The soccer star was on hand to watch Shelton beat Carlos Alcaraz in five sets in the quarterfinals on Tuesday night
Credit: Leonardo MUNOZ/AFP via Getty; CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Trinity Rodman is boyfriend Ben Shelton’s biggest fan!
- The NWSL star was on hand to witness Shelton’s historic five-set win over Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open
- Afterwards, the soccer star and the tennis star mimed their trademark celebration
Trinity Rodman is hanging up the phone and celebrating her boyfriend Ben Shelton’s historic and “insane” US Open win!
The NWSL star, 24, was among those who stayed up late to watch the world No. 9 player upset Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set thriller.
The four-hour-and-28-minute match, which went to a tiebreaker in the fifth set, ended at 3:33 a.m. ET — but Rodman was wide awake courtside to take in what commentators called Shelton’s “biggest” career win (6-7, 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6).
As the 23-year-old Floridian gestured to his players box, the Washington Spirit forward smiled widely and mimed the couple’s signature celebration.
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“My world,” Rodman wrote on her Instagram Stories after Shelton stamped his ticket to the semis.
In the back-and-forth match, Shelton dropped the first set before taking control in the next two sets. Alcaraz, who missed four months of tennis earlier this year after a wrist injury, rallied back to force a fifth and deciding set.
Credit: Darren Carroll/USTA via Getty
“I’m tired. It was a war,” Shelton said afterwards. “Carlos is one of the greatest champions of our sport. It was the most enjoyable match I’ve had in my career, for sure.”
In his post-match interview, the University of Florida standout acknowledged his sister and best friend, noting that he hoped they didn’t have to work on Wednesday, given the early morning hour — which entered the history books as the latest finish ever for a US Open match.
Credit: Pete Staples/USTA via Getty
With the victory, Shelton ended Alcaraz’s streak of 18-straight match wins. Before his loss to Shelton, the Spaniard was 13-0 against Americans and 14-0 against left-handed players, according to ESPN. His 12 straight wins in 5-setters also came to an end.
“It’s incredible,” Shelton said. “I always say that this is the greatest sports city in the world, I say that this is the greatest stadium in the world.”
Shelton will now aim to rest up for a date with Frances Tiafoe on Friday, Sept. 11 in the semifinals, ensuring that a Black American man will play in the Grand Slam final for the first time since the stadium’s namesake, Arthur Ashe, did so in 1972.
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