Due to the effects of the Corona pandemic, there will be no men’s tennis tournaments on the ATP Tour in China this year either.
Four events scheduled for September and October, including the Masters in Shanghai, have been cancelled, the professional organisation ATP announced. The reason for this was the ongoing restrictions with regard to the coronavirus. This means that for the third year in a row, no ATP tournaments will be held in China. Six venues in the USA, South Korea, Israel, Italy and Spain received tournament licences from the ATP for one year.
The women’s tennis organisation WTA had already confirmed in April that it would definitely not hold any more tournaments in China this year. The WTA had already taken this decision last year because of the case of the former Chinese top player Peng Shuai. However, WTA chief Steve Simon said three months ago that he hoped for a return to China next year.
Peng’s case moved the world for months after she accused a high-ranking Chinese politician of sexual abuse on the Weibo social network last November. The post was deleted soon after. State censors had also blocked any debate about it on the Chinese internet. Since then, athletes, politicians and human rights activists expressed their concern.
Peng later denied having made the accusations. During the Beijing Winter Olympics in February, she had met with IOC President Thomas Bach for a discussion, but there has been no sign of her since. Peng has won two Grand Slam titles in doubles, including Wimbledon in 2013.
