Ben Shelton during his defeat to Jack Draper. (Image: Getty)
It seems American tennis star isn’t dwelling too much on his defeat to at Indian Wells. The world No.14 looked a serious contender for the BNP Paribas Open title when he progressed to the quarter-final stage, only to be beaten in straight sets by his British rival.
The 22-year-old went down 6-4 7-5, and to rub salt into the wounds, . Shelton remains touted for a big future, though, having reached his second Grand Slam semi-final at the this year. Furthermore, it’s not just on the court where he now appears settled.
The Atlanta-born player has taken to social media to reveal he’s in a relationship with a United States women’s international footballer. On , he posted a picture of himself with Trinity Rodman, with the 22-year-old giving him a hug and a kiss as they pose for the camera.
Rodman is a sporting celebrity in her own right in the US, having already won 46 caps for her country. She helped them win gold at the last summer and is a cult hero with the Washington Spirit, having already racked up 100 appearances for the NWSL side.
Trinity Rodman already has 46 caps for the US. (Image: Getty)
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Shelton’s fellow tennis stars were quick to react to the announcement. Sloane Stephens wrote “HARDD LAUNCH!!!!!”, a term used in America when a high-profile relationship is revealed on social media.
used the same phrase, while Frances Tiafoe implied he already knew about the couple before they took to social media. He asked: “We (Insta)gram now?” and added some glancing eyes emojis.
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There were four other photos attached to Shelton’s post, who added a cryptic caption. He said: “I’ve been focused, but I’m steady climbin’; I’m nowhere near my peak.”
Rodman, the daughter of controversial basketball icon Dennis, Rodman rose to prominence when she was named the US Soccer Young Female Player of the Year in 2021, before making her senior international debut the following year. She played a pivotal role in Paris last summer, scoring three times, including a crucial quarter-final win against Japan.