Tennis Prose




Nov/21

15

Tennis World Unites Against Communist China

LAST week former WTA no. 1 doubles player Peng Shuai announced on social media that she was sexually assaulted by a top communist on more than one occasion.

Since the shocking revelations by the 35 year old former Wimbledon and Roland Garros doubles champion, she has apparently vanished and the story allegedly wiped off Chinese social media.

Speculation is that Peng’s accusations against a powerful communist provoked the customary severe retaliation and that she is being held in captivity, dead or perhaps undergoing “re-education” like the Ali Baba billionaire Jack Ma did earlier this year after making some public comments that Communist Party of China disapproved of.

The ATP has declared support for Peng:

Andrea Gaudenzi ATP Chairman: “There is nothing more important to us than the safety of our tennis community. We have been deeply concerned by the uncertainty surrounding the immediate safety and whereabouts of WTA player Peng Shuai. We are encouraged by the recent assurances received by WTA that she is safe and accounted for and will continue to monitor the situation closely. Separately, we stand in full support of WTAโ€™s call for a full, fair and transparent investigation into allegations of sexual assault carried out against Peng Shuai.”

The WTA has sought to make contact with Peng but has failed thus far…

Steve Simon WTA CEO: “We’ve reached out to all our contacts, all our team, all our WTA athletes from the region who have relationships with her and we’ve heard the same from everybody: that they haven’t been able to reach her directly.”

Statement by Steve Simon, WTA Chairman & CEO:

“The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts.
I have a hard time believing that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received or believes what is being attributed to her. Peng Shuai displayed incredible courage in describing an allegation of sexual assault against a former top official in the Chinese government. The WTA and the rest of the world need independent and verifiable proof that she is safe. I have repeatedly tried to reach her via numerous forms of communications, to no avail. Peng Shuai must be allowed to speak freely, without coercion or intimidation from any source. Her allegation of sexual assault must be respected, investigated with full transparency and without censorship.
The voices of women need to be heard and respected, not censored nor dictated to.”

A number of players have expressed their concern for Peng but so far there hasn’t been any confirmation she is alive or in captivity.

It will be very interesting to see how much pressure the united tennis world directs at the CCP regarding Peng’s safety and freedom. It’s more than possible the WTA and ATP can sever all business relations with China until Peng’s safety is confirmed.

But would the tennis world risk a considerable portion of business revenues and prosperous territory – all for a single, sole, semi-retired player?

Check out my Biofile interview with Peng Shuai

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15 comments

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 17, 2021 at 3:59 pm

    Will be interesting to see how hard the American media will pressure China here. Because the communist takeover of America is in the process and the communists who aim to control America plan on doing to Americans just what China is doing to Peng Shuai. Let’s see if the American tennis figures who were so quick to blast Margaret Court and Tennys Sandgren are also so aggressive to criticize communist china.

  • Sam · November 18, 2021 at 2:19 am

    Will be interesting to see how hard the American media will pressure China here.

    American media. China.

    You mean there’s a difference?? ๐Ÿ˜

    The quotes from those tennis authorities above sound promising, but would they really put their money where their mouth is? I’m skeptical. ๐Ÿ˜›

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 18, 2021 at 8:01 am

    Sam, Can see the American media flushing the Shuai story down the memory hole in a week or two. Communists stick together.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 18, 2021 at 3:05 pm

    After reading the original translated Peng post on weibo (since deleted), not so sure she is the victim everyone is portraying her as. She admits she loved the Vice premier and she willingly went back the second time. https://www.reddit.com/r/tennis/comments/qwj076/complete_translation_of_%E5%BD%AD%E5%B8%A5_peng_shuais_deleted/

  • Bill McGill · November 19, 2021 at 2:24 pm

    So…I just read a reliable interpretation of her Weibo post and I don’t understand how all these mainstream media publications got comfortable with describing that as an allegation of sexual assault. It’s no such thing. Media standards are just embarrassing.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 19, 2021 at 2:48 pm

    Agree Bill, the media automatically set the narrative, bad rich powerful man exploit poor nice girl. If her original post is true, she said she was in love with him and felt compatible despite the presence of the wife. Then when he abandoned her she counterattacked with the public disclosure and complaining and crying assault. Peng is one of my favorite players, have interviewed her many times, but not sure if I support her here. Sounds like she was going for his money and power and when that pursuit failed, she came out guns blazing with a vengeance.

  • Sam · November 19, 2021 at 9:18 pm

    Scoop, the whole situation seems kind of complicated. When a powerful Chinese leader invites you over, can you really say “no” without fearing for your life? ๐Ÿค”

    I’m honestly not sure what to think. But regardless, it’s definitely not okay for the Chinese authorities to make her vanish.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 19, 2021 at 9:33 pm

    Sam, Roberto Duran was invited to Cuba by Fidel Castro in the 70s at the height of his career, and he didn’t want to go but reluctantly did because he knew he had to. Duran’s son told me this story. You’re right, when powerful figures send an invite, one should accept and attend. Definitely illegal and evil to vanish Peng because of this drama, but the communists do this to many powerful figures who get out of line. Jack Ma recently disappeared and so did another wealthy woman, which I read in a two page NY Post story not long ago. This is normal for the Communist China culture. While we disagree with it, it’s not our business. The wta is putting heavy leverage on CCP to release and show us Peng is safe. If they fail to do so, they will lose a lot or all of their wta business. I suspect she will be released soon and she will amend her story and the story will fade away in a week or two.

  • Sam · November 20, 2021 at 1:49 pm

    Interesting story, Scoop, about Roberto Duran.

    This is normal for the Communist China culture. While we disagree with it, itโ€™s not our business.

    Well, we can speak out strongly against it at least, and do everything in our power to make them “pay.” Practically speaking, that means refusing (as much as possible) to buy stuff that’s made in China. ๐Ÿšซ

    I hope Peng gets released soon. Even if she “amends” her story, everyone with half a brain will know what’s going on.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 20, 2021 at 5:25 pm

    Sam, not sure Peng is being honest and it this is the old hell hath no fury like that of a scorned woman. Need to hear the HIS side of the story. Women have been knows to lie or embellish these personal matters when things don’t go the way they wanted – Tawana Brawley, Duke lacrosse team accuser, Robin Givens,

  • Sam · November 20, 2021 at 8:30 pm

    Scoop, yes, maybe Peng’s not being completely honest. But would you really expect to get the truth from an evil, top Chinese official? That’s almost like asking to hear “Bill Clinton’s side of the story.” ๐Ÿ˜†

    I’m not sure we’ll ever know the full truth. Anyway, the main thing is that Peng be released and safe.

  • Douglas Day · November 20, 2021 at 8:41 pm

    Quite the totalitarian “Me Too” twist going on. Can you really trust any of these sources to be Peng at all? Can you trust Peng not to be the woman scorned? Scoop you dished this up right but what are the odds people EVER return from this?

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 20, 2021 at 9:54 pm

    Sam, one of her friends shared some current photos of her at home a few days ago, she looked in good spirits. If the photos are to be believed. My gut feeling says she’s fine and all this will be worked out (negotiated settlement?) soon and the storm will pass. Then it will be back to Zverev and Djokovic bashing by the media.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 20, 2021 at 9:56 pm

    Bill Clinton lost all credibility after his 25th trip to Epstein Island. I see Peng returning with a big smile and informing us it was all a big misunderstanding and everything gonna be all right. Then she’ll open up an academy or something.

  • Sam · November 21, 2021 at 4:36 am

    You could be right about Peng, Scoop, but I’ve heard some people say that her friends still can’t contact her. So, at this point, who knows what’s really true?

    As for Clinton, I wouldn’t be surprised if the top Chinese officials are doing similar stuff. ๐Ÿคฎ

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