American Tennis Star Taylor Townsend Apologizes for ‘Insensitive’ Comments on Traditional Cuisine
US tennis star Taylor Townsend has issued an apology after receiving widespread backlash for comments she shared on social media regarding traditional Chinese food.
The professional athlete, who is currently in the Chinese city of Shenzhen for the international tennis tournament, had previously shared videos on social media in which she commented to meals including frogs, turtles, and sea cucumber.
She described the food as “the craziest thing” she had encountered, stating, “I need to talk to HR… consuming turtle and bullfrog is INSANE.”
Her remarks quickly drew strong responses on multiple international and local online communities.
Ms Townsend, who is the world’s top-ranked tennis professional in doubles, later expressed remorse, stating, “There’s no excuse, words cannot justify it and, on my part, I will be better.”
“I understand that I am extremely fortunate as a professional athlete to be able to travel all around the world and encounter cultural differences, which is one of the things I love so much about my career,” she shared in a video posted to Instagram.
She added that she had “the most amazing experience” at the competition.
Earlier, she had shared her thoughts to meals such as braised soft-shell turtle and dry pot bullfrog, which are considered traditional specialties in Chinese culture, particularly in the southern regions.
In her original video, she asked, “Are these toxic? Aren’t those the ones that be giving you warts and boils and stuff?”
She also posted another video in which she and teammate Hailey Baptiste appeared to make fun of a marine dish served at a dining area.
Social media commenters were swift to react. One user on X stated, “Cannot support Taylor here, clearly offensive and shocks a poor awareness that there are diverse customs other than America.”
Another added, “It’s really offensive to ridicule other people’s traditional cuisine.”
On local social media, the topic “American tennis player disparages Chinese food” began trending.
One social media user stated, “While traveling overseas, respect the traditions and heritage. You can choose not to eat it. There is no need to disparage our food.”
This situation comes less than a month after Townsend was engaged in a tense exchange with opponent Jelena Ostapenko, who had previously made remarks about Townsend’s conduct on the court.
The player and her team are set to face Kazakhstan in the quarter finals on Thursday.
