Tennis world erupts over bizarre photo of Serena Williams and daughter
Tennis fans are in a frenzy over a photo of Serena Williams and her daughter at Disney Land.
The tennis champion took daughter Alexis Olympia to the theme park in Paris on Thursday ahead of the French Open.
But her appearance has sparked major concerns about her fitness, with the American star snapped sitting in a wheelchair.
🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/P97jKPGSRw
— Ysaline Bonaventure (@YsaBona) May 23, 2019
The photo immediately went viral on Twitter, with many questioning her participation at Roland Garros.
There was no real explanation for the bizarre scenes, but many simply wrote it off as Serena wanting to rest her legs just days out from the second grand slam of the year.
Serena Williams in a wheelchair just before Roland-Garros. I'm not ok.
— gabrielle - (@slicedbackhand) May 23, 2019
IMO, if something was really serious, Serena wouldn't be out in front of everyone in a wheelchair at Disneyland in Paris. She would keep it quiet.
Looks precautionary so she doesn't walk for miles before a major begins. https://t.co/3Dv9sxDQeM— Matt Dowell (@TheMattDowell) May 23, 2019
It isn’t possible that TT has been so saturated with news for the day that a photograph of Serena Williams in a wheelchair DAYS BEFORE A SLAM is left unexplained.
— marinastennis (@marinastennis) May 23, 2019
Yikes! What's Serena doing in a wheelchair???
— Old Janie (@oldjanie) May 23, 2019
I just spent three long days at Disneyland and by the third day a wheelchair was looking mighty nice. My legs and feet were so sore from walking 14 hour days all over the park 😂😂. Serena is saving her legs for the French Open. https://t.co/2ZJO3Ck5yD
— Shanna 🍍🥥︽✵︽ (@PinaCocoTweets) May 23, 2019
Folks be saying that Serena’s going to withdraw because of the wheelchair pic.
— 23 🐐(🇫🇷🏆?) (@AO_SW19) May 23, 2019
Why is Serena in a wheelchair, I hope she’s alright
— N🐍SHA (@Sharapovian) May 23, 2019
Why the wheelchair???
— John B (@jb_31no) May 23, 2019
Oh dear. Why is she in a wheelchair
— Lee Bennett (@backstreetjoe) May 23, 2019
Serena Williams at Disneyland Paris today... https://t.co/X8SgThNYv5
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) May 23, 2019
New twist in controversy
World No.1 Naomi Osaka could meet Serena in the French Open quarter-finals, while defending champion Simona Halep will start against Ajla Tomljanovic.
Osaka is chasing a third consecutive grand slam title at Roland Garros, having triumphed at the US Open last year and the Australian Open in January.
The Japanese will face Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in the first round before the prospect of a tricky clash against either 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko or two-time Melbourne winner Victoria Azarenka.
Osaka's task will only become tougher as she advances through the tournament, with a potential meeting with Williams, who boasts 23 major titles, in the last eight.
Williams, who withdrew from the Internazionali d'Italia last week after one match, plays Vitalia Diatchenko first.
Meanwhile, Halep will also be required to come through a blockbuster quarter-final if she is to win a second grand slam at the scene of her first triumph.
Sixth seed Petra Kvitova could await Halep in the fifth round.
A standout opening match sees Venus Williams play Elina Svitolina, with one of the pair possibly facing 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza in the third round.
Karolina Pliskova, Angelique Kerber and Caroline Wozniacki are all in the bottom quarter of the draw.
with Omnisport