Venus Williams is making headlines on and off the courtroom after asserting her engagement to actor-producer Andrea Preti. The 45-year-old tennis participant introduced her engagement to the 37-year-old former mannequin on July 22, after her first historic singles match in additional than a yr.
On Tuesday evening on the DC Open, tennis legend and former world primary Williams made it identified that age is only a quantity as she turned the second-oldest girl to win knowledgeable tour-level singles match. Retired tennis star Martina Navratilova holds the file for the oldest girl to win a tour-level singles match. Navratilova, who’s now 68, achieved that feat in 2004 on the age of 47.
In a post-match interview, Rennae Stubbs requested Williams, “You are actually an engaged girl. So, how has Andrea helped you on this comeback? You’re glad, a smile in your face. I imply, how a lot has he made a distinction in your life?”
“My fiancé is right here and he actually inspired me to maintain enjoying,” Williams replied.
READ ALSO: Venus Williams engagement rumors with Italian boyfriend Andrea Preti intensifies after exhibiting off large ring
“There have been so many occasions the place I simply needed to coast and sort of chill,” she continued. “Have you learnt how laborious it’s to play tennis? You guys don’t understand how a lot work goes into this, prefer it’s 9 to five besides you’re working the entire time. Lifting weights and similar to dying and then you definately repeat it the subsequent day. So he inspired me to get via this and it’s fantastic to be right here. He’s by no means seen me play.”
Based on Folks, Williams’ new relationship comes three years after she said that she was not “determined” to calm down.
“I’ve a variety of pals who don’t consider me after I say that I like my life and I don’t wish to change it for any purpose. They don’t consider me, and I’m not determined,” the tennis participant beforehand disclosed in a 2021 Cosmopolitan cowl story.
Williams, who as soon as had a relationship with mannequin Elio Pis in 2012, went on to debate her relationship strategy, saying, “They are saying issues like, ‘You’re going to overlook your window.’” I’m like, ‘Please, loosen up. You may really feel this manner, however I don’t. I promise you I don’t.”
Williams additionally spoke overtly about her relationship life within the October 2022 problem of Glamour UK.
“I’ve had a single life for a very long time and I feel it’s very easy to get caught in a single life and typically – not less than for me – more durable to get out,” she defined on the time. “It makes you concentrate on your self and what you need and learn how to behave.”
Williams went on to say that she was able to adapt when the fitting particular person appeared.
“When life modifications, you’ve received to know when to alter,” Williams defined. “You may’t maintain on to both a relationship or the singleness.”
Whereas the tennis nice has stored their relationship discreet, Williams and Preti had been first noticed boating in Nerano, Italy, on the Amalfi Coast on July 27, 2024.
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Rumors of an engagement started to flow into by February 2025 after the couple was seen collectively outdoors of a tennis follow in Rome, with Williams sporting a glittering diamond ring on her left hand.
The speculations additional grew when the couple attended the Dsquared2 Fall/Winter 2025 vogue present throughout Milan Trend Week later that month, when Williams was noticed carrying what appeared to be a square-cut diamond within the heart of a pavé-set on her left hand. However this ring was not the identical because the one she had worn earlier than.
Based on PureWow, Preti has labored as a mannequin, director, author, and actor. The 37-year-old was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, however introduced up in Italy. He additionally attended the Susan Batson Academy of Performing in New York. Preti has labored in tv, movie, and commercials. In 2014, he appeared in a number of movies, together with One Extra Day, Temptation, My Beloved Enemy, and A Professor.
READ ALSO: Romantic Pictures Of Venus Williams Cooling Off With Actor Andrea Preti Go Viral
