By Aliasgar Ayaz

Copyright sportskeeda

Serena Williams’ former coach, Rennae Stubbs, criticized Taylor Townsend for her controversial remarks about Chinese food. Stubbs admitted that everyone makes mistakes, but people have to be particularly careful about what they put out on social media. Townsend sparked controversy during the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup in Shenzhen after posting Instagram videos seemingly mocking Chinese dishes like bullfrogs, soft-shelled turtles, and sea cucumbers. It landed the American in huge controversy weeks after her heated exchange with Jelena Ostapenko.Speaking about it during her podcast, Stubbs said (from 22:40):”There was a couple of things that she particularly made fun of. Not gonna lie, it didn’t look great either….”Stubbs, who has trained the likes of Serena Williams and Eugenie Bouchard, reflected on the responsibility that comes with having a large platform. She said athletes need to think carefully about what their words and posts might imply.”I think the problem is when you have a platform, and when you have a large platform, and you go on your TikToks and your Instagrams, and look, we’ve all done it. We’ve all f***ed up. We’ve all put sh*t out that we probably regret putting out at some point,” Serena Williams’ ex-coach, Rennae Stubbs, added.Using the example of unusual foods like frogs, she explained that while such things may not appeal to everyone, it’s better to keep those reactions private.”Go to your team dinners. I’ve been to many at BJK Cup, and you can laugh about stuff and say whatever you want to your fellow teammates and your team. But you have to be real careful what you put out,” she said.Townsend’s latest controversy came just weeks after her heated exchange with Ostapenko at the US Open, where the Latvian accused Townsend of having “no class” and “no education.” These remarks drew accusations of racial insensitivity. In response to the recent backlash, Townsend soon issued an apology.In light of Taylor Townsend’s controversy, Serena Williams’ ex-coach reveals what happened to her during a lunch in BarcelonaRennae Stubbs and Serena Williams at the US Open 2022 – Source: GettyIn light of the controversy Taylor Townsend found herself in China, as part of her warning about the responsibility that comes with a big platform, Serena Williams’ ex-coach, Rennae Stubbs, recalled a personal story. She told how, once at lunch in Barcelona, Conchita Martínez urged her to try a dish.”I went to lunch with Conchita Martínez in Barcelona one time and she was ordering all this food and then she’s like, ‘Try this,’ and I ate it and she goes, ‘That’s pigs blood.’ I go, ‘Excuse me?’ She told me what it was and I was like I wanna die,” Stubbs said.She used the story to reiterate her message that everyone slips up online, but public figures must think twice before posting their reactions.Regarding on-court matters, Team USA qualified for the semifinals of the Billie Jean King Cup event. Emma Navarro defeated Yulia Putintseva to give USA the lead against Kazakhstan before World No. 10 Elena Rybakina leveled the proceedings after a convincing victory over World No. 7 Jessica Pegula. In the deciding doubles encounter, Pegula and Townsend claimed victory. Team USA will take on Great Britain in the semifinal.