Maybe they weren’t tennis fans.
A Paris restaurant worker claims she was refused a seat at a rooftop table because Serena Williams looked “unrecognizable” when she arrived for dinner.
Maxime Manevi, a staff member at the Peninsula Paris, was not on duty the night of the unrest. But Variety said: She was in contact with colleagues directly involved.
“When she arrived, there were only two tables available and they were booked by hotel clients,” Manevi told the outlet.
“My colleague didn’t recognise her and was very disappointed, but told her the same thing he would tell any other customer – to wait at the bar downstairs. Nothing personal at all.”
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, is in France for the Olympics after taking part in the opening ceremony two weeks ago.
“@peninsulaparis damnit, I’ve been denied entry when trying to eat at empty rooftop restaurants at nicer establishments… but never with my kids,” Williams wrote to X on Monday, and has not commented on the incident since. “There’s always a first time.”
The restaurant also provided an official response.
“We have the utmost admiration and respect for Ms. Williams, as we do for all our esteemed guests, and we would like to once again deeply apologize for not being able to offer her seating at the rooftop bar when she arrived with her family without a reservation in response to her tweet,” The Peninsula Hotel said in a statement to Washington Post reporter Nika Shakazarova.
“We always try to make space for walk-in guests, but sometimes that’s not possible.”
2024 Paris Olympics
Williams, 42, is married to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and they have two daughters, Alexis Olympia, 6, and Adira River, born in August 2023.
Williams has won three Grand Slam titles, including the French Open at nearby Roland Garros, and is one of the most famous athletes in the world.
