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A global social media movement asking #WhereIsPengShuai has yet to find convincing answers. The Chinese tennis star and Grand Slam Doubles Champion Peng Shuai disappeared after she publicly accused a former vice premier of China of sexually assaulting her. The social media posts in which she made the accusation were removed within 20 minutes of posting. But Peng's fans were faster than Chinese censors, saving her posts and demanding answers about her disappearance. Since then, Peng has been seen in what looks like staged appearances. Once at a restaurant and tennis event, and once in a video call with the...

The leader of the Women's Tennis Association said he is willing to pull out of China if missing Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai is not accounted for.Steve Simon, chairman and CEO of the WTA, said business interests should not get in the way of doing "what's right," alluding to a willingness to end business ties with the country over Shuai's disappearance unless Chinese officials provide proof she is safe."We're definitely willing to pull our business and deal with all the complications that come with it," Simon told CNN on Thursday. "This is bigger than the business."

PENG SHUAI and CCP OFFICIAL ZHANG GAO LI When one thinks of no-nonsense, hard-nosed sports, tennis isn’t going to be the first that comes to mind. Nevertheless, it is tennis, specifically the WTA, presently making a stand against China, the likes of which neither the NBA nor the IOC would ever consider.The focal point for this standoff is Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai. Shuai, who has won two Grand Slam doubles titles, has not been seen since making a sexual assault allegation on November second against former senior Chinese Communist Party official Zhang Gaoli. As reported by The Age:In her...

Tennis star Naomi Osaka said Monday she is withdrawing from the French Open after refusing to speak to the media at the grand slam. The four-time major winner posted a statement on Twitter saying she was pulling out so that "everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris," adding that she would "take some time away from the court." Osaka revealed she had "suffered long bouts of depression" since winning her first Grand Slam title in 2018. Last Wednesday, citing mental health reasons, Osaka posted on social media she would not participate in any news...

The French Open was postponed for about four months because of the coronavirus pandemic, juggling the tennis calendar by shifting from May to September. The French Tennis Federation said Tuesday it will hold its 15-day clay-court event at Roland Garros in Paris from Sept. 20 to Oct. 4, instead of May 24 to June 7, "to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved in organizing the tournament." Federation president Bernard Giudicelli described it as "a difficult yet brave decision in this unprecedented situation."

You may have forgotten about tennis celebrity Anna Kournikova, but the retired star celebrates her 31st birthday today. Kournikova took the tennis world by storm in the 1990s, gaining as much attention for her good looks as her tennis ability. But Kournikova's career is largely considered a disappointment. Once a highly-touted phenom, she failed to live up to her potential before ultimately finding her niche off the court.

LONDON: The Dubai Championships was fined a record $300,000 by the governing body of women's tennis (WTA) on Friday after top Israeli player Shahar PIsrael's Shahar Peer during her match at the Qatar Open WTA tournament on February 20, 2008. (AFP Photo) eer was barred from taking part in this week's event. The WTA said in a statement the fine was the largest levied against a WTA Tour member and Peer would be awarded $44,250 -- the average prize money she earned per tournament in 2008. "The actions taken today are intended to redress the wrongs suffered by Shahar Peer,...

Democrats are growing anxious about a state initiative filed last month by a prominent Republican attorney to change the way California assigns its presidential electors, even though the proposal has no discernible financial backers yet. Rather than assign all of California's 55 electoral votes to one candidate under the current winner-take-all system, the initiative would split the nation's largest electoral bounty between two or more candidates. Filed by GOP lawyer Thomas Hiltachk, it would give a presidential candidate one electoral vote for each congressional district he or she wins in California, plus two additional votes to whomever wins a plurality...

Male models to be ballboys at 2006 WTA championships Fri Oct 21, 2:04 PM ET MADRID (AFP) - Male models will be used as ballboys at the 2006 WTA Tour Championships, officials announced. With female models into their second year of similar duties at this week's men's ATP Madrid Masters, the Spanish organisers believe they are on to a good thing. Like their counterparts, the males will be kitted out by an international clothing sponsor for their on-court duties during the women's end of season finale which will move to Spain from Los Angeles. In their second year at the...

The US is set to launch its first World Trade Organisation complaint against China, charging that Beijing is violating global trade rules by offering big tax breaks for domestic semiconductor producers.The case, which US officials said could be filed as early as Wednesday, will mark the end of a two-year honeymoon in which Washington has tried to resolve a series of disputes with China without resorting to the WTO.A combination of election-year pressures on the Bush administration to take a tough stand on China and Beijing's refusal to budge on the tax issue has led Washington to bring the case.At...

Capriati requests 'Bombs Over Baghdad' for warmups -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- At Jennifer Capriati's request, the 1999 Outkast song "Bombs Over Baghdad'' was played on the stadium public-address system before her most recent match at the Nasdaq-100 Open. "I like the song, and I wanted to support the troops,'' Capriati said Tuesday through a WTA Tour spokesman. Stadium court producer Bob Ruf said he previewed the rap song and was reluctant to play it. Ruf then listened to the song with a tour official, and they found a one-minute segment that they decided wouldn't offend anyone. The...