American tennis star Taylor Townsend has issued a public apology following widespread criticism over her remarks about Chinese cuisine during her stay in Shenzhen for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. The 29-year-old, currently the world’s top-ranked doubles player, sparked a social media uproar after sharing videos on Instagram expressing her disbelief over dishes featuring frogs, turtles, and sea cucumber. In her posts, she described the meals as ‘crazy’ and ‘wild,’ even joking about needing to ‘talk to HR.’ Her comments quickly drew backlash on both English and Chinese social media platforms. In a subsequent video posted on Wednesday, Townsend expressed remorse, stating, ‘There’s no excuse, there’s no words, and, for me, I will be better.’ She emphasized her privilege as a professional athlete to experience diverse cultures and acknowledged the ‘most amazing experience’ at the tournament. Earlier, Townsend had shared her reactions to traditional Chinese delicacies like braised soft-shell turtle with fish maw and dry pot bullfrog, questioning their safety and giving the dishes a low rating. Her teammate Hailey Baptiste also appeared in a video mocking a sea cucumber dish. The backlash intensified as Chinese social media users condemned her remarks, with hashtags like ‘American tennis player publicly insults Chinese food’ trending. Many called for greater cultural sensitivity, urging respect for local customs. This incident follows a recent confrontation between Townsend and Latvian player Jelena Ostapenko, who accused her of lacking ‘class’ and ‘education.’ Townsend and her team are set to face Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals on Thursday.