“I feel confident. It is a big goal for me to keep improving and keep going deeper in the big events,” said Ben Shelton after becoming the youngest American quarter-finalist at the Indian Wells since Andy Roddick in 2004. But tennis is unpredictable. At the Miami Open, the American lefty faced a major setback, as he was ousted by the 128th-ranked Coleman Wong from Hong Kong in a stunning upset in Round of 64. For Wong, on the flip side, it was the biggest win of his career by a mile. He has now become the first Hong Kong player ever to make it to R32 in an ATP Masters 1000 tournament. While the accolades are pouring in from all quarters, the biggest praise for the 20-year-old came from none other than Rafael Nadal.

Ben Shelton’s 2025 season has been a tale of highs and lows. After an R16 exit at the ASB Classic, the American ace made a deep run at the AO, reaching the semifinals there before falling to eventual champion Jannik Sinner. However, his form took a dip post-AO! Shelton faced early exits in the R16 at both the Dallas Open and Mexican Open, followed by a QF loss to newly crowned Indian Wells champion Jack Draper.

Hoping to turn things around in Miami, the heavy-hitting southpaw faced Wong on in R64, having got a bye in the first round and started rather slow, dropping the first set. Though he fought back to win the second 6-2, Shelton couldn’t hold on in a thrilling third-set tiebreaker. But the evening wasn’t about him. It was about the breakout star Wong who received a special shout-out from a special player.

On March 222, the Rafa Nadal Academy celebrated a historic moment, sharing the winning clip of Wong’s stunning victory over Shelton on X. The academy’s official account proudly captioned the clip: “Dreams come TRUE! Coleman Wong wins the best match of his career, taking out Ben Shelton 7-6, 2-6, 7-6. We are so proud of you! VAMOOOOS‼️”

As soon as the clip was posted, Rafael Nadal himself chimed in, quoting the original post and adding “There is a lot of effort behind these victories. We are very proud of you, Coleman! ☺️ A historic win for Hong Kong 👏🏻” This message of support from the Spanish legend will undoubtedly bolster Wong’s confidence as he progresses in his promising ATP Tour career.

Since the age of 17, Wong has enhanced his skills at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain, training in an environment that has shaped some of the game’s finest talents. Over the years, he has had the privilege of practicing with the legendary lefty Nadal himself.

“It’s insane. I trained with him a few times and I have a really good relationship with him. He always gives me tips when I see him in the academy. I’m a pretty emotional guy, so I’m really happy that he knows that I’m doing pretty well. Thank you. Thank you, Rafa.” he once said while talking to ATPTour.com. 

But hey what about Ben Shelton? Well, the American’s campaign in the Sunshine Double has ended, but he has been making headlines off the court. The 22-year-old recently shared details about his love story with Trinity Rodman, offering fans a glimpse into his personal life beyond tennis.

Ben Shelton confirmed his relationship with his girlfriend, Trinity Rodman

Ben Shelton has officially confirmed his relationship with Trinity Rodman most adorably through a heartwarming social media post. For those unfamiliar, Trinity s the daughter of NBA legend Dennis Rodman and a rising soccer star, playing as a forward for the Washington Spirit in the NWSL and representing the US national team. Both Shelton and Rodman, 22, are making waves in their respective sports.

But how did the romance surface? Well, It all kicked off on TikTok when Shelton posted a video with Jorijana and GloRilla’s ILBB2 playing in the background, casually asking, “T****** wsp with u.” Rodman later responded with her own TikTok using the same song, captioning it, “___wassup w you.” Fans quickly connected the dots, and the buzz only grew when the ATP 13th seed reacted to one of Rodman’s videos with a playful comment: “Ain’t no way.”

Shelton made things official later by posting an IG photo of him kissing Rodman on the cheek, accompanied by lyrics from Lil Baby and EST Gee’s Back and Forth. “I been focused, but I’m steady climbin’, I’m nowhere near my peak,” he wrote.

Although his love life has just begun, Shelton will hope to turn around his fortunes on the court too after the Miami Open debacle. Are you backing Ben for some title wins this year?