Serena Williams caused quite a stir on social media recently when she claimed that she was denied a table reservation at a restaurant in the hotel in Paris where she was staying during the Olympics. According to Serena, she was turned away from a rooftop table at the restaurant, which she mentioned was empty at the time.
She even made a post on X, voicing out the “unfairness” that she faced.
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 pic.twitter.com/lEGJR5WoEn
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) August 5, 2024
However, the hotel took to social media to clarify the situation. They issued a dignified response, apologizing to Serena and explaining the circumstances. They claimed that the supposedly empty tables were actually reserved and that’s why they had to deny Serena a dining spot.
This won over many tennis fans, who didn’t side with Serena in this case.
Dear Mrs. Williams,
— The Peninsula Paris (@peninsulaparis) August 5, 2024
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.
Comments like “entitled brat” and “spoiled” were thrown around, with some fans feeling that Serena overreacted. A few did accuse the hotel of racism, but those claims didn’t hold much weight.
The general consensus was that Serena didn’t act appropriately and decided to slam the restaurant for just a minor inconvenience.
— Tennis world (@claygrasshard) August 6, 2024
Many fans also argued that the hotel didn’t owe Serena an apology, especially not publicly, since they seemed to have handled the situation appropriately.
This incident feeds into a broader perception that Serena Williams can be arrogant at times. Critics often point to past controversies to back up this view.
The perception around Serena’s arrogance
For those who might not know, Simona Halep prevented Serena Williams from clinching her eighth Wimbledon title in 2019 by defeating her 6-2, 6-2 in the women’s singles final. Williams, who retired after last year’s US Open, now seems to be laying claim to her eighth Wimbledon title if Halep is stripped of her trophies due to her suspension.
She tweeted saying “8 is a better number”, clearly hinting at her Wimbledon finals with Halep which she lost.
8 is a better number.
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) September 12, 2023
Meanwhile, Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian appeared to mock Simona Halep as well by sharing a throwback picture of himself wearing a D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) t-shirt from 2019. Williams responded to the post, commenting, “Seriously, not out of style.”
Seriously not out of style.
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) September 12, 2023
While Serena’s incredible achievements in tennis are undeniable, these incidents have painted a picture of her that some fans find hard to ignore.