Rory O'Callaghan
US tennis star Taylor Townsend has issued an apology for comments she made about Chinese people and their food on social media.
World number 1 female doubles player Townsend caused controversy with a series of posts while competing at the Billie Jean King Cup finals in the Chinese city of Shenzhen.
The 29-year-old shared several videos on her Instagram, saying a buffet was "the craziest thing I've ever seen... and people eating this".
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"Imma have to talk to HR... because what the hell.. turtle and bullfrog is WILD," added Townsend, who reached the fourth round of the women's singles at the US Open in New York.
Townsend added: "As I go back and I look... these people are literally killing frogs... bullfrogs. Aren't those poisonous?
"Aren't those the ones that be giving you warts and boils and stuff? And turtles? And the fact that it's all stewed up with chillies and peppers and onions.
"Like oh, you really made this a dish and then you've got the (sea) cucumbers just staring down with the noodles. The only thing we had. All in all I'd give this like a solid two out of 10 so far, because this is crazy."
Townsend was criticised by fans on social media and later issued a public apology.
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"There's no excuse, there's no words and, for me, I will be better," she said, in another video posted on Instagram.
"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 I love so much about what I do."
Townsend's comments come less than a month after she called out US Open opponent Jelena Ostapenko for accusing her of having "no class" and "no education" following her defeat to the American at Flushing Meadows.
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Ostapenko was furious with Townsend's failure to apologise for a net cord, which had occurred during the first set of their second round clash.
Her outburst at the end of the match led to accusations of racism, with Naomi Osaka saying the education comment was "one of the worst things you can say to a black tennis player in a majority white sport".
Latvia's Ostapenko denied being racist and said she "respects all nations of people in the world" while also claiming her comments were in reference to tennis etiquette.
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"But I understand how the words used could have offended many people beyond the tennis court," Ostapenko wrote on Instagram.
When she was later told about Ostapenko's apology, Townsend said: "That's nice that she did that, that she apologised; 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.
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"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."
Townsend is currently the No 1 ranked female doubles player in the world, having won this year's Australian Open with Katerina Siniakova.
The pair also reached the final of the US Open but were beaten in straight sets by Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe.
Townsend made it through to the fourth round of the women's singles in New York following her victory over Ostapenko but was beaten by Barbora Krejcikova, who saved eight match points to defeat the American.