Peng Shuai: WTA Chairman Steve Simon willing to pull out of China if tennis star

Peng, who is one of China’s most recognizable sports stars, has not been seen in public since she accused former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of coercing her into sex at his home, according to screenshots of a since-deleted social media post dated November 2.

The forceful intervention from Simon puts the tennis chief on a likely collision course with authorities in China, which have so far refused to publicly acknowledge Peng’s allegations. Perceived criticisms of China, which is also due to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in February, have previously resulted in significant public and political backlash, as well as loss of access.

Simon said the WTA had been in conversation with counterparts at the Chinese Tennis Association, who had provided assurances Peng was unharmed in Beijing. However, attempts to reach Peng directly had proved unsuccessful.

“We have reached out to her on every phone number and email address and other forms of contact,” he said. “There’s so many digital approaches to contact people these days that we have, and to date we still have not been able to get a response.”

The alleged email was released only on English-language platforms and domestic Chinese media have not reported on its contents, despite Peng being a household name in China.

When asked about the email, Simon questioned its veracity, describing it as a “staged statement of some type,” noting he had yet to receive a follow up reply, despite responding immediately.

“Whether she was coerced into writing it, someone wrote it for her, we don’t know,” said Simon. “But at this point I don’t think there’s any validity in it and we won’t be comfortable until we have a chance to speak with her,” he added.

Tennis’ popularity in China has grown rapidly over the past few decades, with several Chinese players breaking into the global rankings. The women’s game, in particular, is a big market, thanks in part to the success of Chinese tennis star Li Na, who in 2011 became Asia’s first grand slam singles tennis champion when she won the French Open, followed by a second major title at the 2014 Australian Open.

In recent years, the WTA has made a big push into China. In 2019, the WTA Finals relocated from Singapore to the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, entering into a lengthy ten year deal.