Serena Williams had an awkward encounter with a restaurant in Paris after she claims it turned her away despite having tables free.
Williams is unquestionably one of the biggest sporting icons on the planet as she dominated tennis for the best part of two decades.
Given that the Olympics is currently happening in Paris, many sporting legends have descended on the city of love... although it seems they aren't getting preferential treatment.
Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam tennis champion, has publicly criticized The Peninsula Hotel in Paris for allegedly denying her family access to its rooftop restaurant, despite claiming that the venue was empty.
Williams voiced her frustration on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, recounting the alleged incident.
"Yikes," Williams tweeted. "@peninsulaparis I've been denied access to rooftop to eat in an empty restaurant of nicer places but never with my kids. Always a first."
To ensure her followers knew the exact location, Williams also shared a photo of the hotel sign.
Responding to Williams' post, The Peninsula Hotel issued an apology on X.
"Dear Mrs. Williams, Please accept our deepest apologies for the disappointment you encountered tonight," the statement read.
"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. The Peninsula Paris."
"How does one get denied when they are Serena Williams," one fan commented under Williams' tweet, with a second adding: "You’re better off not going, their food is subpar — I’ve unfortunately had to pay for it quite a few times."
Though not everyone was thrilled with the Tennis star's choice to post on social media.
One person said: "The restaurant replied and said they were fully booked. Please don’t start acting entitled and that they should make space for you just because of who you are."
While a second person added: "There might be something else going on in Paris… Maybe not everything is about you? Just a thought."
Williams is in Paris attending several Olympic events with her six-year-old daughter, Olympia, and her family.
She was also a notable presence at the Paris 2024 Olympics' opening ceremony on July 26, where she shared a boat with other sports legends, including Rafael Nadal, Carl Lewis, and Nadia Comaneci.
Williams described the ceremony as "unforgettable."
"From being part of an amazing Opening Ceremony at the Paris Olympics-to riding in the boat in the rain-and it was pouring! So much so my lashes came right on off," she joked on X.
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