Venus Williams' 3 factors she weighed before marrying Andrea Preti

Autumn Hawkins

•
Venus Williams' 3 factors she weighed before marrying Andrea Preti image

© Mike Frey

While Venus Williams might play on the tennis court, she was not playing when it came to some nonnegotiables she had in the pursuit of marriage.

Williams married Andrea Preti last year and had two wedding ceremonies. The couple first said "I do" in September 2025 in Italy and later had a five-day celebration in Palm Beach, Florida, in December. For the first time, Venus is opening up about some factors that she heavily weighed before getting married. 

In an episode of her Stockton Street podcast that she co-hosts with her sister, Serena Williams, Venus was joined by her husband as she shared three factors that she must consider in a relationship. One factor was work ethic.

 “People have to work,” she said. “So if they don’t work, it could present a problem, depending on your situation.”

Another factor that Venus prioritized was family, noting that family, as well as unemployment, can add "stress" to a relationship. 

 “You marry [one’s] family,” she said. “That’s why I always tell people, when you get married, and you’re thinking about a relationship for eternity, it’s about good family, good values, [and whether the person] has a job.”

“If you marry into a chaotic and tough family, you’re going to be affected,” Venus explained.

Preti, on the other hand, is very happy with now officially being a part of the Williams family.

“Your family is incredible,” he told Venus and Serena. “From the first time, I always felt part of it… your mom treats me like a son.”

Lastly, Venus shared her opinion on how important attraction is to her.

“Of course, attraction has to be there,” she said, “but you can be attracted to someone because of their family, their values, and because they take care of themselves.”

More lifestyle news: