Zheng Qinwen expressed her joy over the WTA’s decision to lift the boycott on China tournaments. The decision came after concerns over Peng Shuai’s safety following her allegations of sexual assault by a former government official.
Zheng, currently ranked world No. 25, is excited to showcase her skills in front of her people for the first time at a Tour-level event. She had previously only played WTA qualifying matches in Wuhan and Tianjin in 2019. Zheng is eager to return to China and expressed her longing for home as it had been a long time since she visited.
The suspension of tournaments in China by the governing body of women’s tennis was a response to Peng Shuai’s social media post alleging sexual assault by a former Chinese government official. The post has since been deleted.
Peng’s disappearance from the public eye following her post had raised concerns about her safety. She made an appearance at the Beijing Winter Olympics last year and conducted an interview with the French publication L’Equipe. Despite the ongoing concerns, the WTA has lifted the boycott on China tournaments, much to the delight of Zheng Qinwen, who is looking forward to playing in front of her home crowd.
Zheng Qinwen’s focus is on herself and her game rather than on Peng Shuai. She admitted that she does not know how Peng is doing but hopes she is doing well in China. The allegations against Peng had raised concerns about the safety of women athletes in China, prompting the WTA to suspend tournaments in the country.
However, with the boycott lifted, Zheng is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to play in China once again. Her love for her home country and the support of her people is something that she has missed and is looking forward to experiencing again.
