Naomi Osaka among those who expressed concern over Peng Shuai’s whereabouts after sexual crime charges

BEIJING – Tennis star Naomi Osaka is one of those who express concern over another teammate who has been silenced after prosecuting sexual violence against a former senior Chinese official.

The former number one Japanese four-time winner posted on social media on Wednesday to join those who ask: Where is Peng Shuai?

Osaka wrote on Twitter that he hoped Peng and his family “are safe and fit.”

“I am shocked by the current situation,” he wrote, “and I will send love and light into his path.”

Other leading players, including men’s number one player Novak Djokovic, as well as the organizers of the women’s and men’s professional tennis rounds, have called for a full investigation into the claims of the two-time Grand Slam doubles champion.

Peng wrote on long social media earlier this month that the former deputy prime minister had forced him into sex despite repeated refusals. The message was removed from his verified account at Weibo, China’s leading social media platform, and China’s fully state-controlled media has suppressed reporting of the incident.

Reports of the allegations circulated overseas for more than a week before WTA chairman and CEO Steve Simon issued a statement on Sunday saying, “Peng Shuai and all the women deserve to be heard, not censored.”

“His accusation of sexual abuse by a former Chinese leader must be taken extremely seriously.”

The WTA also said it had received confirmation that Peng was “safe and not physically threatened” but had not been able to reach him directly.

The men’s tour followed on Monday, with ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi saying tennis authorities were “deeply concerned about the immediate safety and whereabouts of WTA player Peng Shuai.”

“We are encouraged by the recent assurances from the WTA that he is safe and that he is on account and is monitoring the situation closely,” Gaudenzi said. “Separately, we fully support the WTA’s call for a full, fair and transparent investigation into Peng Shuai’s sexual violence.”

Peng, 35, wrote that Zhang Gaoli, a former deputy prime minister and member of the standing committee of the ruling Politburo of the ruling Communist Party, had forced him into sex despite repeated refusals after a round of tennis three years ago. He said Zhang’s wife was guarding the door during the beating.

His message also said they had sex once seven years ago and had feelings for him since then.

As is customary for retired Chinese officials, 75-year-old Zhang dropped out of the public eye after retiring in 2018, and is not known to have close professional or political ties to current leaders.

Peng won 23 tour-level doubles championships, including at Wimbledon in 2013 and the French Open in 2014. He was in the doubles semi-finals at the US Open in 2014. Peng has not played at the top since the Qatar Open in February 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Peng also played in three Olympics – 2008, 2012 and 2016 – but the International Olympic Committee has been hampered by his accusations. The IOC and China will host the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 4th.

His accusation was the first prominent government official since the #MeToo movement took over in China in 2018, before it was largely shut down by authorities that same year.

When Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian was asked at a daily news conference earlier this week about Peng’s allegation, he said: “I have not heard the matter, and it is not a diplomatic issue.”

The Associated Press participated in this report.