Venus Williams debuts sleek new look, trades braids for straight hair days after Bahamas trip with Andrea Preti

Venus Williams debuted a fresh look, trading her signature braids for sleek, straight hair. The American tennis icon's transformation comes days after she was spotted on a trip to the Bahamas with Andrea Preti.

Williams took to Instagram to share a photo of herself sporting braids, announcing in the caption that she was saying goodbye to them.

"Ciao for now to my braids"

Screengrab of Venus Williams' Instagram story (@venuswilliams)

In the next story, she revealed her new look—a transformation into sleek, straight black hair achieved through a process called the "Silk Press."

Screengrab of Williams' Instagram story (@venuswilliams)

Her transformation comes just days after she posted images on Instagram of her trip to the Bahamas. The 44-year-old enjoyed some beach time with actor-producer Andrea Preti. Williams described him as the "best company."

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Venus Williams returned to the tennis court for training in 'lavender' outfit

Venus Williams at the 2024 Miami Open - Source: Getty

Venus Williams has not officially retired from tennis and has expressed a desire to continue playing on her own terms. Recently, she took to her Instagram Story to share updates about her return to the court. In the post, she was seen performing stretching exercises in a lavender outfit and appeared to hit a few balls as part of her training.

In an earlier interview with The Irish News, the 44-year-old hinted at a potential return to tennis. In 2024, she competed in only two events—Indian Wells and the Miami Open—exiting in the first round of both. While she has not played since Williams has not ruled out making a comeback.

"I’m not done with the racket yet... At this point, it’s about picking and choosing places I want to be. Last year I really wanted to play in Miami – home – because I hadn’t played there in like five years," Venus Williams said.

"It’s nice to be in a place where I can pick and choose, but my game is always at a high level. Even if I’m not on tour, I always keep my game quite high," she added.

Opening up about the importance of self-care, the seven-time Grand Slam champion said:

“You know, taking care of myself—that’s so important….I think we were talking before like how how busy we are. But taking those moments to just breathe, take care of yourself. Whether that’s moving, how you think, how you eat? So that’s like what I’m prioritizing these days."

As of early 2025, the 44-year-old has not announced any tournaments she plans to participate in. However, with her return to training, this remains a development to watch as she may soon make a professional comeback.