It looks like Venus Williams has a new man in her life after she and a mystery man were spotted by paparazzi in Nerano, Italy, on July 27.
Photos of the tennis legend vacationing with actor Andrea Preti made their way to the internet.
Images of the seven-time Gram Slam winner and Preti embracing on a yacht surfaced online after Deuxmoi posted them on Instagram. According to People, the images were taken on the Amalfi Coast. She can be seen wearing an olive green dress with her hair up in a bun, and Preti wore sunglasses and a white buttoned shirt with his chest showing.
The two can be seen laughing over dinner and, in one snapshot, the producer places his hands around her next.
Williams being in Europe with Preti ignited comparisons between the rumored couple and her younger sister, Serena Williams, and her husband Alexis Ohanian.
“I literally thought it was Serena for like, two seconds, and was horrified thinking her marriage had ended. Jesus. Don’t do this to me,” an Instagram user wrote, weeks after Serena shut down rumors about a divorce.
Another commenter asked, “Why does he look like Serena’s husband?” Yet another person added, “[Not gonna lie] fully thought this was Serena and her husband lol.”
Numerous people also left comments about Venus, a Black woman and Preti being a white man, drawing further comparisons to her sister’s interracial relationship.
“Venus need to get with a brotha. I have never seen her with any. Always the same kind of yt boy. Smh,” an Instagram poster complained. An additional critic stated, “They love them some yt men.” “Yt” is a slang for white.
In contrast, some fans backed Venus and Preti’s link-up, including one who exclaimed, “It’s hilarious how a biracial couple drive you to the edge!” Yet another supporter wrote, “Love this for her.”
Venus was previously engaged to golfer Hank Kuehne until their split in 2010. She dated Cuban model Elio Pis, who was eight years younger than her, in 2012, a relationship that ended in 2017.
That same year, she was romantically connected to wealthy financier Nicky Hammond, who accompanied her to her sister Serena’s wedding in 2017. They broke up two years later.
Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian recently made headlines during their own overseas trip. The Opening Ceremony of the Games in Paris on July 26 featured Ohanian holding an umbrella for his wife and daughter while walking the event’s red carpet.
“She looks absolutely incredible. She’s got someone just behind us holding an umbrella,” English presenter Laura Woods, commenting for Eurosport, said in response to seeing Ohanian shielding Serena from the rain. “Those are the levels you aspire to. To have an actual umbrella holder behind you.”
Woods’ blunder garnered a response from Alexis Ohanian on social media. The Reddit co-founder later shared a tongue-in-cheek Instagram caption about the mixup.
“I’m also Olympia’s personal umbrella holder,” Ohanian joked, referring to his 6-year-old daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., with Williams. The couple also have an 11-month-old daughter named Adira River Ohanian.
