Trinity Rodman Challenges Ben Shelton's Dad to Dance

Rodman aims to get Bryan Shelton to celebrate his son's wins with a dance amid the Dallas Open tournament.

Feb. 13, 2026 at 11:47pm

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At the 2026 Dallas Open, tennis player Ben Shelton is competing while his girlfriend, professional soccer star Trinity Rodman, has set herself the goal of convincing Shelton's father and coach, Bryan Shelton, to perform a celebratory dance. The challenge emerged amid Shelton's ongoing tournament run, where he has advanced to the quarterfinals.

Why it matters

The playful challenge involving Bryan Shelton's reluctance to dance sheds light on the close family involvement in Ben's career, as his father transitioned from a successful collegiate coach to guiding him on the professional circuit. Rodman's lighthearted mission also demonstrates the energetic and fun side of the tennis world, contrasted with the serious intensity on court.

The details

Ben Shelton is seeded second at the Dallas Open and has defeated Gabriel Diallo and Adrian Mannarino to reach the quarterfinals. After his win against Mannarino, Shelton was asked in a post-match interview whether he would join his father in a celebratory dance, drawing a parallel to Rodman's own on-field celebration. Shelton responded that his father is unlikely to dance, but Rodman publicly accepted the challenge to make Shelton's dad dance.

  • Ben Shelton defeated Gabriel Diallo in the opening round.
  • Ben Shelton defeated Adrian Mannarino in the second round.
  • Ben Shelton is scheduled to face Miomir Kecmanović in the quarterfinals.

The players

Trinity Rodman

A professional soccer player for the U.S. women's national team and the Washington Spirit in the NWSL, known for her competitive spirit on the field.

Ben Shelton

A tennis player who is competing in the 2026 Dallas Open, where he is seeded second and has advanced to the quarterfinals.

Bryan Shelton

Ben Shelton's father and coach, who previously was the head coach of the University of Florida's tennis team (Florida Gators) and has transitioned to become his son's full-time coach.

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What they’re saying

“I think there's a better chance of a lot of things in life. I think that's one thing [making Bryan do a celebratory dance] that will never happen. So that's not something I would even ask,”

— Ben Shelton (theconwaybulletin.com)

“get Ben's dad to do a dance. Challenge accepted @benshelton,”

— Trinity Rodman (Instagram)

What’s next

The winner of the quarterfinal match between Ben Shelton and Miomir Kecmanović will move on to face either defending champion and seventh seed Denis Shapovalov or third seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the semifinals.

The takeaway

The playful challenge between Trinity Rodman and the Shelton family highlights the close-knit dynamics and fun side of professional tennis, providing an entertaining human interest layer to the tournament narrative alongside the intense on-court competition.