Taylor Townsend apologizes after criticism of Chinese cuisine during Billie Jean King Cup in Shenzhen

Taylor Townsend issued a public apology after drawing criticism for disparaging traditional Chinese dishes served at a tournament gala while in Shenzhen for the Billie Jean King Cup.

The 29-year-old U.S. player posted Instagram stories earlier this week expressing disgust at items on the buffet, including sea cucumber, turtle and bullfrog, and later returned to the platform to deliver a blunt review of the cuisine. Social media users responded swiftly, calling her comments offensive and ignorant. On Tuesday night Townsend posted an Instagram story apologizing "sincerely from the bottom of my heart," saying she understood her privilege as a professional athlete who travels widely and that her remarks “were not representative” of the hospitality she had received in China. "There is no excuse, no words. For me, I will be better," she added.

In the initial posts, Townsend filmed herself at the buffet and zoomed in on sea cucumber, asking, "What the hell?" She questioned other specialties, saying, "These people are literally killing frogs… bullfrogs. Aren’t those poisonous? Aren’t those the ones that give you warts and boils and stuff?" She concluded a later on-camera assessment by rating the spread "a solid 2 out of 10 so far, because this is crazy."

Fans and commentators on social media condemned the remarks. "This is very offensive, to mock other people's cultural food," one user wrote on X. Another described the comments as "super ignorant," while others objected to Townsend referring to Chinese diners as "these people."

Townsend is competing in Shenzhen as part of the U.S. team preparing for a quarterfinal tie in the Billie Jean King Cup. The incident comes less than a month after Townsend was involved in a contentious exchange with Jelena Ostapenko at the U.S. Open. Ostapenko berated Townsend after their match in New York, telling her she had "no class" and "no education" during a handshake dispute. Ostapenko later said in a post that English is not her native language and that she was referring to tennis etiquette, adding that she understood how her words could have offended people beyond the court.

Townsend has previously said she had not been in contact with Ostapenko since the US Open incident and that she was focused on competing. The U.S. player, ranked No. 26, emphasized in her apology from Shenzhen that she is grateful to represent her country and pledged to be more mindful going forward.

Tournament officials and fellow players have not publicly commented on Townsend's social media posts. The Billie Jean King Cup continues in Shenzhen with national teams advancing through quarterfinal and knockout rounds.

The exchange and apology highlight how athletes' comments on social media can draw immediate international scrutiny, particularly during high-profile events that bring together players and fans from diverse cultural backgrounds. Townsend's apology acknowledged the backlash and signaled an effort to move on while competing for the United States in the team competition.