Tennis player reappears after accusing former senior Chinese official of sexual assault

By Saadet Firdevs Apari

ANKARA (AA) – Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai has reappeared in public at a tournament in Beijing, nearly three weeks after accusing a former senior Chinese government official of sexual assault.

Peng, who has won more than 20 doubles and two singles events, was seen standing near a court waving and signing oversized commemorative tennis balls for children, as the photos posted by the China Open from the same event on its Weibo account showed on Sunday.

The 35-year-old athlete has not been seen in public since she accused former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault on social media on Nov. 2. The post was quickly deleted, and the Chinese tennis star disappeared from the public.

Zhang, 75, served as one of the seven members of the most powerful body of the Chinese Communist Party. He retired in 2018.

The alleged incident dates back to three years ago.

*Writing by Emre Asikci