Ben Shelton was so close to winning on Thursday evening at Wimbledon! He cruised through two sets and had a solid 5–4 lead in the third set against Australia’s Rinky Hijikata. The American star hadn’t lost their serve at all during the match and was getting ready to serve for the win when play was stopped.

So, at 9:29 p.m. local time on Court No. 2, which doesn’t have any floodlights, a tournament official walked onto the grass and said that they had to suspend the match because it was getting too dark. Just before the match was stopped, both Shelton and Hijikata had mentioned that it might be a good idea to delay things because of the fading light, but they were told to keep going. The match is on pause, just four points away from wrapping up. Play will pick back up on Friday afternoon, leaving everyone—fans and players—on the edge of their seats.

You could really see Ben Shelton’s frustration. He was clearly annoyed, and you could hear him raising his voice in disbelief at the chair umpire. The crowd in Court 2 was really vocal, showing their frustration with loud boos and chants. “They ain’t wanna see anything else from me tonight but I’ll see yall tomorrow,” Shelton shared on his official Instagram account, sounding a bit disappointed. And when the game started, it took him 70 seconds.

The decision faced a lot of public backlash, not just from the stands. Boris Becker, the tennis legend, didn’t hold back on X as he called out the referee, wondering why they decided to stop the match when both players clearly wanted to keep going. He said, “Why suspend the match, when both players want to continue…Shelton was about to serve for the match and never lost his serve in the entire match!!! Nobody understands the referee’s decision!”

Becker couldn’t believe that a game could go on for so long into the night and then just be called off right when it was getting really intense. In the meantime, Shelton’s companion, former American pro Mardy Fish, shared some words of encouragement on social media. He confidently predicted a great finish, saying, “Ain’t a doubt in my mind Ben will come out and bust 4 aces. Little hit n giggle tmrw stud.” 

As Shelton gets ready to come back, he’s not just up against his opponent; he’s also dealing with the feelings left over from that unfinished match. The timing for getting back to play could really matter; instead of just riding the high of match point, Shelton needs to find his focus again in a whole new situation. But, in these challenging moments, he had her girlfriend there to support her.

She is always by Ben Shelton’s side

Ben Shelton has gotten some solid support from his girlfriend, NWSL forward Trinity Rodman, after his Wimbledon match was suspended. On that tense evening at Court 2, just as Shelton was getting ready to serve for the win, a video clip started making the rounds. It showed Rodman sitting next to his mother, Lisa. She looked on with a steady and warm gaze, winning hearts all over the internet. ESPN even pointed out the moment, saying, “The way Trinity Rodman looks at Ben Shelton.”

Right after the match got suspended, Shelton shared some photos from that crucial third set on his Instagram. Rodman jumped into the comments with some enthusiastic emojis and encouraging words: “Yuppppppp🔥🔥🔥😤😤😤”

Since going public in March, their relationship dynamic—two top athletes pushing one another to greater heights—has been obvious. Rodman has always been there to support Shelton at big events, like Wimbledon. So, later today, having Rodman in the court during the match isn’t just for show; that might actually be the emotional boost that helps Shelton finish things off quickly and decisively.