The tennis legend has been in the French capital since late July, participating at the Olympics‘ opening ceremony as a torch bearer and taking in all the games with her family.
On Monday evening, Williams took to Twitter to recount an anecdote that seemingly happened at the Peninsula hotel in Paris.
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
“Yikes @peninsulaparis I’ve been denied access to rooftop to eat in a empty restaurant of nicer places…but never with my kids,” the tennis star wrote. “Always a first,” she added with a photo of the hotel’s sign attached.
Fans swiftly came to Williams’ defense online.
One user on Twitter wrote, “How does one get denied when they are Serena Wiliams…lol.”
“Glad you didn’t have to waste money there,” another added.
Williams was allegedly denied entry from the establishment. (MICHAEL BRADLEY/AFP via Getty Images)
The Peninsula Paris Twitter account has since replied to Williams’ claims, writing on Twitter: “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.”
“We have always been honored to welcome you and will always be to welcome you again,” they added.
Williams, who retired from professional tennis after the 2022 U.S. Open, joined several athletes during the Olympics’ opening ceremony on July 26.
She marched alongside fellow tennis legend Rafael Nadal, nine-time medallist Carl Lewis, soccer champion Zinedine Zidane, and more.
Williams has been enjoying the Olympics with her family. (Oscar J Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Williams has stayed in Paris for the remainder of the games and has made appearances at several of the event’s tennis matches over the past couple of weeks.
The former tennis pro was spotted watching Novak Djokovic’s match against Carlos Alcaraz, in which the former took home the gold for the men’s singles tournament.
Apart from being an overall GOAT, Williams is also notably an Olympic winner herself having won four gold medals over the trajectory of her career.
Her first three medals were won alongside her sister, Venus Williams, as the pair triumphed in the women’s doubles for the Sydney 2000, Beijing 2008, and London 2012 Olympics.
Williams’ fourth medal was also earned during the London games in 2012, where she took home the gold for women’s singles.
UNILAD has reached out to representatives of the Peninsula Paris for comment.