Ben Shelton could be without girlfriend Trinity Rodman in the stands for his US Open final against Alexander Zverev due to a clash in their sporting schedules. Shelton reached his first Grand Slam final after defeating Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 at Arthur Ashe Stadium and will now face Zverev on Sunday, hoping to become the first American man since Andy Roddick in 2003 to win a Grand Slam title.
Rodman, meanwhile, is scheduled to represent Washington Spirit against Boston Legacy FC in an NWSL away match in Boston on Sunday. The game is set to begin at 1 p.m. local time, while Shelton’s US Open final is scheduled for 2 p.m. in New York, leaving the highest-paid women’s soccer player with little chance of making it to the tennis match unless she misses her club commitment.
Ben Shelton’s US Open Final Comes With Trinity Rodman Scheduling Dilemma
Trinity Rodman has been a familiar face in the stands throughout Ben Shelton’s impressive US Open run, making time to support her boyfriend despite her own demanding soccer schedule. The Washington Spirit star was even present for Shelton’s dramatic five-set quarterfinal victory over Carlos Alcaraz, which ended at around 3:35 a.m. Rodman has also attended other matches during the tournament, showing how closely she has followed Shelton’s bid for his first Grand Slam title.
However, Rodman could be forced to miss Sunday’s final if Shelton gets past Frances Tiafoe in the semifinal. Shelton’s championship match at Arthur Ashe Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m. in New York, while Rodman’s Washington Spirit are due to face Boston Legacy FC in an NWSL away fixture in Boston at 1 p.m. local time. Unless she misses her club commitment, the timing makes it extremely difficult for Rodman to be inside Arthur Ashe Stadium for what could be the biggest match of Shelton’s career.
Rodman has already shown how committed she is to balancing her soccer career with supporting Shelton. During the US Open, she played for the Spirit and still managed to attend Shelton’s matches, including his first-round meeting with Tallon Griekspoor shortly after featuring in a road game against Bay FC. She also watched Shelton defeat Alcaraz after the Spirit had hosted Portland Thorns FC, before returning to her club’s training the following morning despite the match finishing deep into the night.
Trinity Rodman Emerges as Ben Shelton’s Lucky Charm in 2026
Her presence has also become something of a good-luck charm for Shelton during a breakthrough 2026 season. The American has collected four ATP titles in Dallas, Munich, Stuttgart and Montreal, with Rodman attending each of those tournament victories. After his Stuttgart triumph, Shelton openly credited her support, saying, “I won a title at I think every tournament she’s been at this year,” before adding, “You’re definitely the good luck charm, so I really appreciate you making the effort,” as he looked toward Rodman in the stands. She was also there in Montreal when Shelton secured his second ATP Masters 1000 title.
Ben Shelton Faces Tough Zverev Test in Historic US Open Final
Shelton now has a huge opportunity against Alexander Zverev, who has beaten him in all five of their previous meetings, including their last four encounters in straight sets. The American is also 0-3 against the German on hard courts, but he has already shown at this US Open that past records can be overturned after defeating defending champion Alcaraz despite entering their quarterfinal with an 0-3 record against him. His semifinal victory over Tiafoe further boosted his confidence, as Shelton fired 20 aces to recover from losing the opening set.
A victory over Zverev would give Shelton his first Grand Slam title and make him the first American man to win a major since Andy Roddick in 2003. He has also made history by becoming the first Black American man to reach the US Open men’s singles final since Arthur Ashe in 1972. While Rodman’s possible absence would be unfortunate after the support she has provided throughout his run, Shelton will have the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd behind him as he attempts to overcome Zverev and end America’s long wait for a men’s Grand Slam champion.
