American tennis star Ben Shelton is all set to light up the courts at the upcoming Mubadala Citi DC Open, but this time, he’s not doing it alone.
Shelton has partnered with compatriot Frances Tiafoe for an exciting doubles campaign at the ATP 500 event in Washington, D.C. And cheering him on is his girlfriend, U.S. soccer star Trinity Rodman, who couldn’t contain her excitement after the announcement went public.
Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe Bring Crossover Star Power to the Citi Open
The Mubadala Citi DC Open, scheduled from Jul. 19-27 at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park, is one of the most anticipated hardcourt tournaments leading into the North American summer swing.
The tournament marks a rare appearance for Shelton in doubles, especially alongside longtime friend and fellow American Tiafoe. Their pairing has created buzz in the sports crossover space, with Rodman joining in the online chatter.
Rodman reposted the Citi Open’s announcement on her Instagram story with a playful caption that read, “Oh boy this should be fun 😭😂.”
Rodman was recently seen supporting Shelton at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, attending the tournament alongside his family. Shelton enjoyed his deepest run at the All England Club, advancing to his maiden quarterfinal before falling in straight sets to eventual champion Jannik Sinner. Meanwhile, Tiafoe exited the tournament in the second round after a defeat to British favorite Cameron Norrie.
MORE: Ben Shelton Opens Up About What It’s Been Like Staying With Girlfriend Trinity Rodman, Sister Emma, and Family During Wimbledon
Shelton is set to compete in the ATP 500 event for the third time. He first played the tournament in 2023, exiting in the opening round, but made a significant leap the next year by advancing to the semifinals, where he fell to Flavio Cobolli in three sets.
Tiafoe, meanwhile, will mark his ninth appearance in Washington. Since his debut in 2014, his standout run came last year, when he reached the semifinals before being defeated in straight sets by eventual champion Sebastian Korda.
Rodman Clarifies Tiafoe’s Role in Her Relationship With Shelton
Rodman downplayed Tiafoe’s claim of being the matchmaker in her relationship with Shelton. The couple went public in March when Shelton shared an Instagram selfie of Rodman kissing him in an elevator, just days after their flirty “shooters shoot” exchange on TikTok.
Soon after, Tiafoe hinted during an interview with Overtime Tennis that he had a hand in bringing the pair together.
“Yooo! So, by the way I don’t think people realize, I was the one who… I mean if we’re going to be real here,” Tiafoe said.
However, days later, Rodman clarified in a separate conversation with ESPN that Tiafoe was not responsible for their relationship.
“I don’t know if I want everyone to know the story but I can assure you Frances was not the reason we met or got together. I don’t know why he’s taking credit for that, so both me and Ben can cut that out. It was solely a me and Ben thing. We wanna say that we met through the Tik Tok, so we do that,” Rodman said.