Trinity Rodman Supports Ben Shelton in US Open Semifinal

Under the lights in New York, with Arthur Ashe Stadium humming and a place in the US Open final on the line, Ben Shelton won’t be alone. Trinity Rodman is in the house.

The Washington Spirit and U.S. women’s national team forward has turned into a regular presence in the stands during this run, tracking Shelton’s charge through the draw and riding every point with him. She was there for the late‑night epic against Carlos Alcaraz, a quarterfinal that bled past 3:30 a.m. ET and felt more like a heavyweight title fight than a tennis match.

Now comes an all‑American semifinal on Friday, Sept. 11: Shelton against Frances Tiafoe, with the winner earning a shot at world No. 1 Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s men’s singles final, Sept. 13.

Two players. One slot in a Grand Slam final. No one on that court has ever lifted a major trophy.

A Rivalry With an Edge

Shelton and Tiafoe know each other’s games far too well for this to feel like a one‑off. Shelton holds a 3–1 edge in their head‑to‑head meetings, including their most recent clash a year ago in Washington, D.C., on a hardcourt not unlike the one under their feet in New York.

Tiafoe, though, owns the memory that still stings. He won their lone previous US Open meeting, a third‑round match in 2024, proof that when the stakes rise in this stadium, he can tilt the night his way.

Both are chasing the same thing: a breakthrough. A first Grand Slam title that would change the shape of their careers.

Power Couple, Split Schedules

Shelton’s surge has unfolded alongside a relationship that has quickly captured attention across American sports. The pair went public in March 2025, and almost overnight, Shelton and Rodman became one of the country’s most prominent young power couples.

The support has run both ways. Rodman has slipped into the tennis routine, showing up at multiple matches in New York to back Shelton. He has done the same on the other side of the calendar, popping up at USWNT fixtures and Washington Spirit games to return the favor.

Their calendars, though, rarely show mercy.

If Shelton beats Tiafoe and reaches Sunday’s final, the cameras may not find Rodman in the stands. The Spirit have a home match scheduled just one hour before the US Open final, a clash that makes a coast‑to‑coast dash all but impossible.

The reality of two careers at full throttle is never far away.

“Going Through That Together Has Been Amazing”

Rodman has been open about the strain and the understanding that come with dating another pro athlete. Speaking to USA TODAY Sports, she didn’t sugarcoat how demanding the distance can be.

“It’s definitely hard … it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, we don’t get to see each other at all,’” she said.

The key, in her words, is how in sync they’ve become about the grind.

“We are so good at understanding each other’s schedules and the way we operate and times when we need advice, times when we don’t. So going through that together has been amazing.”

The partnership, she added, works because they’ve learned to stand on their own as much as they stand together.

“I think we’re always so good at supporting each other. And yeah, just being individuals as well, I think has been huge for us of not getting so blended together.”

New York Night, Shared Spotlight

So on this semifinal night, Rodman is back in the crowd, another high‑profile athlete carving out a few hours to watch someone she loves walk the tightrope of elite sport.

Shelton will feel the weight of a Grand Slam semifinal. Tiafoe will, too. Somewhere in the upper bowl or along the baseline, Rodman will live every rally with him, before heading back to her own chase for trophies.

If Shelton plays his way into Sunday, tennis’ biggest stage may have to wait for her. The Spirit’s kickoff won’t move. Neither will the US Open final.

Two careers, two time slots, one shared ambition: to make nights like this feel normal.