Trinity Rodman has made it clear that she is in Ben Shelton’s corner during his remarkable US Open run, even when supporting him means sacrificing sleep and rushing back to her own professional duties. The Washington Spirit star stayed at Arthur Ashe Stadium for the four-hour, 28-minute battle to watch Shelton defeat Carlos Alcaraz, then returned to her team’s training just seven hours later. Now, with Shelton through to the US Open final, Rodman’s own Sunday match has sparked a new debate among fans about how the sports couple will handle their biggest commitments colliding.

Rodman and Shelton have become one of the most closely followed couples since making their relationship public in 2025. Rodman has built her career in soccer while Shelton has become one of the leading young names in American men’s tennis. Despite competing in different sports, the two have regularly shown up for each other. That support has been particularly visible during Shelton’s run in New York on September 8.

Rodman was in the stands for Shelton’s dramatic quarterfinal against defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. Shelton eventually prevailed in five sets, 6-7(5-7), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(10-7), after four hours and 28 minutes of tennis. The match ended at 3:33 a.m. ET. Rodman stayed until the end to watch Shelton complete one of the biggest wins of his career. She celebrated with him after the match, but another moment from the aftermath soon caught attention.

During his on-court interview, Shelton thanked his best friend and sister for staying up late to support him. Rodman, who had been sitting in the stands throughout the marathon, jokingly reacted after realizing she had not received a mention as she said, “What about me?” There was little time for Rodman to enjoy the moment, however.

Only hours after Shelton’s late-night victory, she was back with the Washington Spirit. Rodman made the trip from New York to Virginia and reported for training roughly seven hours after Shelton’s match ended.  While Rodman returned to soccer, Shelton continued his pursuit of a first Grand Slam final. The American followed his victory over Alcaraz by defeating fellow American Frances Tiafoe in the semifinal. Shelton lost the opening set but recovered to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 and book his place in the championship match.

Rodman was again there to support Shelton during his semifinal run. But this time, the couple’s sporting schedules created a problem that neither of them can simply work around. Shelton is scheduled to face world No. 1 Alexander Zverev in the US Open final on Sunday, September 13, at Arthur Ashe Stadium.  At almost the same time, Rodman has a match of her own.

The Washington Spirit are scheduled to face Boston Legacy FC at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, while Shelton’s US Open final is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. ET. The unusual scheduling clash quickly led to a debate among fans, with some questioning why Rodman would even be expected to miss her own match. One fan pointed out the situation directly, writing, “Shelton is in the U.S. Open final, but Rodman won’t miss her team’s crucial match Sunday. And why would she?”

Another fan echoed that view, asking, “Who is asking her to skip the match? Lol.” Someone else asked about reversing the situation, writing, “Ben Shelton should miss his match for Trinity.”

Of course, there is little reason to take those comments seriously. Rodman is a successful professional athlete with major achievements of her own. Rodman helped the United States win Olympic gold at the 2024 Paris Games, scoring three goals and providing an assist during the tournament. She also won the 2021 NWSL Championship with the Washington Spirit and was named the league’s Rookie of the Year that season. Rodman has her own team depending on her, just as Shelton has his own opportunity waiting at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Neither is realistically expected to abandon the biggest competition on their respective schedules. That made one more fan admit, “I can’t even believe this is a debate.” Another added, “No normal person thinks she should miss her match for his.”

Whether Rodman can follow Shelton’s final from afar or catch only part of the action after her own match, her support has already been clear. And this time, cheering for each other may have to look a little different, with both athletes having their own careers to show up for.