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☆ Zheng Qinwen: Chinese star reaches landmark grand slam semifinal at the Australian Open
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Zheng Qinwen became just the fourth Chinese woman to reach the semifinal of a grand slam after coming from behind to defeat Anna Kalinskaya at the Australian Open. Against Yastremska, the 21-year-old will join Zheng Jie, Li Na and Peng Shuai in the list of Chinese women to reach a grand slam semifinal. Of those, only Li has ever won a major: the French Open in 2011 and the Australian Open in 2014. According to Opta, Zheng is also the fourth Asian player in the Open Era to reach the final four of a grand slam before turning 22. Prior to this year’s Australian Open, she had made one previous appearance in the quarterfinals of a grand slam at last year’s US Open.

Persons: Zheng Qinwen, Anna Kalinskaya, Zheng, Dayana Yastremska, ”, “, – I’m, ” Zheng, Kalinskaya, Cameron Spencer, Zheng Jie, Li Na, Peng Shuai, Li, Opta Organizations: CNN Locations: Russian

☆ NBA 'first class' in China despite past turbulence, says Yao
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

President of Chinese Basketball Association and Ice and Snow Sports Promotion Ambassador Yao Ming attends a media event ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China January 17, 2022. REUTERS/Yew Lun Tian/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Oct 25 (Reuters) - The National Basketball Association (NBA) and China may have encountered turbulence in their relations over the years but retired great Yao Ming told Reuters the league is still "first class" in his home country. Yao propelled the league's popularity in his home country but relations between China and the NBA have not always been smooth. "I have to say, the NBA is in the first class... (because) you know the players being exposed in China for so long," Yao said, when asked about the past issues between China and the NBA. "The players, the teams (are) all still very well welcome in China and (we had) a couple of players with (in) China just this past summer."

Persons: Yao Ming, Yao, Daryl Morey, Dwight Howard, Kyle Anderson, Jimmy Butler, Adam Silver, Silver, Peng Shuai, Peng, Amy Tennery, Echo Wang, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Chinese Basketball Association and, Snow Sports, REUTERS, National Basketball Association, Reuters, Chinese Basketball Association, Houston Rockets, NBA, Minnesota Timberwolves, FIBA, Miami, Women's Tennis Association, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, United States, Hong Kong, Taiwan, New York

☆ China's Wang claims maiden WTA title in Guangzhou
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The 22-year-old Wang's victory marked the fourth time that a Chinese player has been crowned champion in Guangzhou, following Wang Qiang (2018), Zhang Shuai (2013, 2017) and Li Na (2004). "It was very exciting and it's a very emotional moment because in this tournament, every player is really tough," Wang said. "I wanted a title from the first day, even when I started tennis. China last hosted a WTA tournament in 2019, before the COVID crisis wreaked havoc on the global sports schedule. The WTA was widely praised for suspending tournaments in China but reversed its decision in April.

Persons: Wang Xiyu, Russia's Mirra Andreeva, Toby Melville, Magda Linette, Wang Qiang, Zhang Shuai, Li Na, Wang, I'm, Zhu Lin, Hua Hin, Zheng Qinwen, Peng Shuai, Peng, Shrivathsa Sridhar Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, WTA, Guangzhou, women's, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Guangzhou, Palermo, China, Bengaluru

☆ Women’s tennis returns to China after Peng Shuai boycott
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) kicked off its first tournament in China in more than three years Monday, ending its boycott over the uncertain fate of tennis star Peng Shuai. Peng, a three-time Olympian and grand slam doubles champion, later denied having made the sexual assault claim. But despite the lack of such an investigation, Simon announced this April that the suspension, which he called a “principled stand,” would come to an end by September. The WTA had already pulled its tournaments in China in 2020 due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. Cornet had posted an Instagram story saying her season would only resume later in October, the newspaper said.

Persons: Peng Shuai, Peng, Zhang Gaoli, –, Zhang, Steve Simon, ”, Simon, ” Peng “, Alize Cornet, Cornet, ” Cornet Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Tennis Association, United, Communist, WTA, Guangzhou, Olympic, Beijing Winter Games, Human Rights Watch, Reuters Locations: China, Hong Kong, United Nations, Beijing, Ningbo

A four-year absence of elite women’s tennis in China is set to end with the Women's Tennis Association holding seven tournaments in the next six weeks as part of the tour's Asian swing. Political Cartoons View All 1163 ImagesIn doubles, Peng won major championships at Wimbledon in 2013 and the French Open in 2014. She won 23 WTA titles in doubles and two in singles and represented China at three Summer Olympics. The China Open, a WTA and ATP 1000 event, follows from Sept. 28 and will see 2023 U.S. Open finalist, Aryna Sabalenka, debut as the new world No. In October, the tour moves to the WTA 500 Zhengzhou Open and WTA 250 Hong Kong with both tournaments starting Oct. 9.

Persons: Peng Shuai’s, Peng, Zhang Gaoli, Steve Simon, “ We’ve, ”, There’s, Alize Cornet, ” Cornet, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Naomi Osaka, Sabalenka, — Organizations: Women's Tennis Association, WTA, Wimbledon, U.S, China Locations: China, Guangzhou, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Jiangxi, Asia, Zhuhai

☆ WTA must keep Peng case in public eye on China return, says human rights advocate
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Peng then briefly disappeared from public view and the former doubles number one later denied making the accusation, sparking an international outcry over her safety. In meetings with Chinese officials and in public appearances, they should talk about Peng's case. And as for the WTA, it should keep pressing the case robustly and publicly." Reuters has contacted the WTA and Chinese Tennis Association for an update on efforts to speak to Peng since the tour's decision to return to China. This year, it will hold tournaments in Guangzhou (Sept. 18-23) and Ningbo (Sept. 25-30) before the season's final WTA 1000 event in Beijing (Sept. 30-Oct. 8).

Persons: China’s Peng Shuai, Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard, Edgar Su, Peng Shuai, Peng, isn't, Yaqiu Wang, Frenchwoman Alize Cornet, Le Parisien, Cornet, Shrivathsa Sridhar Organizations: Melbourne, REUTERS, Rights, WTA, Reuters, Freedom House, Chinese Tennis Association, Thomson Locations: Melbourne, Australia, China, Guangzhou, Asia, Ningbo, Beijing, Zhengzhou, Hong Kong, Nanchang, Zhuhai, Le, Bengaluru

NEW YORK (AP) — The women’s tennis tour will hold the WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico, from Oct. 29 to Nov. 5, finally finding a site for the season-ending event that has shifted cities repeatedly. The tour has a one-year agreement with Cancun, the WTA announced Thursday, hours before the U.S. Open women's semifinals were scheduled to be played in New York. A year ago, the choice to host WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, also was not announced until September. Political Cartoons View All 1148 ImagesAt the time, top-ranked Iga Swiatek complained that the location and the timing — play wrapped up in Fort Worth one day before the start of the Billie Jean King Cup in Glasgow, Scotland — was a mistake. “The WTA weighed a number of competitive bids through a thorough process, in close consultation with the WTA Players’ Council,” the tour said Thursday in its announcement about Cancun.

Persons: Billie Jean King, Iga Swiatek, Scotland —, ”, Fort Worth, Peng Shuai Organizations: WTA, U.S, ATP, International Tennis Federation —, Billie Jean King Cup, WTA Players ’, “ Locations: Cancun , Mexico, Cancun, New York, Saudi Arabia, Jedda, Seville, Spain, Fort Worth , Texas, Fort Worth, Glasgow, Scotland, Shenzhen, China, Guadalajara, Mexico, Fort

☆ WTA Finals to be held in Cancun
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Tennis - WTA Tour Finals - Panamerican Tennis Center, Guadalajara, Mexico - November 17, 2021 The WTA Finals Martina Navratilova Trophy is seen after Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova won their final doubles match against Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei and Belgium's Elise Mertens Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreSept 7 (Reuters) - The 2023 edition of the WTA Finals will be held in Cancun, Mexico from Oct. 29-Nov. 5 under a one-year agreement, the women's tennis body announced on Thursday, ending speculation that this year's event could be held in Saudi Arabia. "This edition of the WTA Finals will provide a fantastic experience for players and fans alike, offer a fitting finale for the 2023 WTA Tour, and enable us to continue building a strong future for women's tennis," said Steve Simon, WTA Chairman and CEO. After the men's ATP Tour announced last month that the Next Gen Finals would be held in Jeddah from 2023 to 2027, social media had been awash with rumours that the WTA Finals could also be headed to Saudi Arabia. The WTA Finals will end two days before the beginning of the Billie Jean King Cup finals in Seville. "The WTA weighed a number of competitive bids through a thorough process, in close consultation with the WTA Players’ Council," the WTA said on Thursday.

Persons: Martina Navratilova, Krejcikova, Katerina Siniakova, Taiwan's Hsieh Su, Belgium's Elise Mertens, Steve Simon, Simon, Chris Evert, Peng Shuai, Billie Jean King, Iga Swiatek, Aadi Nair, Toby Davis Organizations: Tennis Center, WTA, ATP, ESPN, Billie Jean King Cup, WTA Players ’, Thomson Locations: Guadalajara, Mexico, Czech, Cancun, Saudi Arabia, Jeddah, Saudi, Tunisian, Shenzhen, China, Fort Worth , United States, Los Angeles, Madrid, Doha, Istanbul, Singapore, Seville, Bengaluru

☆ Strycova wins doubles title with Hsieh on her farewell at Wimbledon
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 16 (Reuters) - Hsieh Su-wei and Barbora Strycova captured their second Wimbledon women's doubles title in four years by defeating third seeds Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens 7-5 6-4 under a closed Centre Court roof on Sunday. The Taiwan-Czech 37-year-olds, who also triumphed together in 2019, sealed the first set after Australian Hunter slapped a forehand into the net. "I couldn't ask for a better finish," said Strycova, who reached the Wimbledon singles semi-finals in 2019. The doubles title was Hsieh's fourth at Wimbledon, having also teamed up with Belgian Mertens in 2021 and China's Peng Shuai in 2013. Reporting by Pritha Sarkar, editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Hsieh, Strycova, Storm Hunter, Elise Mertens, Hunter, Taiwan's Hsieh Su, Belgium's Elise Mertens, Australia's, Belgian Mertens, China's Peng Shuai, Pritha Sarkar, Ken Ferris Organizations: Wimbledon, Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, Czech, London, Britain, U.S

☆ Sexual harassment debate breathes new life into China’s #MeToo movement
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Shi has strongly denied the accusations of sexual harassment in two separate statements and claimed the encounters were consensual. The falloutThe allegations have since sparked furious debate on Chinese social media, with related hashtags trending for days and racking up hundreds of millions of views on Weibo. China did not specify sexual harassment as a legal offense until 2021, when it enacted a civil code defining sexual harassment for the first time in the country’s law. But still, the failure of sexual harassment lawsuits – like Zhou’s – in recent years has made it “increasingly clear that seeking legal remedies for sexual harassment is not realistic,” said the Chinese feminist in New Jersey. “Even if I reported it, and he was summoned to the police station, how many days can he be detained for sexual harassment?” she wrote.

☆ Keothavong hopes Peng safe but says WTA's China return good for the game's finances
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 14 (Reuters) - The WTA's decision to end its China boycott over concerns about Peng Shuai will generate much-needed revenue for the women's tennis tour and provide more financial opportunities for players, Britain's Anne Keothavong said. Former player Keothavong, now captain of Britain's Billie Jean King Cup team, said she hoped Peng was safe but that ultimately "tennis is a business". The WTA's decision to suspend tournaments in the country is expected to have cost it hundreds of millions of dollars in broadcasting and sponsorship revenue. "One is that we hope Peng is OK and secondly it's just an excitement to have tournaments on the calendar. Yaqiu Wang, a senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch, said the WTA's decision was a "huge disappointment" and called for Peng's case to be kept in the public eye.

☆ Women’s Tennis to Return to China Despite Unresolved Concerns About Peng Shuai
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Rachel Bachman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Peng Shuai has been seen in public only in carefully orchestrated settings, including at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. The Women’s Tennis Association tour will return to China this year, despite the fact that Chinese officials haven’t met the WTA’s demands for a transparent investigation into a 2021 assault allegation of Chinese player Peng Shuai. The move ends a boycott, started in late 2021, when Peng disappeared from public view after a post to her social-media account alleged that she had been sexually assaulted by a senior Communist Party official. The WTA halted its events in China and said it would stay out of the country until the allegation was investigated and it could speak directly with Peng.

☆ WTA to resume tournaments in China this year, end boycott over Peng allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Tennis - China Open Women's Singles First Round - Beijing, China - 03/10/16. Peng then briefly disappeared from public view and later denied making the accusation, sparking fears for her safety. "For these reasons, the WTA is lifting its suspension of the operation of tournaments in the People's Republic of China and will resume tournaments in China this September." PENG SAFE IN BEIJING"The WTA's decision is a huge disappointment to the Chinese human rights community," Yaqiu Wang, senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch, told Reuters. "We also have received assurances that WTA players and staff operating in China will be safe and protected while in the country.

☆ WTA set to return to China in September despite uncertainty over Peng Shuai’s situation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Wayne Sterling | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) announced Thursday that it will return to hosting tournaments in China in the fall after suspending all events in the country in 2021 due to the uncertainty over tennis player Peng Shuai’s safety. Human Rights Watch called the WTA’s decision to return to China a “huge disappointment,” but “not surprising.”“International businesses need to work together to do the right thing,” said Yaqiu Wang, senior China Researcher at Human Rights Watch. “It’s hard to challenge the Chinese government alone, but if businesses band together to address China’s flouting of human rights, the power balance can shift. “After all, sports organizations and companies all want to operate in an environment where the human rights of their players, employees, and consumers are protected and there is rule of law. “The road to expose the Chinese government’s human rights abuses and hold it accountable is difficult and often incurs a cost, and it’s not a straight road.”

☆ ITF says World Tennis Tour events will return to China this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BENGALURU, April 3 (Reuters) - The International Tennis Federation (ITF) will conduct its World Tennis Tour tournaments in China this year, marking a return to the Asian nation after a gap of three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sport's global governing body said on Monday. "We think it's important that the World Tennis Tour and international events take place in all the nations around the world," ITF President David Haggerty told Reuters in a video interview in February. In the last full season in 2019 before the pandemic, China had hosted 25 ITF women's and 15 men's events. World Tennis Tour events are professional tournaments below the elite level. The tour will also stage the first ever World Tennis Tour event in Ethiopia and the first in Burundi and Cyprus since 2013 and 2016, respectively.

☆ Swiatek says WTA must grow and continue push for pay equality
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WTA Tour events, however, still often offer less prize money than those on the men's tour which operates its own circuit. "For sure, I'd like to see the WTA expanding business-wise, getting more popular, cutting the difference between WTA and ATP in terms of prize money and attracting fans," Swiatek told reporters in Dubai. There's something you can find in women's tennis that you're not going to find on the ATP," Swiatek said. American Jessica Pegula, the world number three and a member of the WTA player council, echoed Swiatek. "I hope we can keep pushing for equal prize money at all events, being on TV more," Pegula said.

☆ Zhang wishes WTA could return to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Chinese number one Zhang Shuai hopes the WTA tour can return to her country this season as it opens up after abandoning the "zero-COVID" policy but said the Peng Shuai issue was out of her control. Former WTA player Peng accused a senior Chinese government official of sexual assault in 2021 in a post on social media that was soon removed from the country's internet. Peng's post caused an international outcry over her safety and led the WTA to suspend tournaments in China - a decision expected to cost the women's tour hundreds of millions of dollars in broadcasting and sponsorship. The WTA has said a return to China would require a resolution to the Peng situation and its 2023 tour calendar lists events only up to the U.S. Open, with no clarity on tournaments to be held in China. read moreAsked whether Peng should meet with the WTA as a step to resolving the impasse, Zhang declined to offer a view.

☆ WTA says return to China will require resolution to Peng case
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Peng had accused Chinese former Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault in 2021 in a post on social media that was soon removed from the country's internet. "There has not been any change in the WTA position on a return to China and we have only confirmed our 2023 calendar through U.S. Open," the WTA said in a statement. The WTA said it had received confirmation Peng was safe and comfortable but were yet to meet with her personally. "We continue to hold firm on our position and our thoughts remain with Peng," the statement added. In July last year, men's governing body ATP had cancelled its events in China due to the COVID-19 crisis in the country.

☆ China ex-official Zhang makes first appearance since sexual assault claim
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Chinese former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli made his first public appearance on Sunday since Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai accused him of sexual assault last year, attending the 20th Communist Party Congress. Her post led the Women's Tennis Association to suspend tournaments in China and caused an international outcry over her safety. Hu, 79, slightly unsteady but appearing healthy, followed immediately behind Xi onto the stage and sat next to Xi. Other retired leaders on the rostrum included other former members of the party's elite Standing Committee, which rules China, including Jia Qinglin and Zeng Qinghong. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Yew Lun Tian; Writing by Ben Blanchard and William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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