Serena Williams drops asking price of her Bel Air home amid tennis controversy

In a fortnight dogged by controversy, tennis superstar Serena Williams probably has other things on her mind.

But in addition to being in the news for her infamous meltdown in the US Open final, she may be getting a little keener to sell her fabulous Bel Air mansion.

Williams has dropped the asking price for the house in Stone Canyon Road to US$9.995 million ($13.96 million), having first listed it a year ago for $US12 million. The superstar paid a little more than $US6.6 million for the property in 2006.

And there’s an antipodean connection with this sale. The house is listed with Gregory Piechota and Amit Lalji of Kase Real Estate-Keller Williams Realty. Lalji has family in Auckland and spent a year of his schooling at Manurewa High School.

Now selling houses for the rich and famous, Lalji still talks fondly of his time downunder and hopes to return.

But for now, his attention is on the Williams’ house, which is getting a lot of media exposure this week.

The listing describes the 1.1 hectare property as one of the largest lots on Stone Canyon. “This property is very private with impeccable gardens, trees, and private hiking trails.”

The landscaping is not the only drawcard. The house itself, which is an unusual shade of pale blue, has distinctive Art Deco references – notably the large, curved formal living room. Originally built in 1935, it has since been updated, but still holds a lot of its original charm.

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The property has six large bedrooms and seven bathrooms, plus a private beauty salon and a bar. It is decorated throughout in warm neutrals, with dark wood panelling in the study and bar.

And of course, it is large, at nearly 600 square metres.

There’s a pool and a hot tub, but no tennis court, although there is plenty of room for one.

The property has a swimming pool, but no tennis court. Photo: Keller Williams Realty

This story was first published at Stuff.co.nz