American tennis star Taylor Townsend apologizes for comments on Chinese food

American tennis player Taylor Townsend apologized Wednesday over comments she made about Chinese food that many criticized as culturally insensitive.

HONG KONG — American tennis player Taylor Townsend apologized Wednesday over comments she made about Chinese food that many criticized as culturally insensitive.

Townsend, who is in the Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen for the finals of the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup, came under fire after she expressed shock and confusion at local delicacies served at a buffet including bullfrogs and soft-shelled turtles.

“What the hell?” Townsend, 29, said of sea cucumbers that were among the dishes available in a video posted on her Instagram account that has since been deleted. “This is crazy. I have never seen one of these up close, especially not to eat.”

In another video, Townsend questioned whether the bullfrogs offered at the buffet were “poisonous” and would cause “warts and boils.”

Fried bullfrog for sale at a night market.wulingyun / Getty Images file“These people are literally killing frogs, bullfrogs,” the two-time Grand Slam doubles champion said, also expressing disbelief at the sight of animal organs including chicken hearts, gizzards and a “big-ass” sliced lung.