Taylor Townsend Deletes ‘Nasty’ and ‘Racially Insensitive’ Comments on Chinese Cuisine, Sends Apology

American doubles star Taylor Townsend sparked controversy after expressing her bewilderment at the dinner options in Shenzhen, China, ahead of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. Her blunt remarks about the local cuisine triggered widespread backlash on social media, prompting her to issue an apology.

Team USA had arrived at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center ahead of their quarterfinal clash with Kazakhstan. What began as Townsend casually filming her reactions to the buffet’s local dishes later snowballed into controversy online.

How did Taylor Townsend Spark Controversy After Her Dinner Buffet Remarks at the Billie Jean King Cup?

Accompanied by teammate Hailey Baptiste, the doubles World No. 1 explored the buffet, making candid remarks as she filmed a sea cucumber and expressed surprise.

“You guys, this is crazy. This angle is (expletive) nuts. This is crazy! I’ve never seen one of these up close, especially not to eat. That is crazy,” she said in one of her stories.

Townsend continued to express her astonishment at the dining experience, raising concerns about the safety and preparation of certain seafood and meat dishes like turtles and bullfrogs.

“As I go back on my Instagram stories and I look and I’m like, ‘These people are really literally killing bullfrogs, aren’t those poisonous? Aren’t those the ones that are giving you warts and boils? And turtles?’ And the fact that it’s all stewed up with like chilies, peppers, and onions. Like, ‘Oh, you really made this a dish,” Townsend said in her Instagram story.

Check out the now-deleted Instagram stories below:

The clips… pic.twitter.com/N1oRU084kC

— Gaby S. (@gabyserrar) September 16, 2025

While Townsend freely shared her opinions, she was unaware that her remarks would soon land her in trouble. Her comments drew widespread criticism on social media, with many condemning her complaints as ‘nasty’ and dismissive of dishes considered local delicacies and staples in China. Several users even accused her of racism over her remarks.

In fact, some even revisited her past controversy with Jelena Ostapenko at the US Open, accusing Townsend of double standards in light of what she had once alleged against the Latvian.

What Did Taylor Townsend Have To Say in the Wake of the Billie Jean King Cup Controversy?

However, Townsend swiftly expressed remorse, issuing a public apology for her comments made during the Billie Jean King Cup team dinner.

“Hi everybody, I just wanted to come on here and sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart. I 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 I love so much about what I do,” she said in her Instagram story.

The American further clarified that she had a wonderful experience at the venue thanks to the kindness of the people, stressing that her comments did not reflect that. She admitted there was no excuse for what she said and reaffirmed her apology.

“There’s no excuse, there are no words. For me, I just have to be better. I’m really, really thankful to my country for giving me the opportunity to represent them and to grow from this. That’s all I can do. So I just truly apologize,” she added.

“There’s no excuse…I will be better.”

Taylor Townsend has posted an apology video to her IG stories after facing backlash for earlier comments on Chinese cuisine pic.twitter.com/7uReGdgpqk
— Christian’s Court (@christianscourt) September 16, 2025

This wasn’t the first instance of a tennis player’s comments stirring controversy in Asia. Just last year, Paula Badosa and Magda Linette faced backlash for allegedly mocking Asian culture.