Just In: Alexander Zverev Breaks His Silence as He Harshly Calls Out Comments Speculating That He Was Flirting With Ben Shelton’s Girlfriend, Trinity Rodman
Alexander Zverev has brushed off rumours and speculation about flirting with Ben Shelton’s girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, during his victory speech after the lopsided 2026 US Open final. The World No. 2 German dictated the flow of the play from the outset and silenced the home crowd with a commanding 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 win.
On the day of the final, Rodman started for Washington Spirit’s home fixture against Boston Legacy FC. After suffering a 3-0 defeat, she boarded a flight from Washington to New York and arrived at the Arthur Ashe Stadium and appeared in Shelton’s player box in the final moments of the final.
After the dust settled, Alexander Zverev joked that Shelton’s “lucky charm” hadn’t worked on that day. Fans accused him of flirting with another player’s girlfriend. At the Laver Cup photoshoot, the German was asked if he had flirted with the NWSL star during that moment.
The 29-year-old debunked the speculations and hit back at those spreading rumors by labelling them “idiots.”
“No. No. No. Definitely not. I love Ben. I love his father. I love his whole family. I like Trinity quite a lot. No, I think whoever thinks that I was flirting or anything like that are idiots,” Alexander Zverev said.
Even after the final, the two-time Grand Slam champion praised Rodman for taking a 200-mile trip to be there for her boyfriend.
Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton were expected to square off against each other at the upcoming Laver Cup. However, the World No. 4 American, who was scheduled to represent Team World, withdrew from the tournament.
Alexander Zverev earns biggest praise from one of his biggest rival Carlos Alcaraz
Alexander Zverev rode the wave this season, ending the wait for his first Grand Slam title at the 2026 French Open. He outclassed Flavio Cobolli in a five-set thriller to bring home the coveted silverware.
With momentum on his side, Zverev came close to ending Jannik Sinner’s title reign at Wimbledon. In a nervy affair, he claimed the first set but couldn’t prevent the World No. 1 Italian from making a spirited comeback in the next three sets.
At Flushing Meadows, he toiled on the court with his sluggish performances but found his footing in the third round and never looked back. He hardly put a foot wrong en route to the second major title of his career. Before the Laver Cup, Zverev earned special praise from former World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.
“Sascha has obviously been fantastic. As he said—and I agree—he is probably the best player in the world right now,” Alcaraz said.
Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev will represent Team Europe and challenge Team World, the defending champion, for the Laver Cup from Friday.
