Venus Williams was spotted on the Italian island of Ischia on Thursday as she prepared for her wedding to actor Andrew Preti. The 45-year-old tennis great rode in the back of a golf cart in a white dress and sun hat in Sant'Angelo, with a sign reading 'Mrs Preti' visible to onlookers.
Eyewitnesses said Serena Williams, now retired from professional tennis, was in the buggy with her sister, while wedding guests were seen wearing 'Team Groom' and 'Team Bride' T-shirts, though those items were not clearly visible in the photos from the scene. The sighting occurred in the run-up to what local accounts described as a Friday wedding on the Ischia coastline.
Williams confirmed her engagement to Andrew Preti during a post-match interview at the D.C. Open in July, shortly after defeating fellow American Peyton Stearns. Preti, 37, is described as a model, actor and director who grew up in Denmark before moving to Italy as a teenager. He has written, directed and starred in the 2014 indie film One More Day and has appeared in Italian TV productions, including A Professor and Temptation, according to IMDb.
The couple’s engagement announcement drew attention as Williams has long kept her personal life largely private. She has previously been linked to other figures but has emphasized that she does not feel pressured to marry. In July, she spoke about her fiancé’s influence on her career: 'My fiancé is here, and he really encouraged me to keep playing. He’s never seen me play,' Williams said after the DC Open victory.
Williams’ career achievements remain among the most storied in tennis, with four Olympic gold medals and more than $42 million in career prize money. In past interviews, she acknowledged that marriage was not a guaranteed priority for her, reflecting a broader theme in her public statements about balancing personal life with a high-profile career.
As Ischia prepares for a weekend ceremony, fans and holidaymakers in Sant'Angelo have watched the preparations unfold from a distance. The island setting, known for its cliffside lanes and pastel-hued houses, provides a picturesque backdrop for a moment that will mark a new chapter for Williams and Preti. While details of the ceremony remain private, attendees and observers have noted the informal, family-friendly mood surrounding the forthcoming nuptials, in keeping with the couple's reputation for blending public interest with personal privacy.