US tennis star Taylor Townsend is facing backlash over for her ‘classless’ verdict on Chinese cuisine. 

The 29-year-old player, who was embroiled in a racism controversy during the US Open last month after her opponent Jelena Ostapenko criticized her for having ‘no class’ and ‘no education,’ is currently in Shenzhen, China for the Billie Jean King Cup this week.

The Billie Jean King Cup Finals are being hosted in Asia for the first time since 1989, with Townsend joining the American team alongside Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro, McCartney Kessler, and Hailey Baptiste.

However, Townsend has stirred up some controversy of her own before the USA’s quarterfinal match by expressing her displeasure with the traditional Chinese dishes served at the tournament’s gala.

The doubles World No 1 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. 

Townsend first shared a video of herself and teammate Baptiste examining the buffet before she zoomed in on the sea cucumber asking, ‘What the hell?’ 

Taylor Townsend is facing backlash over for her ‘classless’ verdict on Chinese cuisine

She was at the center of a US Open racism storm after being attacked by Jelena Ostapenko

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.’

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?’

Tennis fans were left outraged by Townsend’s comments with many branding them ‘ignorant’

‘I’ve watched stories on Taylor Townsend IG. It was disgusting,’ another furious social media user posted. ‘DO NOT MOCK OTHER’S CULTURE!! If you don’t want to eat something, just leave it. Nobody forced you eating them.’

‘Oh Taylor… all the time I’ve spent fighting people on your behalf and you turn around and post this ignorant s***,’ a seemingly defeated fan fumed.

Another agreed, chiming by saying: ‘ignorant and disrespectful, i’m disappointed in her ngl.’

‘She doesn’t have to like the local cuisine but going to another country and then mocking the food she’s been welcomed with is so disrespectful and simply lacks good manners,’ added another, ‘”These people”‘

Townsend later took to social media to apologize ‘sincerely from the bottom of my heart’ for her comments. 

‘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 the things that I love so much about what I do,’ she said in a video shared to Instagram. 

‘I have had noting but the most amazing experiences and time here. The tournament and everyone has been so kind and so gracious. The things that I said were not representative of that at all. 

‘I just wanted to truly apologize. There’s no excuse. There’s no words. For me, I will be better. I’m really thankful to my country to be able to represent them.’

Ostapenko told Townsend that she had ‘no class’ and ‘no education’ when they shook hands

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.

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.’

‘I have a goal while I’m here. I said it [Friday], just keeping the main thing the main thing, which is I’m here to continue to grow as a player and play my best tennis and put that on display. Anything that gets in the way of that has got to go. So I haven’t seen anything. I didn’t know what she said. But I’m still here, so I’m glad that she has the time to be able to do that.’ 

When told about her online apology, Townsend continued about Ostapenko: ‘That’s nice that she did that, that she apologized; that’s fine. That’s cool.

‘At the end of the day, it’s a learning lesson for her. Like I said… you cannot push your expectations on other people. That’s ultimately what happened.

‘She expected me to react a certain type of way; and I didn’t, and it infuriated her. Which led her to say things that are hurtful, that are belligerent, that are offensive, not only to me, but to the sport and to a whole culture of people that I try to do my best to represent the best that I can.’