Ben Shelton and Trinity Rodman are proving that long distance can be romantic and full of support. Between international tennis tournaments, NWSL matches, and nonstop travel, the couple has quietly become one of sports’ busiest young power duos.
This week, while Shelton kicked off his 2026 French Open campaign in Paris, Rodman made it very clear she was still tuned into everything happening overseas despite being tied up with her own soccer commitments back in the States.
After the American tennis star cruised through his first-round Roland Garros match against Spain’s Daniel Mérida Aguilar, Rodman took to Instagram Stories to react to his latest on-court look, reposting a photo of Shelton wearing his purple-and-white ombré Nike kit with the caption, “new kit fyeeee” with heart eye emojis.
© Quality Sport ImagesBut the outfit praise wasn’t the only thing getting attention. Rodman also showed off a bouquet of roses Shelton had sent her from Paris while in the middle of the tournament, posting the flowers with “@benshelton” and a cute, shy emoji in the caption.
© @bensheltonEarlier this month, Shelton celebrated her 24th birthday with a sweet Instagram tribute captioned, “24 😍 Happy birthday, beautiful,” while Rodman responded underneath with heart emojis. The subtle exchange added yet another chapter to the couple’s ongoing athletic romance that has been unfolding across social media since they first started dating in 2025.
While Rodman supports him in person wherever she can, she is currently deep into the NWSL season, while Shelton is spending most of his spring bouncing across Europe during clay court season, arguably the toughest stretch of the tennis calendar for American players.
European clay season is basically a different sport compared to the fast, hard courts American players grow up on, forcing competitors like Shelton to completely adjust their movements and flow.
© GettyWhile many American players openly dread clay season, Shelton has almost become weirdly determined to embrace it. Rather than treating clay season like something to just get through, Shelton has been vocal about genuinely wanting to improve on the surface and compete deep into tournaments like Roland Garros.
Earlier this year, he even described his approach on clay as being “patiently aggressive,” after making major improvements to his movement and consistency on the dirt. His confidence has slowly been paying off, too, especially after strong performances in Munich and now an impressive opening-round showing in Paris.
A power couple
The couple has also spoken openly about how being professional athletes helps them understand each other’s mental struggles, injuries, and demanding schedules better than most relationships probably could.
© NWSL via Getty ImagesIn a recent interview, Rodman explained that one of the biggest strengths in their relationship is how they help each other mentally through difficult stretches. “If your mind’s not right, it’s harder to push through,” she told 7News DC, adding that they do a good job of allowing each other to feel emotions.
“I think there are those weeks where it’s like. You’re sad, and you feel like you can’t be, but in reality, it’s OK. I had a hard week. You feel it, move on, and we’re really good at understanding and working with each other through that,” she said.
That balance seems especially important right now, considering both are entering major moments in their careers. Rodman recently returned to the field after injury setbacks, while Shelton is trying to establish himself as the American man most capable of making a serious French Open run following early exits from several other U.S. players.
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