{"id":235239,"date":"2025-09-18T01:51:13","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T01:51:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/235239\/"},"modified":"2025-09-18T01:51:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T01:51:13","slug":"taylor-townsend-apologizes-for-criticizing-the-food-in-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/235239\/","title":{"rendered":"Taylor Townsend apologizes for criticizing the food in China"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

U.S. tennis star Taylor Townsend<\/a> wasn\u2019t prepared for some of the food she would be offered while taking part in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals<\/a> tournament in Shenzen, China.<\/p>\n

She apparently was also not expecting the backlash she faced after she posted her criticism of some of the local dishes \u2014 which included bullfrogs, turtles, sea cucumbers and, in her words, \u201can animal lung\u201d that was \u201csliced up\u201d and on a skewer \u2014 on Instagram.<\/p>\n

Those posts have since been removed, and Townsend has posted a video on her Instagram Story<\/a> in which the world\u2019s top-ranked doubles player apologizes \u201csincerely from the bottom of my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand that I am so privileged as a professional athlete to be able to travel all around the world and experience cultural differences, which is one of the things that I love so much about what I do,\u201d Townsend said. <\/p>\n

\u201cI have had nothing but the most amazing experience and time here … and everyone has been so kind and so gracious. And the things that I said were not representative of that at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 29-year-old Townsend\u2019s name was in the headlines during last month\u2019s U.S. Open<\/a>. After Taylor defeated Latvia\u2019s Jelena Ostapenko<\/a> in the second round of the singles competition, the players appeared to have a heated discussion. <\/p>\n

Afterward, Townsend told reporters that Ostapenko \u201ctold me I have no education, no class.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ostapenko later apologized on her Instagram Story and explained that English isn\u2019t her native language. \u201cSo when I said education,\u201d Ostapenko wrote, \u201cI was speaking only about what I believe [is] tennis etiquette, but I understand how the words I used could have offended many people beyond the tennis court.\u201d<\/p>\n

Townsend is one of six players representing the U.S. in the international team tournament in Shenzen. Earlier this week, she posted video of some of the food she and her teammates had been offered, apparently as part of a buffet. She also added a video of herself from later in the evening in which she criticized some of the offerings.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m honestly just so shocked I like what I saw in the dinner buffet … These people are literally killing frogs. Bull frogs. Aren\u2019t those poisonous? Like, aren\u2019t those the ones that be giving you warts and boils and stuff?\u201d Townsend said. \u201cAnd turtles? And the fact that, like, it\u2019s all stewed up with, like, chilies and peppers and onions and like, \u2018Oh, you really made this a dish?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then you got the sea cucumbers just staring there, like with the noodles, the only thing that we eat. So all in all, gotta give this like a solid 2 out of 10 so far, because this is crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

One portion of the video, which showed portions of the buffet spread, featured the caption, \u201cThis is the craziest thing I\u2019ve ever seen … and people are eating this,\u201d followed by emojis of a melting face and a face screaming in fear.<\/p>\n

The comments went viral on Chinese social media, with many commenters slamming Townsend as culturally insensitive.<\/p>\n

Townsend\u2019s apology comes as the U.S. prepares to face Kazakhstan on Thursday in the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just truly wanted to apologize,\u201d Townsend said in the new video. \u201cThere\u2019s no excuse, there\u2019s no words, and for me, I just \u2014 I will be better.\u201d<\/p>\n