Shelby Rogers becomes a mom, welcomes baby boy Caleb John

Former American tennis player Shelby Rogers and her husband, John Slavik, have welcomed their first child, a son named Caleb John Slavik. The couple announced that their baby boy was born on January 7, 2026, at 4:46 a.m., sharing the joyful news with fans on social media.

“Caleb John has arrived! We suddenly can’t imagine a day without him,” the former world No. 30 Rogers wrote on Instagram, alongside a black-and-white photo of the parents holding their newborn’s hand. The 33-year-old also shared the spiritual meaning behind their son’s name, adding “We are praying he encompasses every part of his name’s meaning: faithful, whole-hearted, bold, confident, and brave. Thank you Jesus that your plan is so much better than ours.” Rogers also referenced the biblical verse Numbers 14:24: “But my servant Caleb because he has a different Spirit and has followed Me fully…”

The pregnancy progressed as planned. When Rogers announced she was expecting in August 2025, she revealed her due date was set for January 2026.

Rogers and Slavik were married in December 2023 in her hometown of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

The former WTA star officially retired from professional tennis at the 2024 US Open, where she was defeated in the first round by fellow American Jessica Pegula. Reflecting on her decision at the time, Rogers said: “I always said that if my heart loves it and my body is healthy I would play this sport forever! But now my body is telling me it’s time.”

Over the course of her career, Rogers reached two Grand Slam quarterfinals—at Roland Garros in 2016 and the US Open in 2020—and competed in three WTA finals (Bad Gastein 2014, Rio de Janeiro 2016, and San Jose 2022).