Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai speaks to L’Equipe in first interview since sexual assault allegations

Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai has given her first interview with international media since she effectively disappeared from public view shortly after making sexual assault allegations against a former Chinese vice-premier.

The former doubles world No.1 vanished for nearly three weeks shortly after accusing former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault in a post to the Chinese social media site Weibo on November 2.

The post was deleted 30 minutes later.

In an interview with French magazine, L-Equipe, Peng addressed the allegations that made global headlines and insisted she was the one to erase the post simply: “Because I wanted to”.

The 36-year-old expressed her gratitude to those who had concerns for her wellbeing in recent months but reiterated her post had been “misunderstood” as she had told Chinese media last month.

If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your .

To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide.

“Firstly, I’d like to thank all of the many ATP and WTA players, sportspeople and leading figures who were worried about me,” she said.

“I never thought there’d be such worry, though, and I’d like to know, why was that the case?

“There was a huge misunderstanding in the outside world following this post. I don’t want the meaning of this post to be twisted anymore. And I don’t want any further media hype around it.

“Sexual assault? I never said anyone had sexually assaulted me in any way.”

She also denied that she ever disappeared.

“I never disappeared. Everyone could see me,” she said, “I never disappeared.”

“It’s just that many people, like my friends or people from the IOC messaged me, and it was simply impossible to answer so many messages. But I’ve been always in