WTA chairman Steve Simon has reiterated his concern for Peng Shuai, despite the tennis player's appearance in a recent interview.
The 36-year-old - who disappeared from the public eye after accusing a high-ranking government official of sexual assault - recently took part in a 'highly-controlled' interview with French outlet L'Equipe.
Shuai claimed that she had "never accused anyone" of sexual assault in the interview and insisted that her initial post - which has since been taken down - was a "misunderstanding".
WTA chief Simon said in a statement: "It's always good to see Peng Shuai, whether in an interview or attending the Olympic Games. However, her recent in-person interview does not alleviate any of our concerns about her initial post from November 2.
"To reiterate our view, Peng took a bold step in publicly coming forth with the accusation that she was sexually assaulted by a senior Chinese government leader.
"As we would do with any of our players globally, we have called for a formal investigation into the allegations by the appropriate authorities and an opportunity for the WTA to meet with Peng – privately – to discuss her situation. We continue to hold firm on our position and our thoughts remain with Peng Shuai."
Shuai has also met with IOC president Thomas Bach at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, but figures in and outside of tennis remain worried about her welfare. body check tags ::
