Naomi Osaka speaks out on missing doubles champion Peng Shuai - "I'm in shock"

Japanese superstar Naomi Osaka has openly voiced her concern regarding the safety of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who has not been seen publicly in a few weeks.

Shuai, a two-time doubles Grand Slam champion, made allegations against retired Chinse vice premier Zhang Gaoli, stating he had sexually assaulted her. She released this information on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, including screenshots that suggest Gaoli had forced her to have sex with him at his home three years ago.

The post was deleted by Chinese censors within 30 minutes of its posting, and Shuai’s account has been blocked from searches on the platform. Furthermore, the 35-year old has not been seen or heard from since making these allegations.

Osaka released a statement on social media, hoping the Chinese player was safe, in addition to expressing her beliefs on censorship.

“Censorship is never ok at any cost,” Osaka posted on Twitter. “I hope Peng Shuai and her family are safe and ok.

“I’m in shock of the current situation and I’m sending love and light her way.”

The four-time Grand Slam champion also included the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai in her post.