BBC Wimbledon commentator Andrew Castle issued an apology after repeatedly calling Trinity Rodman, the girlfriend of tennis player Ben Shelton, by the wrong name on Monday. During a fourth-round match, Castle referred to Rodman as "Tiffany" several times while she was shown in the stands supporting Shelton, reports the Telegraph. He also referenced her estranged father, NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman, "one of the greatest sportsmen of all time in my opinion," as Castle put it.
Trinity Rodman, a professional soccer player with the Washington Spirit and Olympic gold medalist, has previously spoken about her fraught relationship with her father, stating he has not been present in her life. Following Castle's on-air comments, criticism surfaced online, with some viewers labeling the remarks—especially those about her father—as micro-aggression.
"For those who don't know … my name is Trinity not Tiffany," the 23-year-old Rodman posted on Instagram, per the Guardian. She added: "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 him and his loved ones' moment. Thank you." A BBC rep offered a simple mea culpa on Castle's behalf: "Andrew apologizes for mispronouncing Trinity Rodman's name during the Ben Shelton vs. Lorenzo Sonego match." At the time of this writing, Shelton, 22, is playing World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals.