Venus sparks off engagement rumours with Nicholas Hammond

She may have booked an early exit from the this year's Australian Open, no thanks to in-form Swiss Belinda Bencic who  sent her packing  in two sets 6-3 7-5 in a first-round.  

But America's Venus Williams has a lot to smile about all the same, after she sent tongues wagging of engagement rumours when she was pictured sporting an eye-catching diamond band on her ring finger as she walked through Sydney Airport with her millionaire boyfriend Nicholas Hammond, 25, on Tuesday.

The tennis ace beamed as she wandered through the terminal, concealing her hand under a large straw hat as she was joined by her mother Oracene Price, 65, and sister Isha, 42.

A representative for Venus however told the MailOnline that they are  not engaged.

Opting for a casual ensemble to complement her sparkling jewellery, she donned a pair of skintight black leggings which accentuated her slender frame.

The seven-time Grand Slam winner teamed her pin-flaunting pants with a grey hoodie that featured fleece lining as she hid her ring-clad hand out of view.

Venus attempted to go incognito as she walked through the terminal, covering her hair with a colourful baseball cap and holding a beach hat over her ring finger.

The US sports star appeared in jovial spirits as she waited at check-in resting her diamond-clad hand on her hip.

While all eyes were on her sparkling hand, Venus' beau Nicholas donned a wine-coloured T-shirt ahead of their long-haul flight.

He teamed the piece with a pair of dark wash denims and opted to sport a pair of shades while walking through the airport.

This is only one of a handful of times the couple has been spotted together, with tennis ace Venus showcasing her handsome millionaire boyfriend at the Australian Open.

Venus was last seen with Nicholas in November in New Orleans, where she attended her sister Serena's wedding to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. They held hands as they walked through the city.

And according to PageSix, they looked happy at a December dinner in NYC.

'They were cuddled up the entire time they were inside the restaurant, even kissing while waiting to be seated and continuing the affection at their table,' said a source.

Hammond is an heir to Walter Annenberg’s TV Guide fortune. 'He's a wealthy financier who goes between California and New York,' said a friend.

And sources confirm he is no ‘gold digger' as he has plenty of money of his own. Their 12-year age difference doesn't bother him either.

Although notoriously private, the pair are 'head over heels for each other' according to PageSix.

The publication also reported that the tennis star and muscular hunk have regularly meet up in Palm Beach, Florida over the past several months.

'Nicky has met up with Venus in Palm Beach, where his family has a $20 million mansion as well as in the Hamptons, where they have a $20 million house,' said the source.

And it has impressed her that he has not bragged about his relationship with the athlete. 'She likes that he’s very private,' added the source.

Venus has previously dated model Elio Pis, 29, for a year after they met in 2012 when he modelled for her EleVen fashion line.

Prior to her romance with the hunky Cuban, Venus was in a serious relationship with golfer Hank Kuehne for three years before they broke up in 2010 and he went on to marry his second wife Andy in 2011.

The sighting comes after her younger sister Serena Williams welcomed her first child Alexis Jr. in September with husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.

Earlier this month, she  revealed that she was plagued by health problems and almost died after she welcomed daughter into the world four months ago.

She wrote on Facebook, though, that the whole ordeal has given her strength and 'made me appreciate women -- both women with and without kids -- even more.'

The tennis champ shared: 'I didn't expect that sharing our family's story of Olympia's birth and all of complications after giving birth would start such an outpouring of discussion from women - especially black women - who have faced similar complications and women whose problems go unaddressed.'

She continued: 'These aren't just stories: according to the CDC, (Center for Disease Control) black women are over 3 times more likely than White women to die from pregnancy - or childbirth-related causes.

'We have a lot of work to do as a nation and I hope my story can inspire a conversation that gets us to close this gap.

'Let me be clear: EVERY mother, regardless of race, or background deserves to have a healthy pregnancy and childbirth.'

Serena, who married her baby's father Alexis, in November added: 'I personally want all women of all colors to have the best experience they can have.

'My personal experience was not great but it was MY experience and I'm happy it happened to me.  It made me stronger and it made me appreciate women - both women with and without kids - even more. We are powerful!!!.'

She closed out: 'I want to thank all of you who have opened up through online comments and other platforms to tell your story. I encourage you to continue to tell those stories. This helps. We can help others. Our voices are our power.'

Covering the February issue of Vogue with her baby, 

Serena revealed inside that small blood clots were discovered on her lungs soon after she gave birth.

A pulmonary embolism resulted in bouts of coughing so severe that her cesarean wound reopened. She was dealt with another blow when doctors discovered a large hematoma and she was bedridden for six weeks.