(CNN) — She’s seemingly almost superhuman on the tennis court — and now Serena Williams says her “superhero sense” helped thwart the theft of her phone.
The world’s No.1 tennis player took to Facebook Wednesday to recount how she chased down a man who she says grabbed her mobile at a restaurant.
While eating Chinese food, Williams says she spotted a guy standing next to her and with her phone sitting in the chair near her began to feel uncomfortable.
“He was there too long,” she wrote. “Is he a customer? I thought ‘Is he waiting on the bathroom?’ Nonetheless I tried to shake this eerie feeling. However, I kept watching him from the corner of my eye.”
Williams then alleges the man grabbed her phone and made a hasty exit — but he didn’t count on being chased out by the 34-year-old tennis star.
Shouting “Omg that dude took my phone!” Williams says she leapt up to chase the man.
“He began to run but I was too fast,” she wrote. “I was upon him in a flash!
“In the most menacing yet calm no nonsense voice I could muster I kindly asked him if he ‘accidentally’ took the wrong phone.
“He stumbled on his words probably not expecting this to happen. Eventually he said: ‘Gosh you know what I did! It was so confusing in there. I must have grabbed the wrong phone.'”
After recovering her phone, Williams says she was met with a standing ovation upon her return to the restaurant.
“I was proud. I just showed every man in there I can stand up to bullies and other men — it was a win for the ladies!” she added.
“Just because you are a lady don’t be afraid to step up to any challenge and not be a victim but a hero!”
Williams’ Facebook post prompted plenty of reaction from her fans, with one urging caution in dealing with incidents of attempted theft.
“Ok ladies don’t be stupid and chase every man,” wrote Jewel Macauley. “In this situation it turned out well. Another case might be different if this person carried a weapon. Your life is more precious than your material goods.
“In saying that, I applaud you for standing up for what is right. So well done super Serena.”
Williams, who turned 34 in September, won 53 of hr 56 matches this season, securing five titles and over $10 million in prize money.
She has not played since a shock defeat at the U.S. Open deprived her of a calendar grand slam.
Williams, who won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon in 2015, is currently recovering from injury.
Williams’ agent was not immediately available to provide more details about the alleged theft.