Serena Williams represented large number of disheartened Olympic fans as she pulled an anguished face during the initial service.
The tennis star looked worn out as she rode down the Stream Seine on a fast boat as a light conveyor for the Paris games.
She was joined by Rafael Nadal, nine-time Olympic gold medallist Carl Lewis, and previous Romanian acrobat Nadia Comaneci as they cleared their path through driving precipitation and rough waters.
The boat was essential for a four-hour service based on the French capital’s waterway and it was going quick to the point that Nadal worried that the fire could go out.
Serena Williams’ face tells you everything you need to know! #Olympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/NlwGKxVDzu
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 26, 2024
Tennis Ace Serena Williams suddenly made an anguished face as she hurtled down the River Seine
Viewers watching the opening ceremony commented that Williams looked how many felt
Some speculated that the tennis champion looked as though she was about to be sick while riding the boat
Williams seemed to have been enjoying the ride as she waved to fans, but she suddenly gasped and needed to quickly grab onto Comancei to keep steady.
People watching footage of the four-time Olympic gold medallist commented that they thought she looked like she might be sick and that she looked like how people felt watching the controversial opening.
One person said online: ‘This is how the rest of us felt watching it.’
Someone else said online: ‘She hated it as much as everyone else!’
Another quipped: ‘She saw the rest of the opening ceremony.’
Rafael Nadal of Team Spain, American Former Tennis Player Serena Williams, American Track Athlete Carl Lewis and Romanian Gymnast Nadia Comaneci carry the torch on a boat on the River Seine
The Olympic ceremony has been mired in controversy with some claiming it is the ‘worst ever’
A social media user said: ‘Much of the audience felt sick, too.’
Another said: ‘What an embarrassment to France that opening ceremony was. The French people must be fuming.’
Another person added: ‘I thought Serena was going to be sick.’
And another person said: ‘Yeah the whole thing was sickening.’
The Paris Olympics opening ceremony has been slammed by critics who dubbed it the ‘worst ever’ with poor audio caused by the near-torrential rain and some joking online that organisers needed to ‘stop the boats’.
At one point, as the long line of boats filled with athletes made its way down the Seine, an embarrassing moment saw South Korea labelled North Korea by the announcers.
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As the South Korean delegation sailed down the Seine River, they were introduced with the official name for North Korea: ‘Republique populaire democratique de Coree’ in French, then ‘Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’ in English.
The IOC said in a post on its official Korean-language X account: ‘We deeply apologise for the mistake that occurred when introducing the South Korean team during the broadcast of the opening ceremony.’
Serena Williams laughs and looks happy prior to being handed the Olympics torch for the opening ceremony
Serena Williams attends the red carpet ahead of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on July 26, 2024
Countless onlookers watched 6,800 competitors canvassed in plastic rain guards as they endeavored to hold spirits high while going down the stream Seine in a colossal flotilla of 85 boats.
Exhibitions from Woman Crazy and around 3,000 artists, tumblers and entertainers were difficult to hear over the sound of downpour, with watchers pummeling it as ‘the most obviously awful Olympic opening service in memory’.
In any case, among the different creative scenes, named after French qualities, for example, opportunity, club and balance, it was the last dinner style execution in ‘festivité’ – or party – scene which caused the most discussion.
Complete with models, artists, design symbols and cross dressers from the host country, the presentation occurred on an extension over the capital’s stream around a table, which likewise served as a catwalk.
Other bizarre moments saw a singer dressed as a headless Marie Antoinette
A catwalk-turned-stage element of the opening ceremony was criticised by some Christians for allegedly parodying the last supper
A performer painted blue and covered in flowers and fruit, depicting the Greek god Dionysus, sang in French
At the centre was a woman in front of DJ equipment with a golden halo-style crown, surrounded by several drag queens and dozens of dancers and performers.
Some people accused organisers of creating a ‘woke’ parody of the Last Supper – a painting by Leonardo da Vinci depicting Jesus’ last meal with his disciples.
Tesla and SpaceX owner Elon Musk, who has come under criticism for his conservative beliefs, including towards his own daughter, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: ‘Christianity has become toothless.’
Later in the show, the most bizarre moment of the night saw a giant platter bedecked in fake fruits and other foods with a ‘smurf’ resting among them.
The man, dressed in a skintight blue bodysuit that left very little to the imagination, was dressed as the Greek God of wine, festivity and theatre, Dionysus.