Serena Williams Says She Was Denied Access to Peninsula Rooftop While Attending Paris Olympics

Tennis fable Serena Willams says she was refused introduction to a Paris eatery and proceeded to telephone retired The Peninsula Rooftop connected X.

“Yikes @peninsulaparis I’ve been denied entree to rooftop to eat successful an quiet edifice of nicer places but ne'er pinch my kids. Always a first,” Serena, 42, shared on pinch nan hashtag “Olympic 2024” connected Monday, August 5.

Serena shares 2 daughters – Olympia, 6, and Adira, 11 months – pinch hubby Alexis Ohanian.

The Peninsula Paris responded to nan athlete’s declare pinch a remark nether her post.

“Dear Mrs. Williams, Please judge our deepest apologies for nan disappointment you encountered tonight,” nan eatery began.

“Unfortunately, our rooftop barroom was so afloat booked and nan only unoccupied tables you saw belonged to our gourmet restaurant, L’Oiseau Blanc, which was afloat reserved,” they explained astir why she thought they were incapable to accommodate her contempt unfastened tables.

Fans were stunned that nan top female tennis subordinate of each clip was denied entree to a edifice pinch her family, contempt claims they were booked.

“Who doesn’t make room for a queen?” 1 personification asked, while different wrote, “Glad you didn’t person to discarded money there.”

A instrumentality joked that pinch Serena’s monolithic fortune, “You tin bargain nan full damn place,” while different told her she dodged a bullet, writing, “You’re amended disconnected not going, their nutrient is subpar — I’ve unluckily had to salary for it rather a fewer times.”

One personification tried to console nan star, writing, “Sorry that happened to you. They should person been honored to person you,” while different wondered, “How does THE Serena Williams get denied anywhere?? Especially during nan Olympics???”

While Serena retired from competitory tennis successful 2022, she won 4 golden medals during her illustrious career, taking location nan hardware arsenic nan women’s singles champ astatine nan 2012 London Olympics and winning doubles golden medals pinch sister Venus Williams astatine 2000 Sydney games, 2008 Beijing Olympics and London 2012.

The 23-time expansive slam champion is specified a beloved Olympic icon that she was chosen to thief transportation nan torch connected its last limb connected a vessel down nan Seine River astatine nan Paris Olympics opening ceremonial connected July 26. She was joined by chap tennis awesome Rafael Nadal, nine-time golden medalist way prima Carl Lewis and gymnastics fable Nadia Comaneci.

Serena later joked astir nan affectional yet rainy ride, penning connected X, “From being portion of an astonishing Opening Ceremony astatine nan Paris Olympics to riding successful nan vessel successful nan rain-and it was pouring! So overmuch truthful my lashes came correct connected off.”

The seven-time Wimbledon champ has been taking successful plentifulness of events while successful Paris. She was joined by Alexis and Olympia to watch Simone Biles lead Team USA to nan women’s team all-around gymnastics golden medal connected July 30. She besides attended nan men’s tennis last astatine Roland Garros connected Sunday, August 4, watching Novak Djokovic hit Carlos Alcaraz for nan golden medal.

Serena announced she was stepping distant from competitory tennis successful an August 2022 effort for Vogue. Her last tourney was the U.S. Open nan pursuing month.

“I person ne'er liked nan connection retirement. It doesn’t consciousness for illustration a modern connection to me. I’ve been reasoning of this arsenic a transition, but I want to beryllium delicate astir really I usage that word, which intends thing very circumstantial and important to a organization of people,” she wrote. “Maybe nan champion connection to picture what I’m up to is evolution. I’m present to show you that I’m evolving distant from tennis, toward different things that are important to me.”