American tennis player Ben Shelton publicly expressed gratitude to his girlfriend, footballer Trinity Rodman, following his first-round triumph at the US Open.
The world number six defeated Ignacio Buse 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Speaking to the crowd after his victory, Shelton acknowledged Rodman's dedication in travelling to support him.
"My girlfriend took the red-eye from California last night to be here," he told the cheering spectators. "We're here for the long haul, and just looking forward to it."
Ben Shelton and Trinity Rodman have been dating since March
|The Washington Spirit forward had competed in a match against Bay FC on Saturday evening, leaving the pitch in the 78th minute, before catching an overnight flight to New York to witness Shelton's opening match on Sunday morning.
The couple made their relationship public earlier this year through a social media post, and Rodman has since become a familiar presence at Shelton's matches.
JUST IN: Ruben Amorim makes sack admission after revealing rift with United players
Their professional commitments often require careful coordination of their time together.
Rodman arrived at Flushing Meadows wearing specially made trousers embroidered with Shelton's name, demonstrating her support for the ATP number six.
The 23-year-old footballer had recently returned from a four-month absence due to a back injury, scoring the decisive goal for Washington Spirit against Portland Thorns FC just weeks ago.
With the Spirit not scheduled to play until Sunday, Rodman may remain in New York to support Shelton's second-round match against two-time semi-finalist Pablo Carreno Busta on Wednesday evening.
Shelton shared his perspective on the advantages of being in a relationship with another professional athlete during an interview with Vogue.
**SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY GB NEWS SPORTS NEWSLETTER HERE**
Ben Shelton is quickly the darling of American tennis and is through to the third round of the US Open
|REUTERS
"I think it's really cool for both of us to be able to see each other in our respective sports and, you know, witness what it takes and how difficult it is to stay at the top," he explained.
The recent Canadian Open winner noted that he had gained new insights into professional football through their relationship.
"The soccer life, the US Women's national team, it was all kind of new to me, and I've enjoyed the opportunity to get to know it - and to know more about her life in it."
Trinity Rodman is often spotted watching Ben Shelton in action
| GETTYThe couple have discovered common ground in addressing the psychological demands of elite sport, despite competing in different disciplines.
Shelton emphasised that their mutual support extends beyond technical aspects of their respective games.
"If there's shared advice, I think it's definitely about the mental stuff - not skills, exactly.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
"But the mental toughness and perseverance, and dealing with the difficulties that come up - I think that's one and the same across all sports, actually," he revealed.
This shared understanding has enabled them to assist each other through the pressures and challenges inherent in maintaining positions at the highest levels of professional sport.