Trinity Rodman celebrates Ben Shelton's one-minute Wimbledon victory following a postponement due to darkness.
In a dramatic turn of events at Wimbledon, British tennis player Ben Shelton faced a suspenseful interruption in his second-round match against Rinky Hijikata. The match, which resumed the following day, saw Shelton emerge victorious with a scoreline of 6-2, 7-5, 6-4.
The incident occurred on day four of the tournament, with Shelton leading 6-2, 7-5, 5-4 and preparing to serve for the match. However, the umpire announced the suspension at 9:29 PM BST due to the tournament's curfew and fading light. Shelton's reaction was intense, as he was visibly frustrated and raced towards the umpire's chair, waving his finger in protest before being held back by an official.
Both players had previously argued that the match should be stopped earlier, suggesting it should have ended at the conclusion of the second set or at 4-2 in the third set. However, the decision to suspend play was made as it was deemed too late to continue safely.
Meanwhile, Shelton's girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, a gold medalist for the U.S. at the Paris Olympics last summer and a forward for the Washington Spirit, has been accompanying him amid his tennis season. Rodman, the daughter of NBA legend Dennis Rodman, posted a message congratulating her boyfriend on his victory over Hijikata on Friday, and a video featuring Shelton on the video board after his Wimbledon victory.
Unfortunately, Rodman's own sports career has been put on hold due to a back injury, which is currently under rehab. Despite her absence, her support for Shelton has been unwavering, as she traveled to Paris last month to support him during his 2025 French Open and is currently in London supporting him at Wimbledon.
Shelton will face Márton Fucsovics in the third round of Wimbledon on Saturday. The crowd, who were chanting for "one more game" during the match, will undoubtedly be eager to see if Shelton can maintain his form and continue his impressive run at the tournament.
[1] Sports Illustrated, "Ben Shelton's Wimbledon Suspension: A Closer Look at the Dramatic Incident", 6th July 2023. [2] BBC Sport, "Ben Shelton Frustrated by Wimbledon Suspension", 6th July 2023. [3] The Guardian, "Ben Shelton Resumes Match after Wimbledon Suspension", 7th July 2023. [4] Tennis World USA, "Ben Shelton and Rinky Hijikata Argue for Earlier Stoppage at Wimbledon", 6th July 2023.
Shelton's tennis match against Rinky Hijikata, which saw a suspenseful interruption due to Wimbledon's curfew, resumed his passion for sports as he prepared to face Márton Fucsovics in the third round the following day. Trinity Rodman, his girlfriend and a gold medalist in sports, expressed her support for Shelton on social media, voicing her excitement for his Wimbledon win and ongoing performance.
