Tennis fans recently reacted to Taylor Townsend’s withdrawal from the 2025 China Open and other tournaments in the country. Many speculated that her decision was influenced by her public rant about Chinese food during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen, where she was later accused of racism.
Townsend, who was part of Team USA at the BJK Cup Finals, expressed her dislike for the food served at a team dinner, specifically criticizing dishes that included bullfrogs and turtles, among others.
How Did Tennis Fans React to Taylor Townsend’s Withdrawals From Tournaments in China?
Following this incident, the former doubles World No. 1 received widespread criticism, and she was even booed by the crowd when she entered the court for a doubles match against Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals. Following this backlash, she issued an apology for her remarks regarding Chinese cuisine.
Townsend was scheduled to participate in the Asian swing of the Tour, starting with the 2025 China Open in Beijing. However, it was recently reported that she has withdrawn from that tournament and all events in China due to an ankle injury.
Since Townsend’s withdrawal, fans have taken to social media to share their opinions, suggesting that her exit was not merely due to an injury but rather a reaction to the criticism she faced for her comments about Chinese food.
One fan remarked that the backlash made Townsend “run out of China.”
“Not they ran her out of China 😅 ,” a fan posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Another fan jokingly noted that Townsend wouldn’t return to China even if offered a large sum of money. This fan also expressed hope that the former doubles World No. 1 would learn from and grow from the experience.
“This girl is not putting a foot in China even if the WTA pays her 100M USD, i’m crying 😭😭😭… hope she learns and changes for the better,” a fan wrote.
“She hurt it while running away from the Chinese buffet,” a fan posted.
“Nice injury coverup lool. She’s cancelled anyway,” a fan wrote.
“Injury because : “I am so ashamed and don’t wan to be booed again by the audience” was too long,” a fan posted.
“she knows she’s gonna get booed every match that’s why,” a fan wrote.
Interestingly, in 2024, Paula Badosa faced backlash for sharing a picture of herself that mocked Asian culture. Following the controversy, she withdrew from the Wuhan Open, citing a gastrointestinal illness, though some speculated that her withdrawal was also linked to the negative reactions she received.
