Trinity Rodman didn’t wait around for Ben Shelton to make the first move.
She shot her shot.
The U.S. soccer star recently opened up about how her relationship with tennis star Ben Shelton actually started, and honestly, it’s probably one of the most relatable celebrity love stories you’ll hear this week.
Rodman revealed during an appearance on Kylie Kelce’s Not Gonna Lie podcast that she was the one who slid into Shelton’s DMs first.
And her opening line?
“You’re sick, fire emoji.”
That’s it.
No paragraph. No carefully planned pickup line. No trying too hard.
Just two words and a 🔥.
And somehow, it worked.
Shelton Didn’t Waste Any Time
Rodman admitted she was embarrassed by the message when looking back at it, but there’s one thing she can’t complain about.
Shelton replied within 10 minutes.
“I win,” Rodman joked while telling the story.
Shelton’s response matched her energy, and the two started talking regularly. A week or two later, things went from social media messages to real life.
That’s where the story gets even crazier.
Shelton flew out to stay with Rodman for a weekend before the two had even met in person.
Rodman admitted that, looking back, the whole thing was pretty wild.
But apparently it worked.
Then Came the “Keeper” Moment
When Shelton arrived, Rodman said she pretended to be busy breaking down boxes rather than looking like she had been waiting around for him.
But Shelton ended up helping her with the boxes.
And that was apparently enough for Rodman to know she had something special.
“That’s when I knew, keeper,” she recalled.
Not exactly the most traditional first date story.
But considering where they are now, it’s hard to argue with the results.
Two Sports Stars, One Very Public Relationship
Rodman and Shelton have become one of the more recognizable young couples in American sports.
She’s a star soccer player for the Washington Spirit and the U.S. women’s national team.
He’s one of America’s biggest tennis stars and just won his second straight Canadian Open title on August 13.
And the two have made a point of supporting each other’s careers.
Just recently, Rodman surprised Shelton in Montreal while he was competing at the Canadian Open. Shelton reportedly had no idea she was coming, making the surprise even better.
So that random DM clearly turned into something much bigger.
Sometimes You Just Have to Shoot Your Shot
There’s probably a lesson in all of this.
Rodman didn’t overthink it.
She saw Shelton, liked what she saw and sent the message.
Ten minutes later, she had a response.
More than a year later, they’re one of the biggest sports couples around.
Not every DM is going to turn into a relationship. But Rodman’s story is a pretty good reminder that sometimes you really do have to shoot your shot.
And in this case?
She hit nothing but net.
Or, considering we’re talking about a tennis player, maybe we should say straight down the line.
