really appreciate you making the effort,” Ben Shelton said.
Rodman responded in kind, calling herself his “no. 1 fan.”
Meanwhile, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Iva Jovic, and Victoria Mboko, too, shared their reactions.
Tennis legend Monica Seles congratulated Shelton alongside Queen’s Club champion Donna Vekic, who beat Emma Raducanu to clinch her career’s biggest title yet. “Two exciting finals this morning. I could feel the players’ tension through the TV. Congratulations to Donna and Ben. Love the game even when played on grass,” she wrote.
With his win against Fritz, Shelton has now collected a title on each surface. Alongside his win in Stuttgart, he has two hardcourt titles (the 2023 Japan Open and the 2025 Canadian Open), two clay-court titles (the 2024 ATP Houston and the 2026 BMW Open), and one indoor hardcourt title (the 2026 Dallas Open).
MORE: Ben Shelton Stunned by Girlfriend Trinity Rodman’s Energy As They Reunite in Stuttgart
Shelton now has little time to celebrate as he heads to Halle to chase his first ATP 500 trophy on grass. He has drawn Nick Kyrgios in the first round.
