Venus Williams' fiancé Andrea Preti proudly cheers on American from the sidelines as she gears up for US Open 1R

Venus Williams is returning to the US Open after a 16-month hiatus from tennis. While she returned to the hard court earlier when she participated in the DC Open, on Monday, she will play her first Grand Slam match at Flushing Meadows after almost two years.

Amid her preparations for the first-round match against the 11th seed, Karolina Muchova, Williams's fiancé, Andrea Preti, captured her perseverance off the court during practice. On Sunday, Preti posted several photos from her practice session. The Italian actor and model was proudly cheering her on from the sidelines.

Andrea Preti's Instagram story

In the clips, Venus looked relaxed and focused while sharing lighthearted moments with the crowd. Preti captioned one of his Instagram stories:

"No one is having more fun than Venus Williams at the US Open."

Andre Preti's Instagram story

Preti has been by Williams' side throughout the summer hard-court swing. He was there when she made her return to the tennis court during the Citi Open in Washington. The seven-time US Open champion acknowledged his support at the tournament as well.

Venus Williams beaming with excitement for US Open return

Apart from five Wimbledon championships, Venus Williams also has two US Open women's singles wins, emerging victorious in the 2000 and 2001 editions. While the 45-year-old is no longer the same in terms of competitiveness, her energy might just match.

“Super thrilling to be back,” Williams said. “It does not get old, it just gets more exciting. And I’m looking forward to Monday night.”

“I want to be my best and that’s the expectation I have for myself, to get the best out of me, and that’s all any player can ask for,” she added.

Williams, who earned a wild card entry to this year's tournament, also gave a thought on the competition at the tournament. While she knows she is no longer the best, she is looking forward to giving her best.

“I haven’t played as much as the other players, so it’s a different challenge when you’re dealing with that," Williams said. "So I’m just trying to have fun, stay relaxed, and be my personal best.”

Williams was even asked if this edition of the US Open will mark her final appearance at the draw. The two-time US champion is drawing no conclusion here while sharing her love for the sport.

“I think I’ll always play tennis,” she said. “It’s in my DNA. So it doesn’t matter if it’s now or 30 years from now, God willing, I’ll be here, we’ll all be here, we’ll all be hitting balls.

“Maybe I’ll come back to watch. Maybe I’ll be saying I did it better, and it won’t be true. But, in any case, tennis will always be one of the most important parts of my life.”

It'll be quite a moment if Venus Williams is able to defeat 11th seed Karolina Muchova under the lights on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday. If that happens, it will mark her first Grand Slam victory in more than four years.