Taylor Townsend apologizes for mocking Shenzhen buffet dishes

Taylor Townsend apologized Wednesday after posting a series of social media videos that mocked dishes served at a buffet in Shenzhen, China, where she is representing the United States at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. The doubles world number one filmed plates that included bullfrog, braised softshell turtle and sea cucumber in footage posted ahead of the US quarterfinal against Kazakhstan.

In the videos Townsend can be heard and seen reacting with disbelief, saying "This is the craziest thing I have ever seen" and filming a bowl of sea cucumbers. One caption read "Imma have to talk to HR.. because what the hell.. turtle and bullfrog is WILD." In another clip she said, "These people are literally killing frogs. Bullfrogs. Arent those poisonous? Arent those the ones that give you warts and boils and stuff?" She added later that the buffet was "crazy" and rated it "a solid two out of 10."

Her posts drew rapid criticism on Chinese social media, where users accused her of cultural insensitivity and a hashtag accusing an American tennis player of publicly insulting Chinese food trended with tens of millions of views, according to social media reports. Townsend, 29, posted an...