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Who is Shelby Rogers’ boyfriend? Here's how tennis star's blind date clicked

Shelby Rogers overcame a second-set loss to triumph over Ashleigh Barty at the US Open's third round

Shelby Rogers had entered her US Open third-round matchup with Ashleigh Barty as a steep underdog. Barty was already the top seed, and she had also defeated Rogers in all of their past five meetings, four of which took place this year.

The American tennis sensation overcame a second-set loss to triumph over the Australian champion 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (7-5) in the US Open's third round on Saturday, September 4. It was Rogers' second victory over a top-five opponent and her first over a top-ranked player. Despite being on tour for over a decade, not many know about Rogers' personal life outside the tennis court. Her upset win on Saturday has sparked an interest in her love life, and for those interested, she's presently in a relationship with American hockey player John Slavs.

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Rogers was asked what changed between her previous bouts with Barty and this one. "I'm not sure I can [explain it]," she said after the win. "I just said make balls try to stay in this match, it can't get any worse. You've lost to her every time. Try something different."

The 28-year-old athlete, who's currently the only American woman left in the US Open, has pulled off an impressive upset in the tournament before. She beat the sixth-seeded Petra Kvitova in the 2020 tournament's Round of 16, a victory that would give Rogers her first appearance in the US Open quarterfinals.

Overall, Rogers has twice reached the quarterfinals in Grand Slam tournaments, the 2016 French Open, and the 2020 US Open. Aside from Barty, she has scored wins against several top-ranked players including Simona Halep (No 4, Australian Open 2017), and Serena Williams (No 9, Top Seed Open 2020).

Who is Shelby Rogers' boyfriend?

Rogers is currently dating American hockey professional John Slavs. The pair reportedly first met on a blind date and the chemistry clicked instantly. Since both are professional athletes, they understand the dedication behind competing at the highest levels of physical fitness. And while they also enjoy quality time together outside of their respective sports, the couple prefers to keep their relationship largely private apart from a few pictures on social media.

Interestingly, Rogers would have been a hockey professional if not a tennis player. However, she eventually chose a tennis racket over a hockey stick in following the footsteps of her sister, Sabra Rogers. Similar to most WTA players, Rogers idolizes German tennis legend Steffi Graf, who picked up 22 Grand Slam singles titles and a Golden Slam in 1988.

Rogers is now set to take on 18-year-old Emma Raducanu of the United Kingdom who beat Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain in straight sets earlier Saturday to qualify for the fourth round. Considering, Rogers is yet to make it past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. However, she told reporters how she's "just so excited to be moving on to the next round".