New York, Dec 26: Tennis legend Venus Williams and Italian actor Andrea Preti have officially wed, the seven-time Grand Slam champion announced via social media on Wednesday.The couple celebrated their nuptials over the weekend in Palm Beach, Florida, concluding a five-day series of festivities. The events reportedly featured a yacht outing gifted by her sister, Serena Williams, daily pool parties, and a sports-themed day that included dodgeball and tennis.
The Florida ceremony served as a legal follow-up to an intimate, non-binding wedding the pair held in Ischia, Italy, back in September. Williams told Vogue that the second wedding was necessary due to the lengthy administrative process required for foreigners to legally marry in Italy.
The 45-year-old Williams, who recently became the second-oldest woman to secure a tour-level singles victory in July, has frequently credited Preti with motivating her late-career comeback. Preti, a Danish-born Italian model and actor, was a visible presence in her player’s box during her return to competition at the DC Open after a 16-month hiatus.
During a post-match interview in Washington, D.C., this past summer, Williams gave a rare public nod to her then-fiancé, stating: “My fiancé is here, and he really encouraged me to keep playing.”