PICTURE: Serena Williams reminisces on her time by the Eiffel Tower; discloses "missing" Paris
Serena Williams shared a throwback image near the iconic Eiffel Tower as she revealed that she was missing Paris - her "favorite city." The former American tennis star visited the French capital a few months ago during the Olympic Games.
Williams took to her Threads account on Friday, November 15, to post an image of herself standing on a rooftop with the Eiffel Tower in the background, indicating she was in Paris. She was posing casually with a peace sign. The image was captioned:
"Missing my favorite city"
Williams was part of an iconic opening ceremony at the Paris Olympics Games in July. The 23-time Grand Slam champion was joined by Rafael Nadal and sporting legends Carl Lewis and Nadia Comaneci for a torch relay along the River Seine. The relay concluded with a hot-air balloon-inspired cauldron lighting.
During her time in Paris, Williams attended various Olympic events, though her trip made headlines when she was reportedly denied entry at a restaurant while with her family.
Serena Williams said she was denied entry at a restaurant in Paris with her family
On Monday, August 5, 2024, Serena Williams visited The Peninsula Hotel in Paris with her family. However, the American claimed that she was denied entry in what she thought was an "empty restaurant." She wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
"Yikes @PeninsulaParis I’ve been denied access to rooftop to eat in a empty restaurant of nicer places 🫠but never with my kids. Always a first. 🙄 #Olympic2024."
The post went viral and the restaurant eventually released a statement explaining the misunderstanding. In two connected posts on X, The Peninsula Hotel apologized for the inconvenience but explained that they were "fully booked."
"Dear Mrs. Williams, Please accept our deepest apologies for the disappointment you encountered tonight. Unfortunately, our rooftop bar was indeed fully booked and the only unoccupied tables you saw belonged to our gourmet restaurant, L’Oiseau Blanc, which was fully reserved," the company posted in the replies (on Monday).
"We have always been honored to welcome you and will always be to welcome you again. The Peninsula Paris," a second post followed.
Although this was one of the forgettable moments for Serena Williams in Paris, she has had several moments worth remembering in the 'City of Love.' Out of her 23 Grand Slam titles, three have come on Parisian soil at the French Open in 2002, 2013, and 2015.
She has had several photoshoots with the iconic trophy in front of the Eiffel Tower. Moreover, her time in the city during the Olympic Games saw her enjoying several sports including swimming with her husband Alexis Ohanian and daughter Olympia.