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Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka's blossoming friendship hasn't gone unnoticed by eagle-eyed fans, and their closeness gave rise to rumors of the two Americans being in a relationship. But the seven-time Grand Slam champion has put an end to the rumors.
During a Q&A session with her fans on Instagram, one of the first questions asked was whether the two were dating, and Williams ended all speculation by playfully stating, "Reilly Opelka shot me down."
While the two might not be together romantically, they do enjoy each other's company and have been seen together quite often this year. Williams and Opelka were spotted at a Miami-based event last week.
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Opelka also accompanied Williams to the "King Richard" premiere a few weeks ago. The movie is based on the life of Richard Williams, father to Venus and Serena Williams, and how he raised the sisters to be champions.
"The family that changed the game forever! @venuswilliams @serenawilliams #KingRichard 🎬", Opelka captioned his Instagram post.
Fans are now eager to see their off-court chemistry translate on to the court as well, as the duo could form a formidable mixed-doubles partnership. Venus Williams teamed up with Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon this year to compete in the mixed doubles, but following the Australian's injury they had to withdraw from their second-round match.
Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka's contrasting 2021 seasons
Venus Williams had a very difficult year as she struggled with injuries and saw her ranking fall outside the top 300 by the end of the season. She has only played in nine tournaments this year and couldn't advance beyond the second round at any of them.
The highlight of her year was recording her 90th win at Wimbledon, in her 90th Grand Slam. Williams hasn't played since August following her loss at the WTA 250 in Chicago and her future plans remain unknown.
Opelka, on the other hand, had a pretty good season, reaching the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time at the US Open, along with a maiden Masters 1000 final at the Canadian Open, and cracking the top 20 of the ATP rankings.
He is set to start the 2022 season at the ATP 250 in Melbourne and will be keen to build on his success in 2021.
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