Serena Williams Couldn’t Help but Crack a ‘Wet T-Shirt’ Joke on Paris Olympics After Surviving Nasty Experience
Not every day goes the same for everyone. Former Olympic gold medalist Serena Williams recently showed that even a legend like her has bad days. Two days back, she participated in the Paris Olympics opening ceremony and was spotted quite uncomfortable while carrying the Olympic torch on the Seine. While she somehow held herself together to avoid sheer embarrassment, the former WTA legend later disclosed what she went through at that moment.
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Williams was invited to carry the Olympic torch across the Seine along with Rafael Nadal, Carl Lewis, and Nadia Comaneci. The ceremony entertained the viewers with extravagant celebrations. However, Williams, dressed in a full-sleeve bodycon chiffon red dress, met an uncomfortable situation on the boat due to her motion sickness. Not only was she drenched in Paris’ rain but the former Olympic gold-medalist WTA star was visibly losing grip to stand on the boat.
She was slipping while she waved at the people while carrying the torch. Later that day, Williams shared her experience making people aware of her excitement to perform the act despite being uncomfortable on the boat. “Alright that’s a wrap on everything. It’s been heck of a night. I was in the boat and it was pouring rain, my lashes just came off, my hair came down. It’s a miracle I’m still put together. I thought for a minute I was in a wet t-shirt contest but I was at the Olympics,” she said.
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Williams was also spotted standing nervously on the boat at some point. Despite trying hard to hold the torch, this former world’s no 1 tennis player handed it over to Comaneci, who helped Williams stand on the moving boat.
The clip on social media brought a moment of laughter among people and showed how celebrity athletes also face unexpected situations that land them in trouble. Not just Comaneci but Williams’ former colleague Rafael Nadal also helped her sit properly on the boat as she was slipping while nervously waving at the spectators.
USA Today via Reuters
Serena Williams’ misery didn’t end there as her husband faced another embarrassing moment at the ceremony. Despite being a famous businessman and sports investor, Ohanian didn’t seem popular enough in France compared to his talented wife.
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Media commentators mistook Alexis Ohanian for Serena Williams’ umbrella holder
Williams attended the Paris Olympics opening ceremony with her elder daughter Olympia and her husband Alexis Ohanian. When Williams and her family started walking on the red carpet, unexpected rain started and Ohanian had to hold an umbrella for his family.
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One Eurosport commentator mistook Ohanian for Williams’ umbrella holder and said, “She looks absolutely incredible, she’s got someone just behind us holding an umbrella. Those are the levels you aspire to, to have an actual umbrella holder behind you.” This statement caught the Reddit co-founder’s attention too. However, instead of being mad, Ohanian took it sportingly, and it certainly makes for a good anecdote!
Serena Williams’ presence as one of the Olympic torch-bearers is truly a moment of pride for all Americans. The way she handled her situation well despite her discomfort, Williams deserves a round of applause.
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Written By
Upasana Banerjee
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Serving Tennis Narratives
Upasana Banerjee is a Tennis Writer at EssentiallySports. Armed with a degree in Comparative Literature, she excels at weaving narratives and brining unique perspective to a graceful sport like Tennis. Whether it is dissecting player strategies or reflecting on timeless themes, Upasana’s deep-rooted passion for the sport allows her to share insights and expert takes on any topic she covers.
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Tushhita Barua
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