THE GIST
In addition to his dad being his coach, Ben Shelton’s sister, Emma Shelton, also had a passion for tennis.
She was a student-athlete at the University of South Carolina and the University of Florida.
After graduation, she gave up tennis to pursue banking but is often pictured supporting her brother at major tournaments.
While Ben Shelton is one of the biggest names in tennis right now, ranking No. 9 in the world in men’s singles, longtime fans of the tennis star know that his talent runs in his family.
Not only is Ben’s dad, Bryan Shelton, his full-time coach, but he’s a former professional tennis player himself, achieving a career-high singles ranking of World No. 55. Ben’s mom, Lisa Shelton, also had a knack for the sport and was a top-ranked junior tennis player. Lastly, Ben’s sister, Emma Shelton, was also an avid tennis player and was a student-athlete throughout college before giving up the sport to pursue banking.
Born in March 2001 in Gainesville, Florida, Emma is Ben’s older sister by a year and a half (Ben was born in October 2002). Despite retiring from the racket professionally, Emma is often seen in the stands cheering her brother on. She’s also been spotted rooting alongside Ben’s girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, who he’s been dating since March 2025.
Below, see everything there is to know about Ben Shelton’s sister, Emma Shelton.
She played tennis from a very young age.
Emma Shelton
Credit: @emmashelton
Together with her brother, Emma grew up playing tennis and being trained by their father. “My dad takes a lot of time out of his day to train me and my brother before he gets to work with all the guys on his team at 7 in the morning,” she told The Gainesville Sun. At the time, Bryan was the men’s tennis coach for the University of Florida.
At her high school, Buchholz High School in Gainesville, Florida, she played on the girls’ tennis team. During her time at Buchholz, Emma was named the Gainesville Sun Player of the Year three times and was ranked among the top 18-and-under players in the state of Florida, The Gainesville Sun reported.
She was a student-athlete in college.
Emma Shelton
Credit: @emmashelton
By the time college came along, she was recruited to be a student-athlete at the University of South Carolina. “I have been working toward this goal since I was so young,” Emma told The Gainesville Sun when she signed. “And to be able to share it with my friends and family is an amazing feeling. I am so excited to be at the University of South Carolina where I know I will grow into more than I can hope for.”
Per LinkedIn, during her time at the University of South Carolina, she was also a (S)HERO Member, a Senior Staff Member at the Mentorship Program, and a Student Athlete Advisory Committee Representative. She was pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in finance. As for her tennis, Emma won the 2020 ITA Carolina Region Rookie of the Year and compiled over 30 singles and 30 doubles victories.
By her junior year, Emma transferred to the University of Florida as a student-athlete. “I’m so thankful for the opportunity to become a part of Gator Nation, and to be home in Gainesville with my family,” she told the Florida Gators when she signed. “I can’t wait to get to work with this talented team and the amazing coaches.”
“We are thrilled to have a player like Emma join our project towards championships again. It was impressive to hear how much she cares about the team culture and I know she will add real leadership and work ethic to our team,” head coach Roland Thornqvist told the outlet. “Emma is the kind of person you love to be around and we can’t wait to get started in trying to make her dreams come true.” In addition to tennis, Emma pursued a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Finance.
Her dad is her biggest inspiration.
In the interview with The Gainesville Sun, Emma gushed about looking up to her dad. “He has such a strong work ethic and he has been really successful, so I look up to him a lot,” she said when asked about the one person in her life that inspires her the most.
She works at Morgan Stanley.
Ben and Emma Shelton
Credit: @emmashelton
In May 2023, Emma graduated from the University of Florida. “Thank you for everything @uflorida,” she wrote in her graduation post on Instagram. “Leaving this special place behind with a full heart. Go Gators!”
By January 2024, she secured her first job as a Senior Client & Workplace Engagement Associate at Morgan Stanley. She was in the role, located in Alpharetta, Georgia, for over two years. Per her LinkedIn, Emma was then promoted to Alternative Investments Specialist in July 2026 and is currently living in New York.
Her brother put her on the spot.
Trinity Rodman and Emma Shelton
Credit: John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images
In July 2025, younger brother Ben put Emma on the spot after his victory in the third round at Wimbledon. Taking the mic after the game, he first gave a sweet shoutout to his family, including calling Emma his “lucky charm.”
“I have a great team. My parents are here, my girlfriend’s here. Also, my sister’s here,” Ben said, per ATP Tour. “She’s been here for every match that I’ve played at this tournament so far. She’s been the lucky charm.”
He then put her on the spot by saying she was going to have to leave the U.K. to return to work. “She works for Morgan Stanley, so if any of y’all have some connects and [can] get her a couple extra days off so we can keep this rolling that’d be great,” he said, to which the crowd laughed and cheered.
By the end of the evening, Shelton posted a video on his Instagram Stories of them celebrating together. “Yo, you’ve got the week off or what?” he asked before panning to his sister jumping up and down in a hotel room, seemingly confirming that her time off had been granted. “Shoutout Morgan Stanley!”
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