Ben Shelton faced the wrath of his girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, after failing to mention her in his victory speech following his US Open win over Carlos Alcaraz. The home favourite reached the semi-finals with a statement victory over his Spanish rival in a match of extremely fine margins.
Shelton held his nerve in a decisive fifth-set tiebreak to claim a 6-7 6-1 6-3 1-6 7-6 triumph in four hours and 28 minutes. The match was an instant classic and didn't finish until after 3.30am in New York, with thousands of fans staying until the early hours at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Victory Speech Sparks Reaction
Rodman was among those who remained in the stadium until the very end, although she was irked when Shelton failed to mention her in his on-court interview. Addressing the fans, he said: "For me, it’s always about the people in the crowd. Whether it’s about my coaches and my team over there, or the city of New York who showed up tonight until 3am."
He added: "With the USA chants until the very end, that’s what kept me going and got me the win in the end. It’s incredible. I always say this is the greatest sports city in the world. This is the greatest stadium in the world. I am just hoping my best friend and sister do not have to be at work at 6am in three hours. It would be huge for them to be given the day off."
Rodman, watching from the stands, was quick to ensure Shelton didn't forget about her, shouting: "What about me?"
Relationship and Scheduling Conflict
Shelton has been dating Rodman, a footballer with almost 60 caps for the United States women's national team, since last year. She is regularly spotted watching him play and was previously in Shelton's box during his second-round victory over Hubert Hurkacz, wearing a shirt emblazoned with the message: "I love my boyfriend."
Rodman may be unable to attend the US Open final if Shelton gets there because she is due to play for Washington Spirit that same afternoon. Their game against Boston Legacy is scheduled to kick off an hour before the tennis final, creating a scheduling conflict.
Shelton will book his place in the championship match if he manages to beat fellow compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals on Friday.
