Charleston’s sweetheart Rogers gets engaged before play heats up

Shelby Rogers looked radiant, dressed in her Fila warmup suit, as she held court Monday afternoon during an informal roundtable with media members in a lounge at the Credit One Stadium, home to the Credit One Charleston Open.

 

Rogers was tan and seemed rested for what has turned out to be a hectic return to her hometown. And the smile, she couldn’t stop beaming.

 

So you can only imagine how radiant Rogers will look on her wedding day as she walks down the aisle. Her engagement to professional hockey player John Slavik March 31 was one of the big topics at the roundtable.

 

Just in case inquiring minds want to know, they both are 30-year-olds and have been a couple since 2020. They met on a blind date that was facilitated by mutual friends, according to a sundry list of social media reports.

 

Last Friday night, Slavik got down on one knee at the Battery and proposed. Rogers, who had teared up before they even arrived, put her hands to her cheeks in disbelief and said yes. Slavik lifted his bride-to-be off her feet toward the heavens.

 

“I did have a little hunch that something might be going down because my boyfriend was, sorry, my fiancé was very excited to be coming to Charleston,” Rogers said. “We left the hotel (and) the driver went the opposite direction. So I was like, OK, this is clearly not going to Magnolia’s. We went downtown to the Battery right there by

the water which was absolutely beautiful.”

 

Rogers’ hunch proved right when she saw a photographer waiting to record the romantic connection.

 

“I started crying already before he said anything,” Rogers said. ”And I was like, let me fix my dress for the pictures.”

 

Since then, life has been happening at a blurry pace.

 

“Aside from the excitement and the emotions, I’ve had a lot going on here with the media and appearances and people want to see me,” Rogers said. “Actually one of my best friends had her bachelorette party (last) weekend and I was like, ‘whoa, I’ll try to make an appearance. I love you. Um, I got a lot going on.’” 

 

Rogers added, “My WHOOP was happy with my sleep performance.”

 

Rogers is quite busy these days with the engagement and playing on the WTA Tour. She found time to participate in the Charity Pro-Am for Ukraine relief at the tennis center March 26. 

 

The Credit One Charleston Open teamed up with WTA Charities and Elina Svitolina by hosting a charity Tennis Plays for Peace Pro-Am for Ukraine relief, benefitting the Elina Svitolina Foundation. Svitolina, who owns 16 WTA titles, is Ukraine’s top women’s tennis player. Her off-the-court focus is bringing awareness and support to

her home country during the war in Ukraine.

 

Rogers was scheduled to play fellow American Danielle Collins, who is the 13th seed, April 4 in a first-round match.

 

“Over the years of playing here, I have learned that win, lose, draw, injured, foul, cry, whatever it is, my city will always support me and they will be proud of me no matter what happens,” Rogers added. “So I am very thankful for that and it gives me a lot of freedom to go out and just be myself and play my game and have fun with it.”