Ben Shelton shared an emotional tribute to his loved ones immediately after losing the US Open final, including his girlfriend Trinity Rodman, who jetted straight to New York to catch the end of the championship match.
The Washington Spirit forward was involved in their 3-0 loss to Boston Legacy earlier in the day, and then raced to Flushing Meadows to support her boyfriend.
A 23-year wait continues
Shelton had been looking to end a 23-year wait for an American men's singles Grand Slam title. He went on a magnificent run, taking out defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, and former top-10ers Frances Tiafoe, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Denis Shapovalov, and Hubert Hurkacz.
But the No. 8 seed just missed out on a first Major crown, suffering a 6-3 7-6(2) 5-7 6-2 defeat to Alexander Zverev.
Emotional tribute courtside
Shelton was seen telling a teary Rodman "I love you" as he processed the defeat, with the couple sharing a poignant moment in the aftermath of the match.
The loss means the American men's Grand Slam drought extends to 23 years, with Shelton falling just short in his bid to become the first homegrown champion since Andy Roddick.
