Professional women's tennis tournaments return to China on Monday, less than two years after the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) vowed to boycott the country out of concern for player Peng Shuai and risks to its players and staff.
The WTA tournament, opening Monday in the southern metropolis of Guangzhou, will be the first in mainland China since 2019 — and while no top-20 stars are expected to attend, it is set to attract plenty of attention.
The WTA suspended activities in China in December 2021, when former world doubles No. 1 Peng briefly disappeared after making — and then withdrawing — accusations of sexual assault against a senior Chinese leader.