Tennis plans return to China despite no conclusion to 'Where is Peng Shuai'

The WTA suspended events in China in 2021 following the disappearance of Chinese player Peng Shuai, but it appears a resolution may be on the horizon.

Peng disappeared from public view following her accusation of sexual assault against former Chinese vice premier Zhang Gaoli, leading to the WTA indefinitely suspending all tournaments in China. However, it said last week a return to the nation was "forthcoming".

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Due to to the Covid pandemic, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) has not held an event in China since 2019. It appears these events are also due to return and now have listed a number of events on its calendar. ITF events are the level below the WTA and men's Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) circuits.

Additionally, the ATP is due to return to China in September after not holding events for three years because of COVID.

"We have received reassurance that it's safe for players, their families and teams to compete in China, so we're looking forward to bringing the World Tennis Tour back there," ITF president David Haggerty said in an interview with Reuters.

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The first women's event listed on the ITF calendar is the Luzhou Open Hardcourt W25 tournament, offering prize money at $25,000 (£20,000/€23,000) and scheduled to run from June 5 to June 11. Two June dates have also appeared on the calendar for a W15 tournament in Tianjin, offering a prize fund of $15,000 (£12,000/€13,700).  A further W25 event in Naiman appears with a planned start date of July 10.

The ITF men's calendar is also set to resume in China with parallel events in Luzhou and Tianin and a tournament in mid July in Shanghai.