Tennis Star Apologizes After Striking Racist Pose Amid China Open

Spanish tennis player Paula Badosa has reportedly apologized after she was criticized for pulling the corners of her eyes with chopsticks while visiting China to compete in tournaments.

Badosa’s coach, Pol Toledo Bagué, posted a since-deleted photo to his Instagram page over the weekend showing Badosa making the pose, according to media coverage of the incident. He purportedly tagged the account of the China Open tournament.

Badosa, who was defeated in Saturday’s China Open semifinals by American Coco Gauff, responded to accusations of racism in an Instagram comment.

“Never thought it would get interpreted this way [and] we weren’t even imitating asian people. I was playing around with my face and wrinkles,” she reportedly wrote. “I love Asia ... and have plenty of asian friends. They are the kindest.”

She was slated to compete Tuesday at the Wuhan Open tournament, but withdrew at the last minute, citing gastrointestinal illness.

Ahead of her withdrawal, she had posted an apology to social media.

“Really sorry [I] didn’t know this was offensive towards racism,” she wrote , according to screenshots circulating online. “My mistake. I take full responsibility. This mistakes will make me learn for next time. Hope you understand.... I love you all.”

That message also seems to have been deleted. On Wednesday, she posted a smiling selfie and a video of herself dancing to her Instagram stories.

Badosa did not immediately return HuffPost’s request for comment.

Spain was involved in a similar incident in China in 2008, when Beijing hosted the Summer Olympics. Members of the European country’s basketball teams were pictured pulling their eyes to the side in an advertisement published in a popular Spanish newspaper. Separately, players and staff members from the Spanish tennis federation were also photographed making the racist gesture.