Australian Open fans allowed to wear Peng Shuai T-shirts

After a sensational U-turn, tennis fans will be allowed to show support for Peng Shuai at Melbourne Park — but one item remains banned.

Drew Pavlou and Max Mok have printed more Peng Shuai T-shirts to hand out to tennis crowds. Picture: Josie Hayden

Protesters will be allowed to wear “Where is Peng Shuai?” T-shirts at the Australian Open in a backflip by Tennis Australia in the wake of public criticism.

Fans at Melbourne Park were last week ordered to remove the shirts in a move branded “pathetic” by tennis great Martina Navratilova who accused Tennis Australia of “capitulating” to China.

But, amid plans by protesters to hand out more shirts at Open finals this weekend, Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley said fans would now be allowed to wear garments with messages supporting the Chinese doubles star.

“If you come in and you have a T-shirt on and your T-shirt says ‘Where is Peng Shuai?’ and you have a personal view on it, that is fine,’’ he said.

“We are not going to do anything with that person.”

However, fans would not be allowed to take political signs or placards into Melbourne Park.

“When someone wants to use the event to be disruptive to the safety and comfort of our fans, those people won’t be allowed on site,’’ Mr Tiley said.

There are fears for the safety of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai. Picture: AFP

“If they are bringing a banner in and a stick to hold the banner up and coming in a mob to just distract and disrupt fans, they won’t be allowed.’’

One of the spectators banned from carrying messages of support for Peng Shuai tweeted “we won” after news of the Tennis Australia backflip emerged.

Max Mok, a pro-democracy campaigner from Hong Kong, said Tennis Australia only changed its stance due to the global uproar over the controversial decision.

“I’m not buying any of the words that they say but then I’m hoping they actually live by their promise,” Mr Mok said.

“I think now with them revoking the ban, we’re hoping that a lot more people going to the matches can actually wear the shirts because Tennis Australia has promised us that there will be no consequences.

“I think this revoking of the ban has been a result of media pressure and just pressure from the world outside China.”

Mr Mok said the Peng supporters would return to the Australian Open later with T-shirts to test Tennis Australia’s relaxed stance.

Peng Shuai banners remain banned at Melbourne Park.

“We are going to go back today with a couple of t-shirts with us and we’ll test if they can actually hold their promise,” Mr Mok said.

“Then come Saturday we will go back there with 1000 more and we’ll see how many people will be allowed in.”

But Mok said the Peng supporters would not be truly vindicated in their campaign until there was certainty over the Chinese player’s welfare.

“We have to do more until Peng Shuai is free,” Mr Mok said.

Mr Tiley confirmed fans wearing T-shirts bearing Peng’s image or stamped with messages of support would “absolutely’’ be allowed entry for the rest of the tournament.

“It’s just when there is a deliberate attempt by anyone for any reason whether it be for political position or statement or something else designed to disrupt, we are not going to welcome those people on site,’’ he said.

There have been global fears for the safety of Peng who has been rarely sighted since making sexual abuse allegations against a former top-ranking Chinese Communist Party member in November.

Craig Tiley says he will order an internal review into the Novak Djokovic visa debacle. Picture: Getty Images

In a wide-ranging interview, Tiley also said he would order an internal review into the Novak Djokovic visa debacle when the tournament ends, declaring “there will be lessons learned”.

But he had no intention of resigning over Tennis Australia’s handling of world No.1 Djokovic’s initial vaccination exemption for the Open and subsequent deportation.

“I’m pretty comfortable that everyone involved was trying to do the right thing,’’ he said.

“And as part of looking back … we will evaluate those lessons as we complete the event and then put ourselves in a position where we can either do things the same or different.

“There are a number of things that will be looked at.’’

Mr Tiley regretted the fact the Djokovic saga had been a “distraction”, particular to players, but believed he had the support of the Tennis Australia board and state and territory bodies.

He defended the Open’s player Covid testing regime, despite criticism it is not tough enough.

And he said this year’s event had brought joy to Victorians desperate to return to major events, boosted the state economy and shown why it should never be moved from Melbourne.

“I think the one thing that has been missed a little bit in all this narrative is the fact that we have played a part in reconnecting the community,’’ he said.