US tennis star Taylor Townsend issued a groveling apology as she backtracked from her ‘classless’ verdict on Chinese cuisine.
The 29-year-old, who found herself at the center of a racism storm during the US Open last month after opponent Jelena Ostapenko attacked her for having ‘no class’ and ‘no education,’ is in Shenzhen, China for the Billie Jean King Cup this week.
However, Townsend sparked fury of her own ahead of the USA’s quarterfinal tie after she shared her distaste for the traditional Chinese served at the tournament’s gala.
Fans quickly sparked backlash over the ‘offensive’ and ‘super ignorant’ comments and now Townsend has taken to social media to apologize for the remarks.
In an Instagram story on Tuesday night, Townsend said: “Hi, everybody, I just wanted to come on here and apologize sincerely 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 things that love much about what do, and I have had nothing but the most amazing and time here.
Tennis star Taylor Townsend has apologized for her criticisms of Chinese food on social media
The tennis star shared her disgusted reaction to the speciality dishes at the tournament gala
‘Everyone has been so kind, so gracious and the things that I said were not representative of that at all. I just truly wanted to apologize.
‘There is no excuse, no words. For me, I will be better. I’m really thankful my country to be able to represent them. To be better that’s all that I can do.
Earlier on Tuesday, Townsend had shared a series of Instagram stories sharing her surprised and disgusted reaction to the speciality dishes on offer at the event, including sea cucumber, turtle and bullfrog.
In a series of Instagram posts, Townsend shared a video of herself examining the buffet before she zoomed in on the sea cucumber asking, ‘What the hell?’
Alongside a separate clip of the dish, Townsend wrote: ‘This is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen .. and people eating this.’
The tennis player later returned to her Instagram to expand on her criticism, delivering a brutal review of the cuisine.
‘I’m honestly just so shocked at what I saw in the dinner buffet,’ she said. ‘As I go back and I look… these people are literally killing frogs… bullfrogs. Aren’t those poisonous? Aren’t those the ones that give you warts and boils and stuff?
‘And the fact that it’s all stewed up with chillies, peppers, and onions. Like oh, you really made this a dish. All in all I’d give this like a solid 2 out of 10 so far, because this is crazy.’
In a series of Instagram stories, Townsend questioned the cuisine on offer to the players
Fans quickly sparked backlash over the ‘offensive’ and ‘super ignorant’ comments
Tennis fans were left outraged by Townsend’s comments with many branding them ‘super ignorant’ on social media.
‘This is very offensive, to mock other people’s cultural food,’ one fan wrote on X.
‘Won’t defend Taylor here, clearly offensive and shows a lack of understanding there are different cultures other than USA…,’ one supporter admitted, as a disappointed third added: ‘Damn taylor, you can do better.’
Meanwhile, another asked: ‘Taylor Townsend calling Chinese people “these people” while making fun of/being disgusted at Chinese food and delicacies. Is that racist?’
The fury comes less than a month after Townsend found herself the victim in racism scandal at the US Open.
Townsend, who is black, had an intense back and forth with Ostapenko after beating her in straight sets in New York City, with her opponent attacking her for having ‘no class’ and ‘no education’ when they shook hands.
The world No 26 has denied that her comments were racist, instead stressing that she was referencing tennis etiquette amid a dispute over a shot which clipped the net before she lost the point.
She was at the center of a US Open racism storm after being attacked by Jelena Ostapenko
Ostapenko told Townsend that she had ‘no class’ and ‘no education’ when they shook hands
After being accused of racism, Ostapenko initially rejected those allegations in her first response on social media, before she took to Instagram for a second time on Saturday to issue an apology.
‘English is not my native language, so when I said education, I was speaking only about what I believe as tennis etiquette, but I understand how the words I used could have offended many people beyond the tennis court,’ she said in the apology.
However, Townsend later said she was unaware of Ostapenko’s post, while adding that she is yet to hear from her since the controversial end to their match.
‘The fact of the matter is, like I said the other day, I’m still playing, so I don’t have time to be tapped in on what she’s got going on and what she says,’ the 29-year-old explained, via The New York Post. ‘I had a job to do today. Got it done in the doubles.’
