Professional soccer star Trinity Rodman made a quiet but notable appearance at Wimbledon this week, supporting American tennis player Ben Shelton during his second round match against Rinky Hijikata.
Rodman, 22, who plays as a forward for the United States Women’s National Team and is the daughter of former NBA star Dennis Rodman, was seated in Shelton’s player box on July 3. The couple made their relationship public in March 2025 after Rodman shared a photo of them on social media. She has since attended several of Shelton’s tournaments, including an event earlier this year in Munich.
Shelton’s match faced an unusual interruption Thursday night when play was stopped because of poor lighting at 9:29 p.m. local time. The pause came just as the 10th seed was preparing to serve for the match. Shelton had recently missed three match points and questioned whether play should have been suspended before the start of the third set.
Tournament officials defended the decision, with Wimbledon director Jamie Baker saying conditions had become extremely dark and unsafe for continued play.
When the match resumed under clear skies Friday afternoon, Shelton finished quickly. The 22 year old needed only 69 seconds to close out the contest. He delivered three straight aces and ended the match with an unreturned serve, securing a 6 to 2, 7 to 5, 6 to 4 victory.
“I was hoping to hit a few groundstrokes,” Shelton joked with the crowd after the match. “Might have to go to the practice courts.”
He later reflected on the unusual split day finish, saying players must adjust quickly at Wimbledon and embrace the unpredictability of the tournament.
Shelton, a two time Grand Slam semifinalist, advanced to the third round as expectations continue to rise around his performance this year.
Rodman, who is currently recovering from a back injury and is not active in the NWSL season, remained focused and composed while watching the match. Her repeated presence at Shelton’s matches has drawn interest from both sports and entertainment audiences, highlighting the couple’s public support for one another as they balance demanding professional careers.
As Shelton moves deeper into the Wimbledon draw, attention will remain on both his results on court and the familiar face cheering from the stands.
