Tennis

Munich Open: Ben Shelton Defeats Francisco Cerundolo To Reach Final

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By
wendioliveros
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wendioliveros Sports Editor

Wendi Oliveros is a diehard tennis fan that is known to set her clock at ridiculous hours to watch live action especially during the Australian Open. She is known for indulging in strawberries and cream during Wimbledon and has watched the US Open live several times.

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Sports Editor

Published19 Apr 2025

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Ben Shelton

Ben Shelton is proving that European clay can be an American tennis player’s best friend.  Shelton capped off a great week of tennis at the Munich Open with a straight set victory over Francisco Cerundolo.  He will play in the Sunday final against the winner of the Alexander Zverev and Fabian Marozsan.

Shelton won the match in three sets, digging deep to come from behind after dropping the first set.  A tiebreak went his way in the second set by the score of 9-7.  One service break separated him from Cerundolo to seal the deal with Shelton’s girlfriend Trinity Rodman in his box, beside his father/coach Bryan Shelton, watching the match.

Ben Shelton Goes For Third Career ATP Title

Shelton has two previous titles: 2023 in Tokyo on the hardcourts and 2024 in Houston at the outdoor clay courts.  Should he win on Sunday in Munich, it would be a trailblazing win for American men’s tennis. American men have not had great success at this tournament.  Gene Mayer and Ivan Lendl are the last American champions in 1982 and 1993, respectively.  Andre Agassi and Taylor Fritz were finalists in 1998 and 2024, respectively.

Winning this tournament would propel Shelton’s career in the crucial weeks leading into the 2025 French Open and would be a generational win for American tennis, which has not crowned a champion in Munich in 32 years. The 22-year-old’s best success at Roland Garros was a third-round finish last year.

Trinity Rodman Could Be A Good Luck Charm

Ben Shelton and Trinity Rodman, an American soccer star and the daughter of former NBA basketball player Dennis Rodman, recently went public with their relationship after weeks of speculation on social media.

The two have plenty in common; both are children of parents of professional athletes.  They also have to navigate the interesting environment young athletes have now, balancing sports and personal lives amid the attention of fans on social media.