Venus Williams is getting married! The beloved and iconic tennis player is engaged to Andrea Preti, an actor and producer, with her confirming the news after winning her first singles match in two years at the Mubadala Citi DC Open.
"Yes, my fiancé is here," she said in an interview with The Tennis Letter.
While chatting on the court, Williams revealed that Preti had been a big help in helping her stay motivated and playing tennis.
"He really encouraged me to keep playing," she said. "There were so many times where I wanted to coast and kind of chill."
She turned to the audience and said, "Do you know how hard it is to play tennis? You guys don't know how much work goes into this."
"It's 9 to 5, except you're running the whole time, lifting weights, and then you have to repeat it all the next day."
She returned to the topic of Preti, saying, "He encouraged me to get through this. It's wonderful for him to be here. He's never seen me play, so."
Williams,45, just defeated Peyton Stearns, 23, taking the match after winning two sets. It marked a special win and comeback, and promises an exciting tournament for her, who'll soon be playing Magdalena French of Poland within the coming days.
More details about Preti and Williams
Andrea Preti is a 36-year-old actor, producer, and model born in Denmark and raised in Italy. Throughout his career, he's directed the film "One More Day" and was featured on the Italian TV show "A Professor."
Preti and Williams were first linked romantically in 2024, after being spotted together on a boat as they sailed through the Amalfi Coast. The pair is relatively private about their relationship, although they have attended some events together and Williams has shared some photos of him on her Instagram.
Rumors of engagement were first sparked in February of this year, when Williams was photographed wearing a diamond ring in Rome.