By Phil Lutton and Sam Phillips
The ATP, the body that runs the men’s tennis tour, has been blasted for a half-hearted statement that fails to back the WTA’s move to suspend all tournaments in China until concerns for Peng Shuai’s safety have eased.
Peng, a doubles champion at Wimbledon and the French Open, made allegations of sexual assault against former Chinese vice-premier Zhang Gaoli on November 2 before disappearing from public view for weeks. Her claims were also removed from social media.
The 35-year-old has been seen only via a number of scripted videos on Chinese state media and in a heavily criticised interview with International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach. The IOC says it has spoken to Peng again and contends she is free and not in danger, a belief that has been met with scepticism.
The IOC’s attempt at “quiet diplomacy” has been derided by other sporting bodies, while the WTA and chairman Steve Simon made good on threats to omit China from the tour schedule if Peng’s wellbeing was not guaranteed. The body also wants a full investigation into her allegations.
Those waiting for the ATP to join the fray were disappointed. In a statement, chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said: “The situation involving Peng Shuai continues to raise serious concerns within and beyond our sport. The response to those concerns has so far fallen short. We will continue to consult with our members and monitor any developments as this issue evolves.”
Andy Roddick, the American former world No.1, was among those to blast the statement, saying it was an example of “how to say a lot of words and say nothing”.
Peng Shuai and Zhang Gaoli.Credit: Nine
But at least the ATP said something. Tennis Australia (TA) took more than two days to address the WTA’s move, despite hosting the next grand slam and being in the region. Repeated questions from The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have gone unanswered until a statement appeared on their social media channels on Friday night.
It is a delicate matter for TA, especially given one of its associate sponsors is state-owned Chinese distiller Luzhou Laojiao, which signed a five-year deal in 2018. The company advertises its brands in both languages across the main courts of the tournament.
TA can scarcely afford to lose a massive financial backer after a difficult year with COVID. The governing body reportedly posted a loss of nearly $100 million and took out a $40 million loan from the Victorian government.
Former Australian Open tournament director Paul McNamee said on Friday he did not believe TA’s commercial partnerships were a factor in its stance.
“I don’t think it has anything to do with that, honestly,” McNamee told the Herald and The Age.
“I’m sure they’re not being quiet because of their relationship with China, not at all. That’s my opinion. I don’t think Tennis Australia are playing some sort of diplomatic game here.”
His confidence in TA is backed by conversations he had with the organisation’s boss, Craig Tiley, when Peng was first registered missing.
“Craig reached out to me to ask what I knew. He does care,” McNamee said. “It’s not about the politics. I would absolutely refute that, based on the information available to me.”
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