After making derogatory comments about Chinese food while attending the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen, American tennis player Taylor Townsend has apologized publicly.
The 29-year-old, who is now ranked #1 in the world for doubles, joked that she might need to “talk to HR” about the cuisine after sharing footage of meals including turtles and bullfrogs on social media.
Online users swiftly criticized the comments, especially considering how culturally sensitive it was to make fun of regional customs.
The Public Apology of Townsend
"There's no excuse…I will be better."
— Christian's Court (@christianscourt) September 16, 2025
Taylor Townsend has posted an apology video to her IG stories after facing backlash for earlier comments on Chinese cuisine pic.twitter.com/7uReGdgpqk
In response, Townsend posted a sincere apology on Instagram. Townsend has been in China with the U.S. team before Thursday’s quarterfinal match against Kazakhstan.
In a video apology posted on Wednesday, Townsend said, “I just wanted to come on here and sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart.”
“I understand how privileged I am as a professional athlete to be able to travel around the world and experience cultural differences,” she said, acknowledging that her remarks had been inappropriate. One of my favorite aspects of my job is that. Everyone here has been so nice and gracious, and I have had nothing except the most incredible experiences. My statements were in no way indicative of such. I really wanted to say I was sorry. There are no words or an excuse. I’ll be better.
A Trend in Media Criticism
Townsend has previously been the subject of gossip and controversy off the court.
She became embroiled in a racism incident at the 2024 US Open after claiming that tournament officials had treated her unfairly during a doubles play. Even though she eventually took back her comments, the incident generated a lot of discussion regarding racism in tennis and how players express their annoyances in public.
Her most recent remarks in China have sparked new conversations about how athletes deal with cultural differences when competing abroad.
What Townsend Will Do Next
Townsend is still a key member of the American squad in Shenzhen, where they will play Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals on Thursday, despite the controversy.
