In brief
Taylor Townsend, the top-ranked American doubles player, has apologized for her derogatory comments about traditional Chinese foods, including frogs and turtles, made during her stay in Shenzhen for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. Her remarks sparked backlash on social media for cultural insensitivity, leading to trending hashtags and calls for respect towards local customs.
American tennis star Taylor Townsend has apologized after coming under fire for comments she made on social media about Chinese food. The 29-year-old, who is in the Chinese city of Shenzhen for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, had posted videos on Instagram discussing dishes featuring frogs, turtles, and sea cucumber, calling them 'crazy' and 'wild.'Immediately facing backlash on both English and Chinese social media platforms, Townsend, the world's top-ranked doubles player, later expressed her regret, stating, 'There's no excuse, there's no words and, for me, I will be better.' In a follow-up video, she acknowledged her privilege as a professional athlete to travel the world and experience cultural diversity, highlighting the amazing experiences she has had at the tournament.Her initial remarks included reactions to dishes such as braised soft-shell turtle and dry pot bullfrog, viewed as traditional delicacies in China, particularly in the south. Townsend's comments spurred outrage online, with users calling her insensitivity offensive and advocating for cultural respect.One user commented, 'When you go overseas, respect the local customs and culture. You can choose not to eat it. There is no need to belittle our food.' Notably, this incident follows a previous altercation where Townsend was involved in a heated exchange with Latvian rival Jelena Ostapenko.Townsend and her teammates are now preparing to face Kazakhstan in the quarter finals of the tournament on Thursday.
