WTA raises concerns over Peng statement
BEIJING — The head of the women’s professional tennis tour questioned the legitimacy of what Chinese state media said was a retraction by a Grand Slam doubles champion who has accused a former top government official of sexual assault.
WTA Chairman and CEO Steve Simon said Wednesday that a statement attributed to Peng Shuai and tweeted out by CGTN, the international arm of Chinese state broadcaster CCTV — which said it contained the contents of an email she wrote to Simon — “only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts.”
Peng is a 35-year-old from China and a former No. 1-ranked player in women’s doubles who won titles at Wimbledon in 2013 and the French Open in 2014.
She wrote in a lengthy social media post earlier this month that a former vice premier and member of the ruling Communist Party’s Politburo Standing Committee had forced her to have sex despite refusals.
More tennis: Novak Djokovic advanced to the semifinals of the ATP Finals by beating Andrey Rublev 6-3, 6-2. Casper Ruud beat Cameron Norrie 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.
College football: Georgia outside linebacker Adam Anderson was released from the Athens-clarke County jail on $25,000 bond
Wednesday, one week after being charged with rape . ... Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said leading receiver Justyn Ross will have surgery to fix the stress fracture in his foot then get ready for the NFL draft.
Women’s college basketball: The NCAA women’s basketball tournament is expanding to 68 teams beginning with the current season, giving it an equal number of participants as the men’s tournament.
NHL: Chicago hired Rob Cookson as an assistant coach and promoted Marc Crawford to associate coach.
— Wire reports