Tennis star Taylor Townsend apologizes for comments about Chinese food

The Associated Press

· Posted: Sep 17, 2025 9:47 AM EDT | Last Updated: September 17

American tennis prima Taylor Townsend has apologized "from the bottommost of my heart" for making disparaging comments astir Chinese food.

"I conscionable genuinely wanted to apologize. There's nary excuse, determination are nary words. And for me, I just, I volition beryllium better," she said connected Instagram.

The 29-year-old, who is ranked satellite No. 1 successful doubles, is successful China for the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup Finals.

She precocious posted videos of section dishes including bullfrogs and turtles connected Wednesday. She joked she would request to "talk to HR" astir the prime of the food.

Townsend volition lineup alongside McCartney Kessler for a imaginable doubles lucifer betwixt the U.S. and Kazakhstan connected Thursday. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

But aft facing a backlash online, Townsend took to Instagram again Wednesday to apologize.

"I conscionable wanted to travel connected present and apologize sincerely from the bottommost of my heart," said Townsend, who said she understood however privileged she is arsenic a nonrecreational jock to beryllium capable to question astir the satellite and acquisition taste differences.

"(It's) 1 of the things that I emotion truthful overmuch astir what I do, and I person had thing but the astir astonishing acquisition successful clip present and the tournament," Townsend said. "Everyone has been truthful benignant and truthful gracious. And the things that I said were not typical of that astatine all."

Last period astatine the U.S. Open, Townsend got into a quality with Jelena Ostapenko. She said the Latvian subordinate told her she had "no education, nary class" aft their second-round match, which Townsend won.

Jelena Ostapenko, right, argues with Townsend pursuing their U.S. Open match. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Ostapenko aboriginal apologized connected societal media, saying English is not her archetypal connection and that erstwhile she utilized the word "education" she meant tennis etiquette. 

A newsman had asked Townsend, who is Black, whether she thought determination were radical undertones to what Ostapenko said connected the court. Townsend aboriginal said it was "great that she went to societal media and apologized."

Townsend and the United States are scheduled to play Kazakhstan successful Shenzen, China, connected Sept. 18. She'll enactment up alongside McCartney Kessler for the imaginable doubles match, with the victor moving connected to the semifinal.