Chinese tennis tournaments still excluded from WTA’S schedule over Peng Shuai issue
The WTA has released an updated tournament calendar for the 2022 season, with no events taking place in China and the venue for the season-ending WTA Finals yet to be disclosed.
The Tour is still trying to find a resolution to the stand-off with China over the Peng Shuai issue and would not return to the country this year.
The former doubles world No. 1’s well-being became a concern for the WTA after she posted a message on social media last November apparently accusing China’s former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli of coercing her into sex in the past. Peng later said her post had been misunderstood.
The post was subsequently removed and Peng disappeared from public view for three weeks. The following month, the WTA suspended all of its tournaments in China, a decision expected to cost the elite women’s tour hundreds of millions of dollars in broadcasting and sponsorship.
In the absence of tournaments in China, the schedule includes a new WTA 1000 event in Guadalajara, Mexico in October and a WTA 500 event in San Diego, California. Tunisia will also host a WTA 250 tournament.