Well, this was the most unexpected surprise that Taylor Townsend could’ve imagined going into the Asian Swing. After a largely successful time at American hard courts, where she won the Citi Open doubles title, along with reaching the finals of the Canadian Open and the US Open in women’s doubles, Townsend was looking to finish off her season on a high. Moreover, the stakes are higher for her country, which is due to play in the Billie Jean King Cup quarterfinal tie in Shenzhen, China. However, Townsend wasn’t very happy with the dinner menu there as she lashed out over strange food choices.

Earlier today, Townsend shared a series of stories on her official Instagram handle, showing the chef’s recommendation for dinner. It had a bruised soft-shelled turtle with fish maw and dry pot bullfrog. Looking visibly stunned at these recommendations, Townsend couldn’t help but call out these strange choices. In the caption, 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.”

In another story, Townsend is seen discussing these dishes with her teammate, Hailey Baptiste. Townsend went on to say, “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.” After an eventful evening, Townsend reflected on the most bizarre thing she had witnessed, saying, “As I go back on my Instagram stories and I look and I’m like, ‘These people are really literally killing bullfrogs, aren’t those poisonous? Aren’t those the ones that are giving you warts and boils? And turtles?’ And the fact that it’s all stewed up with like chilies, peppers, and onions. Like, ‘Oh, you really made this a dish.'”

Meanwhile, the United States will face Kazakhstan in the last eight clash of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. Townsend will spearhead her country’s challenge there, and she will look to put the controversial outing today behind her as she takes to the court. Ever since coming back from maternity leave, Townsend has grown in confidence, and it was well evident after her controversial win over Jelena Ostapenko at the US Open.

Taylor Townsend’s self-belief is the key to success

During the US Open second round, Townsend shocked the 25th seed Ostapenko in straight sets. The latter wasn’t too happy with Townsend’s behavior during the match and had a confrontation with her after the match. However, Townsend kept her calm and let her racket do the talking. After the encounter, the American star revealed what led to her success in a steamy encounter as this.

She said, “I’m proud of myself for the way that I was able to be mentally tough and stay locked in in the moments that matter. I know that I’m a fantastic tennis player, and I know that I have a lot of things that I want to accomplish, and this is another stepping stone. It’s another brick that I’m laying on my foundation or on my road to greatness.”

With Townsend in good form, she would look to lead her country to glory at the Billie Jean King Cup. The tie against Kazakhstan is scheduled for tomorrow. Can she finish off her season on a high? Let us know your views in the comments below.