"The entitlement, abusing her clout";"Champion of victimhood" - Fans lambast Serena Williams as Paris restaurant refutes her claim of 'denied access'
Serena Williams recently opened up about her frustrating experience at the Peninsula Paris luxury hotel, revealing that she and her daughters were denied access to the rooftop restaurant despite the empty tables. However, the restaurant's response, which refuted the American's claims, has caused Williams to incur the wrath of tennis fans.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion has been in the French capital with her family for the Paris Olympics, taking part in the opening ceremony and enjoying various sporting events at the Games. However, her enjoyment was marred by an unpleasant experience at the luxury Peninsula Paris hotel.
Serena Williams took to social media and recounted that she and her daughters, Olympia and Adira River, were "denied access" to the two-Michelin-starred rooftop restaurant L'Oiseau Blanc, despite the venue being "empty." The American expressed her annoyance at being turned away, especially in the company of her daughters.
"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," Serena Williams posted on X.
However, the hotel promptly countered the 42-year-old's claims, explaining that the rooftop bar was fully booked and the only available tables at the gourmet restaurant were already reserved. Nonetheless, the restaurant extended its "deepest apologies" to the 23-time Grand Slam champion for her poor experience.
"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 restaurant responded.
"We have always been honored to welcome you and will always be to welcome you again. The Peninsula Paris," they commented further.
With the new information coming to light, fans lashed out at Serena Williams for portraying herself as the victim in this situation. One fan also contrasted the former World No. 1's "worst attitude" with her sister Venus Williams, who was described as a "class act."
"Serena the champion of victimhood," one fan commented.
"Somehow Serena still manages to make it all about her…," another fan chimed in.
"Her and Venus - same parents, same upbringing, same career path. Yet one is a class act and the other has the worst attitude possible," a fan contended.
Others lambasted the 23-time Grand Slam champion for unfairly tarnishing the restaurant's reputation, criticizing her for her perceived entitlement.
"The entitlement of posting a picture to her massive social media following. Abusing her clout," one fan posted.
"Oh yes, let me set my rabid fans upon this fine establishment because I couldn’t be bothered to reserve a table in advance. Entitlement at its worst," another fan wrote.
"Lmao the person didn’t even recognize her. Must not have the clout she thinks she does to just walk up to the front and expect a table to be handed to her. Dragging the restaurant’s name through the mud for no reason," said another.
With Team USA stars Coco Gauff, Danielle Collins and Emma Navarro facing their controversies at the Paris Olympics, several fans highlighted the Americans' "poor behavior" in the French capital, exacerbated by Serena Williams' run-in with the hotel.
"These American women in Paris have been on very poor behavior," one fan posted.
"The OG WTA American drama queen 👸 Collins, Navarro, Gauff take notes ✍️ from the GOAT kay?" another fan chimed in.
"Its because I am blaaaaack. Bruh, these American athletes need a reality check, not everything revolves around you lmao," said yet another.
"My colleague didn’t recognize Serena Williams and feels terrible, but he told her what he would have told any other client" - An employee at L'Oiseau Blanc
A staff member from L'Oiseau Blanc, Maxime Mannevy, informed Variety that when Serena Williams arrived at the restaurant with her daughters, the only two empty tables were both reserved.
Mannevy also revealed that her colleague had failed to recognize the former World No. 1 and had asked her to wait downstairs for a table. She explained that this was the restaurant's standard policy for all clients, emphasizing that it wasn't a personal slight to the American.
"When she came there were only two tables available and they had been reserved by clients of the hotel. My colleague didn’t recognize her and feels terrible, but he told her what he would have told any other client, which is to wait downstairs in the bar for a table to become available. That was absolutely nothing personal," Mannevy said.
Serena Williams, meanwhile, has yet to respond to the new information shared by the restaurant.