Rumors of an engagement between Venus Williams and Italian boyfriend Andrea Preti have intensified after a huge diamond ring was spotted on her finger in Rome this week.
The 44-year-old tennis star is reportedly in a romantic relationship with 36-year-old actor and filmmaker Preti since they were first seen together in Nerano last summer on vacation.
Less than a year on, rumors of a possible engagement are on the cards as Venus was snapped with what looks like a wedding band on her left ring finger.
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Preti was spotted supporting his girlfriend in Rome for tennis training on Sunday, and the pair were seen smiling and holding hands in between her practice period.
The tennis legend wore the ring which has a square-cut diamond in the middle of a pavé-set throughout the session, as her boyfriend looked on from the sidelines.
Andrea took photos with Venus after practice with two other members of the group before eventually leaving the sports club.
She was spotted resting her head on Andrea‘s shoulder as they often embraced, and many believe a possible union could unfold in the coming months.
The couple also shared a kiss and walked in harmony as spectators looked on.
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Venus shared a photo of them together on her Instagram story and added that Preti was ‘the best company’.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion and sister of Serena dated model Elio Pis in 2012 before she began a romance with Nicholas Hammond five years after.
She later opened up on her dating life in a 2022 interview with Glamour UK after both relationships ended.
‘I’ve had a single life for a long time and I think it’s really easy to get stuck in a single life and sometimes – at least for me – harder to get out,’ she said.
‘It makes you think about yourself and what you want and how to behave.’
Venus also revealed she was willing to adapt if the right person came along, stating: ‘When life changes, you’ve got to know when to change.’
‘You can’t hold on to either a relationship or the singleness.’
Venus Williams was once world No. 1 in tennis and took part in the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells and the Miami Open last year.
Although she’s approaching her 45th birthday this summer, she reassured fans back in October that she will not be retiring anytime soon.
‘I’m not done with the racket yet,’ she said to Irish News.
