Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming said on Monday that tennis star Peng Shuai, who became the subject of concern after she accused a former senior politician of sexually assaulting her, was in good spirits when they appeared at an event last month.

"She seemed well. We chatted merrily," Yao said when asked in Beijing on Monday about his impressions of Peng at a cross-country skiing event they both attended last month in Shanghai.

The Women's Tennis Association has suspended tournaments in China due to what it says are concerns over Peng's safety, which it says have not been alleviated by her public appearances. The issue has cast a shadow over the upcoming winter Olympics in Beijing.