“Amazing” – Venus Williams’ boyfriend Andrea Preti delightedly cheers on Reilly Opelka as he advances at Citi DC Open

Venus Williams’ boyfriend Andrea Preti praised Reilly Opelka’s impressive skills as the American tennis player advanced to the round of 32 at the 2025 Mubadala Citi D.C. Open in Washington. Opelka kicked off his campaign strongly by defeating Murphy Cassone 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 6-3.

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While no match points were saved in the faceoff, the 27-year-old fired 23 aces and dominated on his first serve to win 53 of 61 first-service points in the two-hour, 21-minute clash. In awe of his outstanding skillset, Preti admired Opelka’s undeniable brilliance on his Instagram story.

“Amazing match bravo,” Preti wrote, adding two blue hearts and hammer emojis

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"That forehand," he wrote, adding a series og hammer emojis.

Opelka will square off with 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev in the round of 32 on Thursday. He is also set to partner with former world No. 1 Venus Williams in next month's Mixed Doubles at the US Open event, which is scheduled from August 24 to September 7.

Preti is an Italian artist, having worked in indie films and national television. The couple started dating less than a year ago, but are now winning fans' hearts with their frequent appearances together in public. The couple is also set to exchange their vows in September this year in an intimate Amalfi Coast ceremony.

"Just want to get the best out of myself" - Venus Williams opens up on her comeback at Citi DC Open 2025

Venus Williams made her return to the court and marked it with a victory alongside Hailey Baptiste as they defeated the 2014 Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue in the Citi Open women's doubles 6-3, 6-1. The former world No. 1 opened up about her goal of enjoying tennis without putting too much pressure on herself.

"My personal goal is to have fun I think right now, and enjoy the moment, not put too much pressure on myself. Of course, I love winning. I want to win. But more than anything, I just want to get the best out of myself. If I can do that, then I'll be fine," she said. (via skysports.com)

Williams, the 45-year-old tennis legend and a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, is competing in her first pro match in 16 months in Washington, DC, this week. She competed in her last faceoff at the 2024 Miami Open.

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About the author

Janhavi Shinde

Janhavi is a Sports Management graduate working as a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda. She emphasizes meticulous research and fact-checking before creating content, relying on multiple sources including social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, as well as various sports publications.

She has competed in the 10m Air Rifle Shooting event at the national level alongside renowned athletes such as Anjali Bhagwat, Apurvi Chandela, and Anjum Moudgil, which further fueled her passion for the sport.

Abhinav Bindra is her favorite Olympian, and she particularly cherishes his and Neeraj Chopra's gold medal victories as they revolutionized Indian athletes' mindset towards achieving sporting excellence.

If given the opportunity to introduce a new sport to the Olympics, she would choose American Football for its widespread appeal and intense competition. Apart from reporting on the latest news in the world of Olympics, she likes to immerse herself in reading, painting, and traveling.

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