Missing Chinese Tennis Star Peng Shuai Allegedly Sends Email That She is "Resting at Home"; WTA Officials Doubt Legitimacy of Message

A missing Chinese tennis star, Peng Shuai, allegedly sent an email to the Women's Tennis Association Chairman and CEO, Steve Simon, who doubts the legitimacy of the message, expressing his concerns for the athlete's safety.

The news of the email was released by Chinese state media CGTN to address questions into the tennis player's whereabouts. Additionally, Peng's alleged email also seems to walk back on the tennis star's sexual allegations against a former top Communist Party leader.

Missing Chinese Tennis Star

Simon expressed his doubts about the authenticity of Peng's alleged email and suggested that that athlete could be in an unsafe environment. In a statement, the WTA official said that the only thing the Chinese state media's release has done was to increase his worries about Peng's well-being.

The WTA official said he had a hard time believing that Peng was the one who wrote the email that the agency received. Simon added that the Chinese tennis star needed to be allowed to speak freely, without being coerced or intimidated by anyone or any source, CNN reported.

Many online users have also expressed their concerns over the authenticity of the email and news release by the state-run media. Some have questioned the Twitter post that allegedly showed the email written and sent by Peng.

One Twitter user questioned why the cursor was visible in the screenshot posted by the state-run media. The social media user, @StephenMcDonell, also questioned who took the screenshot and when it was captured.

The situation comes as Peng has not been seen since making sexual allegations against a former top Chinese Communist Party (CCP) member, identified as former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli. The Chinese tennis star's now-deleted accusation was posted on Chinese social media site Weibo in early November. The tennis athlete alleged that Zhang forced her into sexual relations, BBC reported.

Sexual Allegations

Professional tennis players worldwide have joined the call for an investigation regarding Peng's sudden disappearance. Many consider the situation as another proof of how China acts aggressively against anyone who poses a threat to the CCP's authority of cultural purity in the country.

Simon's sentiments and concerns for Peng's safety and well-being were shared by Association of Tennis Professionals Chairman Andrea Guandenzi. He added that the organization was "satisfied" by the claims while also calling for an investigation to determine the legitimacy of Peng's sexual allegations against Gaoli.

In a statement, Guandenzi said that he and his agency stood in full support of WTA's call for a full, fair, and transparent investigation in the sexual assault accusations against Peng Shuai. The Chinese tennis star's disappearance is similar to other incidents that have suggested Beijing's willingness to control any level of dissent or a poor reflection of Chinese culture.

One notable example is Alibaba founder Jack Ma who disappeared for three months from November 2020 after making a controversial speech where he criticized China's financial system. The billionaire accused Chinese banks of operating with a "pawn shop mentality", blaming officials for not being ready to regulate digital finance, Fox News reported.