Venus Williams fondly responds to actor-director Andrea Preti's "Hunny Bonny" remark as she marks 30th anniversary of her professional tennis debut

Venus Williams recently shared a heartwarming exchange with Andrea Preti as the former celebrated the 30th anniversary of her professional tennis debut. Preti is a Danish-born writer, director, and actor from Italy, best known for his work in the film 'One More Day.'

Williams made her professional debut at the Bank of West Classic in October 1994, when she was just 14 years old. The American quickly made waves by beating former NCAA champion Shaun Stafford in straight sets in her opening match. In the second round, she even took a set off the top seed and eventual champion Arantxa Sanchez Vicario before ultimately falling short.

Now, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, four-time Olympic gold medalist, and former World No. 1, Venus Williams commemorated the anniversary of her debut by fondly looking back on nostalgic photos from the occasion.

"30 years ago today, I stepped on the court for my pro debut! 🙏🎾✨," she captioned her Instagram post.

The 44-year-old's post caught the attention of Andrea Preti, who left a heartwarming comment.

"Hunny Bonny ❤️," Preti wrote

Williams expressed her gratitude for the remark in Italian, Preti's native tongue.

"Grazie! ✨👵🏾😅,"

"Prego🖖🏻🖖🏽," Preti responded.

Williams and Andrea Preti's comments on her post

Venus Williams and Andrea Preti have been enjoying each other's company in recent times. Earlier this year in July, the pair was spotted relishing some quality time together against the backdrop of the picturesque scenes of the Amalfi Coast in Nerano, Italy.

Just a week after their Italian getaway, Williams and Preti were spotted strolling hand-in-hand as they soaked up the sun in New York.

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Venus Williams dismisses retirement talk: "I’m not done with the racket yet"

Venus Williams (Source: Getty)

Despite a remarkable 30 years on the professional tennis circuit, Venus Williams is not ready to hang up her racket just yet. In a recent interview with The Irish News, the seven-time Grand Slam champion expressed satisfaction with being in a position to pick and choose which tournaments she wanted to compete in.

Williams also emphasized that she continued to maintain her game at a high level, even when she wasn't competing on the WTA Tour.

"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," she 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.

Venus Williams has only taken part in two tournaments during the 2024 season, suffering a loss to Nao Hibino in the first round of the Indian Wells Open, followed by a similar opening-round exit at the Miami Open at the hands of Diana Shnaider.