Did Serena Williams tried to use the trifecta of hate crime (female, black and parent) to put pressure on a French restaurant who denied her a tabke because they were fully reserved? Does Serena really think a high end and higher end restaurant in Paris isn't going to be full booked during the Olympics?
These questions emerged after the former Tennis star publicly accused a restaurant of denying her and her kids access last 5 August. She is currently situated in the French capital for the 2024 Olympics, along with her husband, Alexis Ohanian, and their kids: Alexis Olympia Jr., 6, and Adira River, 11 months.
"Yikes @peninsulaparis I’ve been denied access to rooftop to eat in a empty restaurant of nicer places but never with my kids," she wrote on Monday with frowning emojis. "Always a first."
The tennis great’s post prompted cries of prejudice and shame from fans, which was countered on the same day when the Peninsula Paris dished out a reason for its stance.
"Dear Mrs. Williams, Please accept our deepest apologies for the disappointment you encountered tonight," the hotel wrote. "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," it added.
It sounds like Serena owes this restaurant an apology now. I'm sure they told her about the tables being reserved. It doesn't matter if they recognized her or not. If the tables were already reserved by others, then that's it.