Ben Shelton Gets Candid About 'Hardest' Time in Trinity Rodman Relationship

Ben Shelton and Trinity Rodman have spent much of the past year finding ways to show up for each other.

Sometimes, that has required a lot more than buying a ticket and taking a seat.

Rodman repeatedly rearranged an already demanding soccer schedule to support Shelton during his run at the U.S. Open, while Shelton has been equally open about what it means to have another world-class athlete understand the sacrifices his career demands.

Now comes the difficult part.

With both stars chasing some of the biggest goals of their respective careers, Shelton acknowledged that finding time for each other isn't getting any easier.

“It is really difficult,” Shelton told Us Weekly. “I think what a lot of people don’t see is when we actually do have time or a couple of days off, we’re so exhausted that it’s tough to do anything. It is tough to make time.”

And Shelton knows the challenge isn't about to disappear.

Ben Shelton Says He and Trinity Rodman Are in 'Crunch Time'

At 23, Shelton isn't interested in slowing down. Neither is Rodman.

That's precisely what makes their relationship unusual.

“Sometimes I leave these tournaments and I'm a bit of a zombie,” Shelton said. “I'm not the most fun person to be around. But we make a lot of sacrifices for our sport. I'd say both of us are chasing things for our sport. We're not where we want to be yet, we're not in our primes. So this is kind of crunch time.”

Then Shelton put into perspective what that could mean for them as a couple.

“This is going to be the hardest, most grueling time in our relationship, from my perspective,” he said. “None of it is easy. But being able to have someone to lean on who's such an elite athlete and doing things at a really high level as well, it helps in so many ways.”

It's an unusually candid admission, but not necessarily a troubling one.

Shelton isn't questioning the relationship. He's acknowledging the reality of two athletes trying to build one while neither is willing to compromise what they are still capable of accomplishing.

And if anyone understands exactly what that costs, it may be Rodman.

Trinity Rodman Went to Extraordinary Lengths to Support Shelton

Rodman's commitment was on full display during Shelton's run at the U.S. Open.

“She grinded a ridiculous amount to show up for me,” Shelton said. “She must have flown back and forth six or seven times during the tournament. Probably more, I'm probably under-shooting it. But it was so cool to share so many of those memories together with my whole family, also with her.”

One of those trips was particularly demanding.

After watching Shelton's quarterfinal victory over Carlos Alcaraz stretch until 3:33 a.m., Rodman still had responsibilities waiting for her with the Washington Spirit. She made the roughly five-hour drive back to Washington and was at training for an 11 a.m. session later that day.

Then came an even tighter turnaround for the U.S. Open final.

Rodman started for the Spirit in a 1 p.m. match against the Boston Legacy on Sept. 13, with Shelton's final beginning at 2 p.m. in New York. Once her own game ended, Rodman headed for Flushing Meadows and arrived in time to catch the closing stages.

She was later photographed in Arthur Ashe Stadium wearing a Shelton shirt and visibly emotional after his loss to Alexander Zverev.

Trinity Rodman reacts to boyfriend Ben Shelton's loss at the 2026 U.S. Open final. | IMAGO/PRESSE SPORTS

It was a striking snapshot of exactly what Shelton was talking about.

There are only so many hours in a day. Their careers don't stop because the other has a match. And sometimes supporting each other requires getting creative with the little time they do have.

Shelton and Rodman went public with their relationship in early 2025. Since then, two of America's most recognizable young athletes have increasingly allowed fans glimpses of their life together.

But Shelton's latest comments reveal the less glamorous reality behind those moments.

Two careers are accelerating at once. Both athletes believe their best is still ahead of them. Neither wants to stop chasing it.

For Shelton, that may make the next chapter the hardest one yet. It also means he has someone beside him who knows exactly why it's worth chasing.

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