WTA to resume tournaments in China this year, end boycott over Peng Shuai allegations

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) will resume operations in China this year, it said on Thursday (Apr 13), ending a stance taken in 2021 to suspend tournaments in the country due to concerns over the safety of former doubles number one Peng Shuai.

The WTA had received widespread praise for suspending its tournaments in the country after Peng said in a now deleted 2021 social media post that a senior former Chinese government official had sexually assaulted her.

Peng then briefly disappeared from public view and later denied making the accusation, sparking an international outcry over her safety.

The WTA had called for a formal investigation into Peng's allegations by the appropriate authorities and an opportunity to meet with her privately and discuss her situation.

"After 16 months of suspended tennis competition in China and sustained efforts at achieving our original requests, the situation has shown no sign of changing," the governing body of women's tennis said in a statement.

"We have concluded we will never fully secure those goals and it will be our players and tournaments who ultimately will be paying an extraordinary price for their sacrifices."

The WTA's decision to suspend events in China was expected to have cost the tour hundreds of millions of dollars in broadcasting and sponsorship, but the losses are difficult to quantify as the timing coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, with many international sporting events cancelled in the country over the past three years.

The decision of the WTA - which endured eight-figure losses in 2020 and 2021 but not as much last year - comes as men's tennis also prepares to return to China later in 2023 after a break due to COVID-19.

China's State Council Information Office and