Rodman races from NWSL loss to US Open final for Shelton — SkimNews
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- Trinity Rodman played for the Washington Spirit in their 3-0 home loss to Boston Legacy FC on Sunday, then immediately traveled to New York and arrived near the end of Ben Shelton's US Open final against Alexander Zverev.
- Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-2 to win his second Grand Slam title, with Rodman watching the closing stretch from the stands in a shirt bearing Shelton's face.
- Ben Shelton told reporters he knew Rodman was trying to make it, calling her effort "insane," and joked she "kind of showed up as I was losing, which for her probably sucked."
- Zverev addressed Rodman directly in his postmatch remarks, quipping "Trinity, I thought you have a game today" and calling her Shelton's "lucky charm ... not today, but usually."
- Rodman had attended multiple matches during Shelton's US Open run, including his quarterfinal victory over defending champion Carlos Alcaraz that ended at 3:33 a.m. — the latest finish in US Open history — when she wore a black "I (heart) my boyfriend" shirt.
- Rodman appeared emotional enough during the trophy ceremony that witnesses saw her wiping away tears, despite arriving after the outcome was decided.
Why it matters: The moment crystallizes the personal stakes behind Shelton's first Grand Slam final appearance: his girlfriend, a U.S. women's national team star, literally raced across state lines from her own professional match to support him, arriving only as the result slipped away. Zverev's lighthearted shoutout publicly turned a private relationship gesture into part of the broadcast narrative around a major final.
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