If Ben Shelton reaches the US Open final, his girlfriend, NWSL star Trinity Rodman, won't be there to cheer him on – at least for the beginning of the match.
Rodman has been a fixture at Shelton's matches at the tournament, including an epic win this week over Carlos Alcaraz in a match that ended after 3:30 in the morning.
Despite the late night in New York, Rodman still managed to turn up 90 minutes early to Washington Spirit trainingin Virginia the next morning.
Shelton's win over Alcarez saw him reach the semifinal on Friday, Sept. 11, where he will take on fellow American Frances Tiafoe at around 7 p.m. ET.
But if Shelton can get past Tiafoe, the scheduling gods have dealt him and Rodman a major conflict.
The Spirit play the Boston Legacy at
1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 13. That game in Washington begins just an hour before the men's US Open final in New York, which is set for 2 p.m. ET.
During Shelton's match against Alcaraz, ESPN analyst John McEnroe speculated that the Spirit forward could attend both her match and the US Open final.
"Maybe she scores a goal and rushes up (to New York)," McEnroe said.
in the easiest cross promotion ever, ESPN gives an ad bump to the Washington Spirit vs. Boston Legacy match on Sunday during the Carlos Alcaraz vs. Ben Shelton US Open match with Trinity Rodman right there in the crowd
— Douglas Reyes-CeroÑ (@dreyesceron.bsky.social) 2026-09-09T03:42:50.194Z
Could Trinity Rodman attend US Open final?
It seems unlikely but it could theoretically be possible for Rodman to see at least some of the final.
Shelton's quarterfinal with Alcaraz lasted four hours and 28 minutes. If the final goes that long, it would end around 6:30 p.m. ET – or three and a half hours after the Spirit and Legacy match ends.
A flight from D.C. to New York only takes around an hour, so an unlikely but possible combination of circumstances (Shelton beating Tiafoe, a long US Open final, a private jet, luck with weather and traffic) could see Rodman make it to Flushing Meadows before the final ends.
Or Rodman could simply catch the end of the final in the Audi Field locker room with her teammates.
Either way, Sunday could be a big day for one of American sports' biggest power couples.
Shelton could be chasing his first Grand Slam, while Rodman will hope to lead the Spirit to a win that would put them atop the NWSL standings if Gotham FC loses to Louisville on Friday, Sept. 11.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can Trinity Rodman make Ben Shelton's US Open final? Schedule clash looms
