Chinese tennis star denies assault claim

Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai told a Singaporean Chinese-language newspaper she never said or wrote that anyone assaulted her. In the video interview with Lianhe Zaobao, Peng answered questions while attending a freestyle ski competition at a promotional event in Shanghai for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games. Peng, who had largely disappeared from the public eye for several weeks, said she has mainly stayed at home in Beijing but can still move around freely. In a November post on Weibo social media that was swiftly deleted, the Grand Slam doubles champion had previously accused former Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of forcing her into sexual relations with him amid a yearslong affair. 

What is the reaction to her latest comments? The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) welcomed Peng’s appearance in public but said it did not alleviate concerns over her freedom to communicate without censorship. After her initial disappearance, Chinese state media released photos of her and an email in which Peng purportedly said she was fine and free. The WTA suspended its tournaments in China over the issue and called for an investigation into Peng’s original claims.

Dig deeper: Read Erica Kwong’s report about Peng’s disappearance.