Tennis legend Serena Williams took to social media to express her disappointment and frustration after being denied a table at a popular Paris restaurant despite arriving with her children in tow.
The restaurant promptly responded that it was “indeed fully booked” and couldn’t offer Williams and her kids a seat on the rooftop as they were walk-in customers.
Several fans have also weighed in on the situation, noting that Serena Williams was in the wrong for calling out the Paris restaurant.
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Serena Williams Called Out A Paris Restaurant
The 23-time Women’s Grand Slam champion took to her X account on Monday night to criticize popular French restaurant Paris’ The Peninsula, claiming that she was denied access to the luxury establishment.
The tennis icon said that she wasn’t permitted to eat on the rooftop of Paris’ The Peninsula despite the place allegedly being “empty.”
“Yikes @peninsulaparis I’ve been denied access to the rooftop to eat in a empty restaurant of nicer places but never with my kids. Always a first. #Olympic2024,” she wrote on X.
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The Paris Restaurant Says It Was ‘Indeed Fully Booked’
The incident seemingly sparked a heated debate online about discrimination, but according to the restaurant, the decision was simply a matter of keeping to their policy as they were “fully booked.”
“In response to Ms. Williams’ tweet, for whom we have the utmost admiration and respect, as we do for all our esteemed guests, we reiterate our deepest apologies that we were not able to offer her a table at our rooftop bar when she arrived with her family and without a reservation,” the hotel said in a statement to the New York Post.
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“We do always try to make space for walk-in guests but sometimes this is not possible,” it continued. “On August 5th, our rooftop bar was indeed fully booked, and the only unoccupied tables at that time belonged to our gourmet restaurant, L’Oiseau Blanc, which was also fully reserved. “
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Serena Williams Was Offered A Downstairs Table At The Hotel’s La Terrasse Kléber
The Paris restaurant further noted that they had offered Williams a table elsewhere because the rooftop location was “fully booked.”
The statement read, “As an alternative, Ms Williams was offered an outside table downstairs at the hotel’s La Terrasse Kléber.” It added that they “have reached out to Ms Williams directly.”
In a previous reply to Williams on X, the establishment wrote, “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 added, “We have always been honored to welcome you and will always be to welcome you again. The Peninsula Paris.”
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Fans Have Mixed Reactions To The Incident
The Tennis legend’s tweet sparked mixed reactions from netizens, with some claiming Williams was using her fame to tarnish the restaurant.
“SERENA, Will you tweet out an apology as fast as you tweeted out your obvious mistake,” an X user asked. “You tried to race bait when there is a policy in place. What if someone got fired due to your irresponsible behavior? Shameful & disgusting. Do better. For your kids.”
Another person wrote, “No. Serena has to stop thinking the world is just about her and her wishes and wants. She is the typical American [people] abroad don’t like.”
One user said Paris’ The Peninsula “should have banned her whiny, privileged a– for slandering” their business, while another added, “Too important and busy to make a reservation. Just whine on social media.”
Another individual spelled it out for Williams, writing, “You weren’t ‘denied access’ they were full and you didn’t have reservations. This is a ‘don’t you know who I am?’ situation, not nice.”
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Serena Williams Attends The Games With Her Daughter
The 42-year-old athlete enjoyed a timeout on Tuesday watching the Jumping Individual Final on day eleven of the Olympic Games with her daughter, Olympia.
According to the Daily Mail, Williams sported a pair of chunky sunglasses and styled her blonde locks into loose curls.
She has been in Paris to watch the Olympics and was among other high-profile names who flagged off the Games’ opening ceremony on July 26, sharing a boat with Rafael Nadal, Carl Lewis, and Nadia Comaneci.
Williams has four Olympic gold medals and is the only player to accomplish a career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles.