Why Did Taylor Townsend Withdraw? China Open Exit & Controversy Explored

A few days ago, Taylor Townsend found herself in quite a twist as she geared up to play the Billie Jean King Cup with Team USA. The drama exploded on social media, forcing the American to apologize on her IG story once again. Still, the apology didn’t wipe the slate clean. As she walked onto the BJK Cup stage, a chorus of boos met her, and the fans disapproved of her stance. Unfortunately, Team USA lost in the finals, but when that chapter closed, many thought Townsend would move on. But looks like there’s more to this story!

Ahead of the China Open, which kicks off on September 25, Townsend has reportedly pulled out of the tournament in Beijing with an ankle injury. She will probably miss the Wuhan and Ningbo Opens as well. Officially, she says injury is the reason. Yet whispers suggest the controversy from the BJK Cup Quarterfinals still lingers and might play a role. So what really happened?

It all started on September 16, when Townsend hoped to finish her season strong. With Team USA set for the Billie Jean King Cup quarterfinals in Shenzhen, the focus should’ve been on tennis. Instead, dinner stole the spotlight. Townsend took one look at the buffet and fired off on Instagram: “What the hell… turtle and bullfrog is WILD.” She didn’t stop there, later adding in a video, “These people are literally killing frogs, bullfrogs. Aren’t those the ones that give you warts and boils and stuff?”

Her story kept rolling. She posted the chef’s recommendations—bruised soft-shelled turtle with fish maw and dry pot bullfrog. Shaking her head at the spread, she wrote, “This is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen… and people eating this… Imma have to talk to HR.. because what the hell.. turtle and bullfrog is wild.”

Later, Townsend looped in teammate Hailey Baptiste. Still in disbelief, she told her followers, “You guys, this is crazy. This angle is f***ing nuts. This is crazy! I’ve never seen one of these up close, especially not to eat. That is crazy.” Fans online weren’t impressed and quickly lit up social media. The backlash was sharp, leaving Townsend eager to set things right.

Taylor Townsend issued an apology that wasn’t well-received

A day after the controversy sparked on social media, Townsend returned to Instagram to address it directly. “I just wanted to come on here and apologize sincerely from the bottom of my heart,” she said, acknowledging her privilege as an athlete able to travel and embrace cultural differences.

She added, “Everyone has been so kind and so gracious. And the things that I said were not representative of that at all. And I just truly wanted to apologize. There’s no excuse, there are no words. And for me, I just, I will be better.” The words were quick, heartfelt, and sincere. Still, the clips that started it all showed exactly why the criticism had been so swift.

By Thursday, September 18, the reaction moved from online to courtside. The reception turned cold as the doubles world no.2 walked into Shenzhen Bay Sports Center with Jessica Pegula. Boos and jeers rang out from the stands. Although Taylor Townsend didn’t flinch, she kept calm, made her way to the bench, unpacked her kit, and got ready for the match. But from the sound of it, repairing her image will take more than just an apology.

Now, with her out of the China Open and possibly the rest of the Asian swing, who really knows what comes next for the American? Will she make a return soon, or will she finally address the issue head-on? Share your thoughts in the comments below.