What happened with Serena Williams and the Peninsula Paris restaurant that has resulted in backlash against the American? All you need to know
Serena Williams was involved in a controversy with a famous restaurant chain in Paris during the ongoing Olympics. The former World No. 1 was present in Paris to watch the Olympic games with her family when she claimed she was denied entry at The Peninsula restaurant.
Following her retirement, the American has remained a prominent figure in the sports world. Williams was part of the opening ceremony of the Olympics, where she was part of a group that held the Olympic fire torch alongside fellow tennis legend Rafael Nadal.
On August 5, Williams took to X (formerly Twitter) and shared a post claiming that she was denied entry at The Peninsula restaurant in Paris even though it was not fully booked. The American said she was present with her kids and felt let down by the treatment she received from the restaurant.
"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," Williams said on her post.
However, the X account of The Peninsula restaurant was quick to reply to Williams. The official restaurant account replied to Williams saying that the restaurant was completely booked including the rooftop section. They further said that the American was welcome to visit them again.
"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 Peninsula restaurant's reply to Williams read.
"We have always been honored to welcome you and will always be to welcome you again. The Peninsula Paris," the post further said.
Some tennis fans were disappointed with Williams' comments about The Peninsula Restaurant. A section of the tennis community on Reddit shared their views about the exchange:
"The entitlement of posting a picture to her massive social media following. Abusing her clout," one fan commented.
"Serena the champion of victimhood," one fan wrote.
"Somehow Serena still manages to make it all about her…," another fan commented.
"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 posted.
While The Peninsula Restaurant's response to Williams has seemingly cleared the air about the situation, Williams was part of the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony held along the River Seine .
Serena Williams was in France to fullfil torch-bearer duties at Paris Olympics 2024
Serena Williams played a big part during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics along with her fellow tennis star Rafael Nadal. The American was part of a group that included sporting greats Nadal, Carl Lewis, and Nadia Comaneci during the ceremony.
Williams held the Olympic torch for a brief period while riding a boat over the River Seine. The American then handed over the torch to Nadal, who in turn handed it over to Amelie Mauresmo who carried the Olympic flame forward.
Williams has an incredible record at the Olympics winning both in singles and doubles. The American won her Olympic singles title at the London 2012 Games when she defeated Maria Sharapova in the final. Along with that, Serena has won three doubles gold medals with her sister Venus Williams, in 2000, 2008, and 2012.