Daily Dose of Social Media: Serena Williams denied access at luxury hotel, Leylah Fernandez’s hawk entrance at football match
Tennis NewsTuesday, 06 August 2024 at 13:05
Today in our Daily Dose of Social Media, we
review the most important activities and entertainment from ATP and WTA
players. Serena Williams shared on social media that she was denied access to a
restaurant at a luxury hotel in Paris while with her children.
Leylah Fernandez was the guest of honor at a
Toronto F.C. match, entering the field with a hawk on her arm to kick off the
game. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic continues his celebrations after winning the
gold medal, and Roger Federer announced a new biography.
Serena Williams denied access to luxury Paris hotel
Serena Williams shared on social media her
unfortunate experience at a luxury hotel in Paris. The former world No. 1 is
visiting Paris while the Olympic Games are underway and has been seen several
times in the audience, including during the final between Alcaraz and Djokovic
on Sunday.
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The 23-time Grand Slam champion commented on
social media that she tried to access the rooftop of the Peninsula hotel but
said she was denied access to eat despite the restaurant being empty. The
legendary ex-tennis player also lamented that the situation occurred while she
was with her children.
“Yikes @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,” she wrote.
Later, the hotel’s official account offered an
apology to Williams and invited her to return anytime she wishes: “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."
Djokovic's Triumphant Walk with Gold Medal at Champions Park
Novak Djokovic continues to celebrate in Paris
2024 after winning the gold medal at the Olympic Games. The Serbian finally
achieved the elusive gold medal that had evaded him throughout his career,
completing the Career Golden Slam at 37 years old, making him the oldest tennis
player to win a gold medal.
The Serbian had a special celebration with his
family and close friends on Sunday night, although the tributes continued on
Monday. The 24-time Grand Slam champion appeared at Champions Park, showcasing
his medal to thousands of people.
Djokovic walked through the Park with the
Serbian flag draped over his back and the gold medal hanging around his neck.
“Novak Djokovic greeting the crowd at Champions Park with his gold medal at the
Olympics.”
Federer announces release of new visual biography
Roger Federer previewed the release of his new
biographical book in a promotional video on Instagram. The 20-time Grand Slam
champion is approaching two years since his retirement but remains busy with
various projects around the world and with his sponsors.
The 42-year-old Swiss recently starred in the
Amazon movie "12 Final Days," which depicted the last days before
ending his career at the Laver Cup. He also made a notable appearance at the
Dartmouth graduation speech. Now, he has announced the launch of his 'visual
biography,' which promises more than 300 pages of photographs, intimate moments
from his childhood and with his family, as well as a review of his illustrious
career.
"Tennis has been the vehicle to meeting
people, travel the world, learning about cultures. Every champion has a very
unique story. I want it to be a story that people feel inspired by. I will
always want to be connected to the sport," he said in a promotional video.
Leylah Fernandez stars with Toronto F.C. hawk at latest match
Leylah Fernandez was the star at the latest
Toronto Football Club match as she entered the field with the team’s
traditional hawk. The former US Open runner-up is the top local favorite in the
upcoming Canadian Open and has been one of the stars in the tournament's
promotional activities.
This time, she was the guest of honor at the
Toronto F.C. match. The 21-year-old player was with the team’s hawk before the
match against Pachuca on Sunday (Toronto won 2-1). "I like to think
animals love me, they just show it in a very different way," Leylah
commented, while her sister Bianca Fernandez told the camera that animals don’t
usually like the current world No. 25.
“We’re about to walk out with the hawk, oh my
goodness, we’re gonna lead the players and the referees out to the field with
the hawk in Toronto. Sing the national anthem and watch a great game of
football,” Leylah Fernandez said before entering the field. “I’m more afraid of
tripping and falling, that’s like one thing I’m afraid of doing, and I’m known
to trip myself,” she said with a laugh.
Swiatek celebrates Poland’s historic volleyball team’s victory
The world No. 1 was the guest of honour for
Poland’s men’s volleyball team during the Olympic Games. Iga Swiatek suffered a
surprising defeat in the semi-finals against Zheng Qinwen. Although she was the
favourite to win gold at Paris 2024, she ended up with a bronze medal after
defeating Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in the third-place match.
Swiatek decided to skip the Canadian Open this
week and take a few days off before the hardcourt swing. The Polish player
stayed a few more days in Paris and supported the men’s volleyball team on
Monday as they competed for a spot in the semi-finals and a chance at a medal.
Poland defeated Slovenia 3-1 and advanced to
the semi-finals after 44 years. Swiatek seems to have been a lucky charm for
her team and joined in the celebrations with the Polish players: “It was great!
Thanks for letting me be there and celebrate with you for a moment. Do
your thing!” she wrote on X
Felix Auger-Aliassime’s emotional tribute to retired Andy Murray
Felix Auger-Aliassime was one of the stars of
Olympic tennis, earning a bronze medal for Canada in mixed doubles alongside
the experienced Gabriela Dabrowski. The world No. 19 also had an impressive run
in singles, reaching the semifinals but ultimately losing to Carlos Alcaraz. Despite
having the chance to win a bronze in singles, he faced another defeat, this
time against Lorenzo Musetti. Nevertheless, Auger-Aliassime expressed his pride
on social media for the medals he earned.
However, what caught attention this Monday was
his emotional tribute to Andy Murray, a few days after the 3-time Grand Slam
champion’s retirement. With the Olympic Games now behind him, the Canadian
shared a message thanking the Brit for being an inspiration throughout his
career.
“I always drew a lot of inspiration seeing your
resilience, determination and will to win throughout your career. Thank you for
setting a great example for our generation and the ones coming in the future,”
he wrote on social media.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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- I love WTA matches. Seek them out as much as possible on youtube and other platforms I already subscribe to. With that in mind, I do not wish to pay $$$ to a notoriously slippery subscription conglomerate sports broadcaster (like SkySports) just for the privilege to watch it and the tnt/eurosport/discovery subscription went from $$ to $$$+ annually in a blink of an eye. With ATP I have been begrudgingly paying xyz tennis only channel and try to catch up on slams elsewhere (pubs, youtube with USO later on games are just as enjoyable to watch and a smart move to upload on their official channel) but they don't cover WTA. I tried another Tennis dedicated channel that advertised originally as broadcasting where I live, but turned out, they took the money, but didn't cover the matches (only fluff/filler value documentaries). I don't understand why it is so hard to not lock the live matches to one broadcaster only refusing so many people who are happy to pay for the privilege just not through that one entry point. WTA is so exciting for the last few years and they really should capitalise on it as much as possible. And I know it is somewhat naive talking without knowing the inner works, but not being able to find any WTA other than youtube (and then only highlights mostly) is just so frustrating.JayJay11-09-2026
- Clearly not AI :-)
AceOfBase11-09-2026 - Oh my God!! Does anyone proofread these pages??? Case in point: However, the question mark over the 32-years-old head......???? No! No! No! However, the question mark over the 32-year-old's head...good grief man, hire a proofreader. This article is rife with errors making some sentences very difficult to read. I had to stop. I am a proofreader hence my disgust.Rapunzel10-09-2026
- Iga needs to make a decision whether she wants to continue the sport of tennis or pursue whatever she has going on in her personal life. One can tell that tennis is no longer an interest of hers. She should retire while she is on top, not when she slides to the bottom of the rankings. She has too much talent to look how she does on the court these days. She looks more like a wild card than a champion.crissy09-09-2026
- Looks like tennis has become a part of the American Oligarchy. As usual, Pegula is given a cupcake draw. With all her money, they have to fixed the draws in her favor in order to raised the trophy.crissy09-09-2026
- Huge win for Ben! He needed this. Amazing that Alcaraz took over four months off and still was able to make the QF’s and take Ben to a fifth set tie break! Insane tennis. Tiafoe vs. Shelton should be a good one too. Americans might finally get their US Open Champion after 23 years!DaveyWavey09-09-2026
- No one else would get away with this but these AMERCANS! It’s the US Open!! In America!! But sure, go off American ;)DaveyWavey08-09-2026
- WOW !!! Her comebacks have been intense. She's Baaaaack!
mandoist08-09-2026 - Don't lay this shitshow on "Americans". It is a long-running Ego trip with WTA allowing these two Elitists 'in need of a Camera' illicit Wildcards. If these two clowns want to "perform" -- then play the qualies.mandoist08-09-2026
- Here we go again…. Different rules for Americans! Especially THESE Americans. Yuck!DaveyWavey07-09-2026
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