Tennis Australia backflips on 'Where is Peng Shuai?' T-shirt ban at Australian Open

Tennis Australia has overturned a ban on Australian Open spectators wearing T-shirts referencing the controversy around Chinese player Peng Shuai.

It comes after security and police at Melbourne Park on Saturday ordered two spectators to remove their T-shirts and a banner with the message «Where is Peng Shuai?»

Tennis Australia said it confiscated them because they were political.

But it has now softened its stance.

A spokesperson said the body would now take a common-sense approach to ticketing conditions and it would allow certain messaging as long as there was no disruption to the event.

Peng's wellbeing became a matter of concern among the international tennis community and human rights groups when she appeared to allege former Chinese vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had sexually assaulted her in the past.

After the social media post was made, she was absent from public view for almost three weeks.

When she did appear in public again, she said that she had never accused anyone of sexually assaulting her and that the social media post had been misunderstood.

News of the decision came as the activists behind the campaign were making their way to Melbourne Park, with plans to wear the T-shirts again on Tuesday.

Max Mok, a human rights activist involved in the initial protest on Friday, welcomed the news and said 1,000 T-shirts would be handed out on Saturday at Melbourne Park ahead of the women's final.

«Let's hope Tennis Australia keep to their promise and let the crowd wear them,» Mr Mok said.

Mr Mok said he hoped Peng would now enjoy more «regular freedoms», as a result of public advocacy in Melbourne and around the world.

«Can she actually start doing interviews with Western media? Can she play in tennis matches outside the country?»