US Tennis Star sorry for “offensive” comments on Chinese food

American tennis star Taylor Townsend apologized after coming for the comments she expressed on social media about Chinese food.

The 29-year-old guy, who is in the Chinese city of Shenzhen for the Billy King Cup final, posted a video on Instagram, in which she talked about dishes, turtles and sea cucumber, saying, “This is the most mad thing I’ve ever seen … Imo must talk to Hr … (eat) turtles.”

She quickly faced the reaction to the English and Chinese social media platforms.

Ms Townsnd, which is the highest rating in the world, later apologized, saying: “No excuses, no words, and I will be better for me.”

“I understand that I am so privileged as a professional athlete to be able to travel around the world and experience cultural differences, which is one of the things I love so much about what I do,” she said in an Instagram on Wednesday, adding that she has “the most amazing experience” in the tournament.

Townsnd was the day earlier to share her reaction to some food she saw at the restaurant, including dishes such as a stewed soft turtle and a dry pot.

They are considered traditional delicacies in China, especially in the south.

“These people literally kill the frogs … Bulls. Isn’t it poisonous? Are you not the ones who give you warts, boils and things?

She also posted another video where she seemed to be in the Swedish table with her Hale Batista teammates, and they mocked marine cucumbers.

She was quickly summoned in social media.

“There will be no taylor here, obviously abusive and shocked not by understanding (that), there are different cultures except the US,” said one of the users on X.

“It’s really offensive to mocking the cultural food of other people,” another said.

Chinese social media quickly covered her comments, and the hashtag “American tennis player publicly insults Chinese food”, which started trending.

“If you go abroad, respect local customs and culture. You can choose it not to eat. You don’t need to humiliate our food,” said one of the comments.

The last reaction comes less than a month after Ms Townsend entered a hot confrontation with her Latvian competitor Jalen Ostapenko, in which the latter said she had “No class” and “without education”.

Ms. Ostapenko apologized, but denied to be racist, saying that her comments referred to the etiquette of tennis. “But I understand how the words used could offend many people outside the tennis court,” she wrote in an Instagram.

Ms Townsend and her teammates should face Kazakhstan on a quarter finals on Thursday.