With seven Grand Slam titles and four Olympic gold medals under her belt, I have no doubt that Venus Williams will go down in history as one of the greatest athletes of all time. But as much as I love to watch the 44-year-old dominate on the tennis court, I especially enjoy seeing glimpses of her personal life, from bonding moments with her niece to candid pics with her sister, Serena. Still, I'm itching to know: Who is Venus Williams dating? And who has she dated in the past? Keep reading for everything we know about the tennis star’s relationship history.
Who Is Venus Williams Dating? Here’s What We Know About Her Current Relationship Status
Here's what you need to know
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Published Aug 2, 2024
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1. What Is Venus Williams's Relationship Status?
The tennis champion hasn't publicly announced a new relationship, however, she has been spotted recently with actor and producer Andrea Preti. Images of the couple began circulating on July 30 from the popular Instagram gossip account Deuxmoi, where Williams was seen looking extra cozy with the actor in Italy.
But until she confirms it, Williams is technically single—and in the past, she's said she prefers it that way. While recording an Instagram Live in 2021, she candidly responded to a fan question about her love life. She said, “Lots of people asking me to go on a date. I’m just not. I would say, ‘I’m undateable.’ That’s OK, I’m happy."
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2. Who Is Andrea Preti?
Andrea Preti is an actor, director, writer and former model. The 36-year-old was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, but was raised in Italy. He also attended the Susan Batson Academy for acting in New York. Preti has worked in television, movies and commercials. He starred in One More Day in 2014, as well as Temptation, My Beloved Enemy and A Professor.
According to HOLA!, Preti has a history of dating tennis players. His past relationships include former Italian tennis player Flavia Pennetta and Italian actress Claudia Gerini, who he dated for two years before splitting in 2018. Most recently, he was seen sharing a kiss with tennis player Susanna Giovanardi at the Challengers premiere back in April. But there's no evidence the couple is still together.
The actor is also very active on social media, constantly posting his travels, red carpet premieres, photoshoots and behind-the-scenes of his projects. However, he keeps his personal life private online.
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3. Who Was Venus Williams's Last Boyfriend?
Previously, Williams started dating Nicholas Hammond in 2017. The former couple were spotted showing PDA on quite a few occasions and even attended Serena and Alexis Ohanian’s wedding together. Plus, Hammond was often seen courtside at his girlfriend’s games. But in 2019, they called it quits.
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4. Who Is Nicholas Hammond?
Nicholas (or Nicky) Hammond is a successful financier and an heir to the Annenberg family fortune. The millionaire, who was born into an affluent family, studied at Trinity School before going to New York University. Then, he went on to work as a private financier for high-profile clients.
Hammond’s upbringing was mostly private, so it wasn’t until he met Williams that he started drawing media attention.
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5. Who Else Has Williams Dated?
After Hammond, fans began to speculate that Williams and fellow tennis player Reilly Opelka were an item—mainly because they were frequently spotted together in 2021. However, it appears that the two are just good friends. During an Instagram Q&A, when one follower asked if she and Opelka were together, she said, “No @ReillyOpelka shot me down.”
As for her relationship history pre-Hammond, Williams dated pro golfer Hank Kuehne from 2007 to 2010. And in 2012, she reportedly dated Cuban model Elio Pis after they worked together on her EleVen fashion line.
6. Does Williams Have Children?
The tennis champion doesn’t have any kids, but she’s a proud dog mom to her Havanese, Harold Reginald Williams—whom she affectionately calls her “son.”
7. How Does She Feel About Marriage?
In case you missed it, Williams responded on Instagram to fans who kept asking about her marriage status. Per Essentially Sports, she said, “I get a lot of questions asking if I am married, am I getting married, or if I will marry you. The answer is NO to all of them.”
Additionally, in 2021, Williams told Cosmopolitan that getting married isn’t her top priority—especially since she enjoys her freedom.
She said, “I have a lot of friends who don’t believe me when I say that I like my life, and I don’t want to change it for any reason. I’m not desperate, and they don’t believe me. They say things like, ‘You’re going to miss your window.’ I’m like, ‘Please, relax. You might feel this way, but I don’t. I promise you I don’t.’”
Spoken like a true queen.
