Trinity Rodman has criticised BBC commentator Andrew Castle over his coverage of her partner Ben Shelton’s latest Wimbledon match.
Former British tennis player Castle was on commentary duty for Shelton’s fourth-round victory over Lorenzo Sonego on Monday.
American tennis star Shelton lost the first set 6-3 but recovered superbly to win the next three sets and book his place in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon.
Shelton’s girlfriend, professional soccer player Trinity Rodman, was in the stands on Court One to support him alongside several members of his family.
The BBC cameras regularly cut to Shelton’s family during the match and Castle repeatedly referred to USA forward Trinity as ‘Tiffany’.
Castle, a former British number one, also mentioned on more than one occasion that the Washington Spirit star is the daughter of basketball legend Dennis Rodman.
Chicago Bulls icon Rodman, who divorced Trinity’s mother Michelle Moyer in 2012, went long periods without speaking to his daughter.
Last year Trinity Rodman revealed she does not have her father’s number saved on her phone and declared ‘he is not my dad’.
At one point during the BBC’s coverage of Shelton’s latest Wimbledon game, Castle pointed out how Dennis Rodman was a ‘big character’ and said Shelton – known as one of most animated players on tour – still had a long way to go to match the American sport legend.
Shortly after Shelton reached the quarter-finals, Trinity wrote on Instagram: ‘For those who don’t know… my name is TRINITY not Tiffany.
‘Also, for Ben’s matches, he has his family there as his support system, which includes his dad… my dad’s not even in MY life no need to bring him up during HIS matches when I don’t even want him talked about during mine.
‘It’s his and his loved one’s moment. Thank you.’
Discussing her strained relationship with her father last year, Trinity said on the Call Her Daddy podcast: ‘I answer the phone now for my conscience, to be like, he needed to hear my voice before anything else happens.
‘That’s why I answer the phone, not for me,’ she told the Call Her Daddy podcast. ‘He’s not a dad. Maybe by blood, but nothing else.’
Shelton, tipped by many to be a regular contender at Grand Slams over the next decade, will face world number one Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon.
Sinner was two set down and on course for a shock exit in SW19 when his fourth-round opponent Grigor Dimitrov was forced to retire through injury.
Following an earlier victory at the All England Club, Shelton referenced the support from his family and girlfriend.
‘I’ve been playing well this week,’ he said. ‘It’s not just me here, I have a great team.
‘My parents are here, my girlfriend is here. Also, my sister is here – she’s been here for every match I’ve played at this tournament so far, she’s been a lucky charm.’
While Shelton, 22, is at the very top of his sport, the same applies to partner Trinity, who has made 100 appearances for Washington Spirit and earned 47 caps for the USA.
The 23-year-old scored three goals at last year’s Paris Olympics to helped the United States win gold.
If Shelton knocks out Sinner, he could face seven-time Wimbledon champion and 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals.
Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz is on the other side of the draw as Shelton and remains the firm favourite to secure a rare ‘three-peat’ at the All England Club.
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