Photo Credit: Venus Williams/Instagram
Just when the world thought her 2025 comeback couldn’t get any more eventful, Venus Williams added a new chapter to her story. The tennis icon has now released the first photos from her engagement to Italian actor Andrea Preti, offering a quiet glimpse into the day he asked the question back in January.
In the photos shared on Instagram, Williams included a simple caption — “Engaged 1/31/25” — confirming the exact date the proposal happened. The images show the couple outdoors with her senior dog, Harry, marking the first public glimpse of what had been a private milestone for nearly a year.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion had been linked to Preti since 2024, and their relationship steadily grew alongside her return to professional tennis after a 15-month break. Her 2025 season saw memorable moments, including a first-round win over Peyton Stearns in Washington and a strong showing at the US Open, where she reached the doubles quarter-final with Leylah Fernandez.
During that Washington victory, Williams casually revealed that Preti had been one of her biggest sources of support throughout her comeback, telling the crowd: “My fiancé is here, and he really encouraged me to keep playing.”
Preti, an Italian film actor who grew up in Denmark before moving to Italy as a teenager, trained at the Susan Batson Academy in New York and has appeared in several Italian productions. The pair married in a private ceremony in Italy in September.
Williams’ return to the tour will continue into 2026, with the 45-year-old already confirmed for the ASB Classic in New Zealand in January.
