Venus Williams Will Play in French Open for First Time in 5 Years

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Venus Williams is rallying for a return to the French Open.

After a five-year absence, 45-year-old Martina Navratilova will compete in women’s doubles at this year’s Roland-Garros tournament with 24-year-old Hailey Baptiste. She won’t be participating in singles competition, according to the Associated Press. The tournament starts on May 24th.

Venus Williams has been steadily improving her game over the past year. In a July interview with the Wall Street Journal, she stated, “I know I can still play tennis,” but acknowledged it takes time to regain match form after a break. She confidently added, “I’m still the same player, and I expect to play well.”

Venus Williams has had a packed schedule, recently co-chairing the Met Gala and now competing in the French Open. At the Australian Open earlier this year, she made history as the oldest woman to play in a singles match. She’s also had success at Roland-Garros before, winning two women’s doubles titles in 1999 and 2010.

Venus Williams has had a lot to celebrate lately, including her recent marriage to Italian actor and producer Andrea Preti, 37. They held a five-day wedding celebration in Palm Beach, Florida last December, but first had a smaller, more intimate ceremony in Ischia, Italy.

The athlete shared with Vogue that they originally wanted to get married in Italy. However, because of the lengthy visa and paperwork process—which can take around eight months for non-citizens—they didn’t have enough time to plan everything. As a result, they decided to have a second wedding celebration.

Venus chose Palm Beach for her wedding because it held special meaning – she and her sister, Serena Williams, first started training in tennis there. Having family and friends close by made the Florida wedding a wonderful experience for her.

Honestly, the energy of the day was just incredible. Everyone was so connected and full of love – it truly felt like the happiest, most beautiful, and sweetest day ever. It was one of those moments you just want to bottle up and keep forever!

Read on to learn more about the love lives of tennis stars…

In March 2025, tennis player and soccer star Trinity Rodman publicly confirmed their relationship with a kiss shared on Instagram, instantly becoming a celebrated couple in the sports world.

She consistently cheered him on during major tournaments, and quickly defended him when reporters brought up his father, Dennis Rodman, by shifting the conversation back to Shelton’s achievements at Wimbledon.

Rodman criticized Wimbledon commentators for mentioning her father during her partner Ben’s matches. In a July 7th Instagram post, she explained that her father isn’t a part of her life and she doesn’t want him discussed during her own matches either, so it’s inappropriate to bring him up during Ben’s games.

Fritz and Morgan Riddle began dating in 2020 after connecting on the Raya dating app. Since then, Riddle has consistently supported Fritz as he’s improved his ranking in professional tennis.

I first connected with him, and a few months after that, we hit the road together on tour. Now, incredibly, it’s been almost four years of traveling and working alongside each other – time really flies when you’re living this lifestyle!

The couple has frequently offered fans a peek into their relationship. Taylor Fritz, who was previously married to tennis player Raquel Pedraza from 2016 to 2019 and has a son named Jordan born in 2017, and Jordan Riddle both appeared on the Netflix show Break Point, which provides a look inside the world of professional tennis.

As of 2023, two-time grand slam champion was purposely keeping her love life private. 

She explained in March 2023 that she’s comfortable sharing certain aspects of her personality, while preferring to keep others private. She also feels a sense of control over her own life.

After winning the 2023 US Open, Coco Gauff immediately called her boyfriend to share the moment. It turned out his fourth-grade teacher was actually Gauff’s mom! She said they talked for hours, until 1:00 am, just to process everything before finally going to sleep. He’s been a great person to talk things through with.

Dimitrov and Eiza González confirmed they were dating on Instagram in May 2025, shortly after rumors began circulating. Since then, the actress, known for her role in Baby Driver, has been very supportive of the athlete, especially after he was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon in early July 2025 due to an injury during a match.

González shared a heartfelt message on Instagram on July 7th, saying she couldn’t be prouder of her loved one. She acknowledged a difficult moment but expressed confidence it would make them stronger. Watching them compete, she was reminded of their strength and resilience, declaring them a winner in the eyes of everyone who watched. She finished with a loving message, promising they’ll succeed again, and reaffirming her love.

I was so thrilled when I found out they were engaged! After nearly five years together, it finally happened in 2024. She even hinted at it with a sweet post, saying they’d been keeping a little secret – it was the cutest!

Boulter and her partner first met in 2020 while staying at the same hotel. She told the Sydney Morning Herald in June 2024 that they had a chance encounter at 6 a.m., grabbing coffee together. She immediately felt a strong connection and knew it was the start of something lasting.

In January 2025, tennis star Naomi Osaka confirmed she and rapper Cordae had ended their five-year relationship. Despite the breakup, they remain friends, and she expressed thankfulness for their time together, as it resulted in the birth of their daughter, Shai.

Naomi Osaka shared that she was truly happy to have met the person she was addressing, saying her daughter is the greatest joy in her life. She also expressed that she learned and grew a lot through their time together.

While Paul excels at basketball, his girlfriend, Paige Lorenze, who he started dating in 2022, often provides guidance and support in his personal life.

Paul shared with People magazine in April 2025 that his partner has been encouraging him to focus on self-care, though for him, it’s as simple as wearing sunscreen and using moisturizer before bed.

Lorenze admits he’s impressed with his girlfriend’s tennis skills. “She’s actually really good,” he said. “She has a solid technique and clearly knows how to play.”

The tennis players have a strong connection both on and off the court. They first met after Svitolina’s win at the 2018 WTA Finals in Singapore and later married in July 2021. Just over a year after that, they had their daughter, Skaï.

In October 2022, Gaël Monfils announced the birth of his daughter, Skaï, on Instagram. He described the night as the best of his life, sharing that he and his wife, Elina, welcomed their ‘little princess’ around 6:00 am. Monfils praised Elina’s strength and bravery, and expressed gratitude to both her and God for the special moment.

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2026-05-15 16:47