Venus Williams ENGAGED to actor boyfriend

Venus Williams has confirmed that she is engaged to her actor boyfriend Andrea Preti, moments after winning her first tennis match in 16 months after a health issue last year

Williams, 45, made the revelation after turning back the clock to beat Peyton Stearns – 22 years her junior – in straight sets at the Citi Open in Washington D.C. She had last played in March 2024 and in her time away, had surgery to remove fibroids from her uterus.

After her triumph, she confirmed to the crowd that she is now engaged and that Preti, 37, had been a huge source of motivation on the comeback trail.

My fiancé is here and he really encouraged me to keep playing,’ she said to huge cheers and applause.

‘There were so many times where I just wanted to coast and kind of chill. Do you know how hard it is to play tennis? You guys don’t know how much work goes into this, like it’s 9 to 5 except you’re running the whole time.

‘Lifting weights and just like dying and then you repeat it the next day. So he encouraged me to get through this and it’s wonderful to be here. He’s never seen me play.’

Speculation first started that Preti had popped the question when Williams was seen practicing in Italy with a huge ring on her wedding finger in February. And while it is not yet known specifically when the couple got engaged, the rumors back then now seem to be true.

Williams has always kept a degree of privacy over her romantic life but rumors she was dating Preti gathered pace last summer when they were spotted on vacation near the Amalfi coast.

Williams is a seven-time Major winner with five Wimbledon titles to her name as well as two US Open victories.

She has also won Olympic golds in singles and doubles events, where she competed alongside her famous sister and has won around $42million in prize money over the course of her iconic career.