Ben Shelton was accompanied by his girlfriend and USWNT star Trinity Rodman to Auckland, New Zealand, where he began his 2026 season at the ASB Classic. While Shelton lost in the quarterfinals, he regrouped and began preparing for the Australian Open.
Rodman, who was with the World No. 9 for the most part, had to leave for the USA just a day before the opening day of the first Grand Slam of the year. On Monday, Rodman posted a vlog on her official YouTube channel, showcasing all the fun-filled activities the duo engaged in Auckland.
At the 25:30 mark in the video below, Shelton and Rodman could be seen hurrying towards a restaurant for a romantic dinner date. In this segment, Rodman could be heard explaining her outfit for the dinner date and offering a cheerful explanation for why the duo was rushing.
“Yeah, we are walking to dinner, and I finally wore sneakers. He’s been saying that all I ever wear are either running shoes or heels, so I’m wearing actual sneakers today, and yeah, I’m wearing my new Gucci bag that I just got. It’s really cute,” Rodman said.
“I really like itHe didn’t buy it for me. I actually bought it for myself. And we’re walking really fast because he let me sleep until 7 o’clock. For a 7:45 reservation? Oh, my gosh,” she added.
The happy couple eventually made the dinner reservation in time and enjoyed a romantic night in Auckland. Rodman has been an avid supporter of Shelton’s endeavors on and off the court, often seen in the stands to cheer him on. The tennis star reciprocates the gesture with equal intensity by supporting Rodman in all soccer games.
Shelton had a dominant run at the Australian Open until he locked horns with World No. 2 Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals, who wasted no time in dispatching the American in straight sets and advancing to the semifinals. The loss led Shelton to reflect on and identify areas for improvement in his game.
Ben Shelton Exclaimed “I’m Not Complete Yet” Post Australian Open QF Exit
Shelton was asked to reflect on his loss to Sinner and analyse the progress he has made in recent years.
“I think my level is better, and I’m getting better and better and becoming a lot less limited. I think this game takes time, and the results don’t always come when you want them,” Shelton said.
“Certainly not discouraged from a performance like this, but I want to see myself get out in front and see what I can do from there in a match… It’s a matter of time and work just trying to put all the pieces together, because I’m not complete yet, but I feel myself becoming more complete,” he added.
Shelton will next be in action at the ATP 500 Dallas Open, starting on February 9. After this, the American will move south to play another ATP 500 event in Acapulco, Mexico, before the first two Masters 1000 events (Indian Wells and the Miami Open) on the circuit commence in March.
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