The Women's Tennis Association will resume operations in China this year, it said on Thursday, ending a stance taken in 2021 to suspend tournaments in the country due to concerns over the safety of former doubles number one Peng Shuai.
The WTA had received widespread praise for suspending its tournaments in the country after Peng said in a now deleted 2021 social media post that a senior former Chinese government official had sexually assaulted her.
"After 16 months of suspended tennis competition in China and sustained efforts at achieving our original requests, the situation has shown no sign of changing," the governing body of women's tennis said in a statement. The decision of the WTA -- which has endured eight-figure losses in 2020 and 2021 but not as much last year -- comes as men's tennis also prepares to return to China later in 2023 after a break due to COVID-19.
That included the first edition of the WTA Finals in Shenzhen, as part of a 10-year deal. According to a BBCA provisional 2023 tournament calendar released late last year listed events up to September but there was no clarity on events to be held in China and an update is expected soon following Thursday's announcement.
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