"Chinese Food Is Crazy, Only Noodles Are Edible"... American Tennis Player's Controversial Remarks

Criticizes Chinese Cuisine as "Wild" and "Crazy"
Apologizes, Saying "It Was Not My True Intention" After Backlash

An American tennis player sparked controversy after criticizing Chinese cuisine while participating in a tournament held in Shenzhen, China.

Tyler Townsend, a 29-year-old American tennis player and the world No. 1 in doubles. Tyler Townsend Instagram

On September 16 (local time), Tyler Townsend (29), an American tennis player and currently the world's No. 1 ranked doubles player, posted a message on his social media criticizing Chinese dishes served at a hotel buffet in Shenzhen. Townsend is currently representing the United States at the Billie Jean King Cup being held in Shenzhen.

In the video, Townsend expressed disgust toward uniquely Chinese dishes such as turtle, bullfrog, sea cucumber, and chicken organs (liver and heart). He described the frog dish as "seeming poisonous," and disparaged the turtle as "wild and crazy." He described the chicken organs as "looking like organs piled up outside." He gave all of these dishes a score of only 2 out of 10, saying, "The only thing worth eating is the noodles."

Townsend also posted separately, calling it "the craziest food I've ever seen," and added, "But people actually eat this."

American tennis player Tyler Townsend is facing criticism after posting content on his social media that criticizes Chinese cuisine. Tyler Townsend Instagram

Chinese netizens criticized these remarks as "racist and disrespectful." They referenced a previous incident at last month's US Open in New York, where Latvian tennis player Jelena Ostapenko criticized Townsend as "lacking class and manners," and called it an "accurate point."

As the controversy grew, Townsend eventually apologized, saying, "It was not my true intention." He stated, "It is an honor to travel the world and experience cultural differences, and the tournament officials have been extremely kind," adding, "My remarks do not reflect my true feelings."

However, Chinese netizens pointed out that Townsend did not specify the reason for his apology and merely attributed the incident to cultural differences, thereby diluting his responsibility.