Ben Shelton found himself locked in a challenging battle with Hubert Hurkacz in the second round of the 2026 US Open. As the passionate crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium rallied behind the home favorite, Shelton also received heartwarming support from his girlfriend, soccer star Trinity Rodman, in the stands.
How Trinity Rodman Reacted to Ben Shelton’s Tough US Open Win
After cheering Shelton on during his tough 1-6, 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-2 win over Tallon Griekspoor in his opening match, Rodman was back at the US Open to show her support for the 23-year-old in the second round as well.
The world No. 9 treated his girlfriend and the packed crowd to an entertaining battle with Hubert Hurkacz. Although Shelton won the first set, he was forced to dig deep after the Pole clinched the second set. The American overcame the setback to claim a hard-fought 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5 victory and advance to the third round.
After Shelton sealed his win, Rodman erupted with joy in the stands while proudly wearing a shirt that declared, “I ❤️ MY BOYFRIEND.”
Trinity Rodman wearing a shirt that says “I ❤️ my boyfriend” while supporting Ben Shelton at the U.S. Open.
Couple goals. 🥰 pic.twitter.com/4NpURXxEhO
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 2, 2026
The world No. 9 opened up about the difficult battle in his on-court interview, expressing his delight at how the match unfolded while also highlighting the vocal support he received from the crowd throughout the encounter.
“I am super happy with the way the match went. It was a battle until the end and I thought Hubi played outstanding today. It was really tough to deal with everything he was throwing at me and if I was commentating, I would talk about how loud this crowd was from start to finish,” he said.
Up next, Shelton is set to lock horns with Denis Shapovalov in the third round of the US Open. Looking ahead to the encounter, the American, who boasts a 4-0 lead in their head-to-head record, spoke fondly of their fun rivalry and praised Shapovalov as an electric player.
“I like playing him a lot. I think it’s a fun matchup, an entertaining matchup. I think he’s outstanding player, outstanding ball striker. Like you said, I think he’s electric out on the court and every match that we’ve played has been a fun matchup. It’s always a different kind of challenge playing against a lefty,” he said in his post-match press conference.
If Ben Shelton extends his perfect winning record against Shapovalov, he will face either Jiří Lehečka or Stefanos Tsitsipas in the fourth round of the New York Major, with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz looming as his potential quarterfinal opponent.
