Venus Williams is engaged to actor Andrea Preti

Venus Williams knows a thing or two about a perfect match.

After winning her first singles match in nearly two years on Tuesday evening, Williams, 45, confirmed that she is engaged to actor-producer Andrea Preti, 37, in a post-match interview.

During the on-court interview, former tennis player Rennae Stubbs asked, “You are now an engaged woman. So, how has Andrea helped you in this comeback? You’re happy, a smile on your face. I mean, how much has he made a difference in your life?”

Indeed wearing a smile, Williams replied, “Yes, my fiancé is here and he really encouraged me to keep playing.”

Williams last played in March 2024 at the Miami Open. Tuesday’s match marked a triumphant return for the seven-time Grand Slam champion, who beat Peyton Stearns 6-3, 6-4 in her opening round match at Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington. It’s her first singles win since the Cincinnati Open in August 2023. The victory also made Williams the oldest player to win a WTA-level match since Martina Navratilova won her first-round Wimbledon match in 2004 at 47 years old. 

“There were so many times where I just wanted to coast and kind of chill,” Williams continued. “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.”

She added of Preti, “He encouraged me to get through this and it’s wonderful to be here. He’s never seen me play.”

Williams and Preti were first linked in July 2024, when they were spotted boating in Nerano, Italy, along the Amalfi Coast. Though the couple has kept their romance largely quiet, they sparked engagement rumors in February after Williams was spotted wearing a diamond ring on her left hand. The rumors intensified when the couple stepped out on the red carpet during Milan Fashion Week with Williams rocking a new diamond ring.

Williams’ engagement comes three years after she candidly spoke to Glamour U.K. about the benefits of single life.

“Balance is important and burnout is real; you have to find your balance and for me, that’s about taking moments every day. [At] the end of the day, I have my two hours of quiet and nobody’s there, no one’s talking and it’s just my moment,” she said at the time. “I guess when you have kids you could still have that, after you put them in bed, and then you might have a husband or significant other. I don’t know any of this works outside of a single life, but I’ve got my little routines that work for me!”

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly‘s free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Still, Williams made it clear that she was open to a new relationship: “When life changes, you’ve got to know when to change. You can’t hold on to either a relationship or the singleness,” she said. “You have to be able to move at the time – and even if you don’t want to or aren’t ready, you’ve just got to go with it.”