The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Thursday (December 2) that it had held a second video conference call with Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai. The announcement came after the women's tennis governing body (WTA) suspended all tournaments in Beijing over concerns related to the safety and well-being of the tennis star.&nbsp;

IOC stated that they have offered Shuai wide-ranging support and will also stay in regular touch with her. IOC&nbsp;media further informed that they have already agreed on a personal meeting with the former doubles world number one in January.

In a statement issued by IOC on the official social media handle, they informed that Shuai's safety was "reconfirmed" in the second video call. "Our human and person-centred approach means that we continue to be concerned about her personal situation and will continue to support her," the statement read.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/peng-shuai-row-china-hits-back-at-wta-for-politicising-sport-after-it-suspends-all-tournaments-in-country-433494">Peng Shuai row: China hits back at WTA for 'politicising sport' after it suspends all tournaments in country</a>

"There are different ways to achieve her well-being and safety. We have taken a very human and person-centred approach to her situation," IOC stated, adding that the committee is addressing these concerns directly with Chinese sports organisations.&nbsp;

"We are using “quiet diplomacy” which, given the circumstances and based on the experience of governments and other organisations, is indicated to be the most promising way to proceed effectively in such humanitarian matters," the statement added.&nbsp;

Last month, Shuai remained in the headlines globally when she went 'missing' after she alleged that a powerful Chinese politician sexually assaulted her. In a social media post, Shuai accused a former Chinese vice premier of forcing her into sex several years ago, she also said that he coerced her into sex and they later had an on-off consensual relationship.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/peng-shuai-sexual-assault-row-wta-announces-immediate-suspension-of-all-tournaments-in-china-433406">Peng Shuai sexual assault row: WTA announces immediate suspension of all tournaments in China</a>

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IOC Statement on the situation of Peng Shuai<a href="https://t.co/7wDhc0w33f">https://t.co/7wDhc0w33f</a>
— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/iocmedia/status/1466340282891395077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Shuai's case became a matter of global concern when top tennis stars such as Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Novak Djokovic, etc questioned her well-being and whereabouts. However, IOC had intervened and held a video call with the player on November 21 to assure the world that Peng Shuai is safe.&nbsp;

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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Thursday (December 2) that it had held a second video conference call with Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Thursday (December 2) that it had held a second video conference call with Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai. The announcement came after the women's tennis governing body (WTA) suspended all tournaments in Beijing over concerns related to the safety and well-being of the tennis star. IOC stated that they have offered Shuai wide-ranging support and will also stay in regular touch with her. IOC media further informed that they have already agreed on a personal meeting with the former doubles world number one in January. In a statement issued by IOC on the official social media handle, they informed that Shuai's safety was "reconfirmed" in the second video call. "Our human and person-centred approach means that we continue to be concerned about her personal situation and will continue to support her," the statement read. ALSO READ | Peng Shuai row: China hits back at WTA for 'politicising sport' after it suspends all tournaments in country "There are different ways to achieve her well-being and safety. We have taken a very human and person-centred approach to her situation," IOC stated, adding that the committee is addressing these concerns directly with Chinese sports organisations. "We are using “quiet diplomacy” which, given the circumstances and based on the experience of governments and other organisations, is indicated to be the most promising way to proceed effectively in such humanitarian matters," the statement added. Last month, Shuai remained in the headlines globally when she went 'missing' after she alleged that a powerful Chinese politician sexually assaulted her. In a social media post, Shuai accused a former Chinese vice premier of forcing her into sex several years ago, she also said that he coerced her into sex and they later had an on-off consensual relationship. ALSO READ | Peng Shuai sexual assault row: WTA announces immediate suspension of all tournaments in China IOC Statement on the situation of Peng Shuaihttps://t.co/7wDhc0w33f — IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) December 2, 2021 × Shuai's case became a matter of global concern when top tennis stars such as Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Novak Djokovic, etc questioned her well-being and whereabouts. However, IOC had intervened and held a video call with the player on November 21 to assure the world that Peng Shuai is safe. ×

IOC holds second video call with Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, says using 'quiet diplomacy'

Former British number one Johanna Konta announced her retirement from tennis on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old has struggled with persistent knee trouble over the past couple of seasons and has slipped to 113 in the world rankings -- a far cry from her career-high of number four.

Konta, who reached the semi-finals of three of the four majors, plus the quarter-finals of the US Open, made her announcement on social media with a post headlined 'Grateful'.

She wrote: "This is the word that I've probably used the most during my career and is the word that I feel explains it best in the end.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nine-time-australian-open-winner-novak-djokovic-likely-to-skip-tournament-over-vaccine-mandate-says-father-432967">Nine-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic likely to skip tournament over vaccine mandate, says father</a>

"My playing career has come to an end, and I am so incredibly grateful for the career that it turned out to be. All the evidence pointed towards me not 'making' it in this profession.

"However my luck materialised in the people that came into my life and impacted my existence in ways that transcended tennis.

"I am so incredibly grateful for these people. You know who you are. Through my own resilience and through the guidance of others, I got to live my dreams. I got to become what I wanted and said as a child.

"How incredibly fortunate I count myself to be. How grateful I am."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/leader-accused-by-tennis-player-personified-power-in-beijing-elite-432229">Leader accused by tennis player personified power in Beijing elite</a>

In June, Konta won the Nottingham Open, becoming the first British woman to lift a WTA title on home soil since Sue Barker in 1981.

But that victory was soon overshadowed by the astounding success of then 18-year-old compatriot Emma Raducanu in becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam when she took the women's singles title at the US Open in September.

Former British number one Johanna Konta announced her retirement from tennis on Wednesday. The 30-year-old has struggled with persistent knee trouble over the past couple of seasons and has slipped to 113 in the world rankings -- a far cry from her career-high of number four.

Former British number one Johanna Konta announced her retirement from tennis on Wednesday. The 30-year-old has struggled with persistent knee trouble over the past couple of seasons and has slipped to 113 in the world rankings -- a far cry from her career-high of number four. Konta, who reached the semi-finals of three of the four majors, plus the quarter-finals of the US Open, made her announcement on social media with a post headlined 'Grateful'. She wrote: "This is the word that I've probably used the most during my career and is the word that I feel explains it best in the end. ALSO READ: Nine-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic likely to skip tournament over vaccine mandate, says father "My playing career has come to an end, and I am so incredibly grateful for the career that it turned out to be. All the evidence pointed towards me not 'making' it in this profession. "However my luck materialised in the people that came into my life and impacted my existence in ways that transcended tennis. "I am so incredibly grateful for these people. You know who you are. Through my own resilience and through the guidance of others, I got to live my dreams. I got to become what I wanted and said as a child. "How incredibly fortunate I count myself to be. How grateful I am." ALSO READ: Leader accused by tennis player personified power in Beijing elite In June, Konta won the Nottingham Open, becoming the first British woman to lift a WTA title on home soil since Sue Barker in 1981. But that victory was soon overshadowed by the astounding success of then 18-year-old compatriot Emma Raducanu in becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam when she took the women's singles title at the US Open in September.

Former British number one Johanna Konta retires from professional tennis

Before Zhang Gaoli was engulfed in accusations that he had sexually assaulted a tennis champion, he seemed to embody the qualities that the Chinese Communist Party prizes in officials: austere, disciplined, and impeccably loyal to the leader of the day.

He had climbed steadily from running an oil refinery to a succession of leadership posts along China’s fast-growing coast, avoiding the scandals and controversy that felled other, flashily ambitious politicians. He became known, if for anything, for his monotone impersonality. On entering China’s top leadership, he invited people to search for anything amiss in his behavior.

“Stern, low-key, taciturn,” summed up one of the few profiles of him in the Chinese media. His interests, Xinhua News Agency said, included books, chess and tennis.

Now the allegation from Peng Shuai, the professional tennis player, has cast Zhang’s private life under a blaze of international attention, making him a symbol of a political system that prizes secrecy and control over open accountability. The allegation raises questions about how far Chinese officials carry their declared ideals of clean-living integrity into their heavily guarded homes.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/the-curious-case-of-china-vs-rest-of-world-over-a-missing-tennis-star-432093">The curious case of China vs rest of world over a 'missing' tennis star</a>

“Zhang epitomized the image of the bland apparatchik that the party has worked hard to cultivate,” said Jude Blanchette, a scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

Peng’s account — that Zhang coerced her into sex during a yearslong, on-off relationship — has not been corroborated. The Chinese authorities’ vigorous efforts to stifle any mention of the matter suggest there is little chance that Zhang will ever be called to public account, even if that might clear his name. Neither Peng nor Zhang have made any public comment since her post appeared.

“One would have to imagine, sadly, that in an opaque and patriarchal system of unchecked power these sorts of abuses are not uncommon,” Blanchette added.

When Peng, 35, posted her accusation on the popular social media platform Weibo on the night of Nov. 2, she took readers into the cosseted personal lives of the Communist Party’s elite.

In Peng’s post, addressed to Zhang, she said the two had met more than a decade earlier when her career was taking off and his was nearing its peak. At the time, she wrote, he was the Communist Party chief of Tianjin, a northern port city, and he told her his political position made it impossible for him to divorce his wife.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/peng-shuai-world-seeks-answers-as-chinese-tennis-player-goes-missing-heres-is-what-we-know-so-far-430863">Peng Shuai: World seeks answers as Chinese tennis player goes 'missing'; Here's is what we know so far</a>

Zhang dropped contact with her, the post said, after ascending to the Communist Party’s highest body, the Politburo Standing Committee, a post he held for five years. During this time, he was entrusted with overseeing China’s initial preparations for the 2022 Winter Olympics, which is now being overshadowed by the furor.

About three years ago, after stepping down, Zhang called the head of a tennis academy to summon Peng to play tennis with him at a party-owned hotel in Beijing, called the Kangming, that plays host to retired officials, according to her post.

Later that day, she said, he forced her to have sex in his home. They resumed a relationship, but he insisted it remain furtive. She had to switch cars to be able to enter the government compound where he lives in Beijing, she wrote. He warned her to tell no one, not even her mother.

With rarely a word or hair out of place, Zhang has seemed an unlikely protagonist for a scandal that has rippled around the world. He belongs to a generation of officials who rose after the upheavals of the Cultural Revolution, taking on the self-effacing ethos of collective leadership under Hu Jintao, who preceded the country’s current leader, Xi Jinping.

Zhang, who turned 75 the day before Peng’s post appeared, was born in a fishing village in Fujian province. According to official accounts, his father died when he was a child. He began studying economics at Xiamen University in Fujian, but his education was cut short by the Cultural Revolution, when Mao Zedong largely shut down university classes.

In 1970, he was assigned to work at oil fields in southern China, where he first heaved bags of cement, according to official profiles.

Within years, he climbed into management. As Deng Xiaoping and other leaders shepherded China into an era of market reforms, Zhang became one of those officials whose economic expertise and smattering of higher education marked them for promotion. He perfected the methodical, button-down manner of an official who had submerged his life in the party hierarchy.

He served as the party leader of Shenzhen, the city next to Hong Kong that Deng promoted as a showpiece of China’s newfound commercial dynamism. He won the favor of Deng’s successor, Jiang Zemin, and by the early 2000s was put in charge of Shandong, a province crowded with ports and factories.

In 2007, he was promoted to oversee Tianjin, the provincial-level port whose fortunes had flagged while other coastal areas boomed. Zhang pushed plans to convert a drab industrial area of Tianjin into a modern business precinct — a “new Manhattan” — that would attract multinationals and wealthy residents.

That project has faltered under debt and inflated expectations, but Zhang moved upward into the central leadership in 2012. He became executive vice premier: in effect, China’s deputy prime minister.

“I hope that all the party members, officials and members of the public in this city will continue to exercise strict oversight over me,” Zhang said in 2012 as he left Tianjin for Beijing.

Zhang’s experience managing big projects made him a safe pair of hands for some of the initiatives that Xi used to make his mark. He negotiated oil deals with Russian President Vladimir Putin and promoted Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Zhang oversaw the early preparations for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. In 2016, he met with Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, as Bach was visiting the city.

It was Bach who on Sunday held a video call with Peng intended to reassure athletes and others worried about her disappearance after her post.

Earlier in Xi’s term, lurid reports about officials’ sexual misdeeds at times surfaced in state media, disclosures intended to signal that he was serious about purifying the party.

Xi’s priority now appears to be fending off any odor of scandal tainting the party’s top echelons. References to Peng’s account were nearly wiped off the internet inside China. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, suggested that the attention around Peng had become “malicious hype.” Official media have not shown or reported on Zhang since Peng went public; nor have they directly challenged her account.

“Even to deny her allegations would be to give them a level of credence that you couldn’t then roll back,” said Louisa Lim, a former journalist who long worked in China and the author of “The People’s Republic of Amnesia.”

When Zhang retired in 2018, he dropped from public view, as is the norm in Chinese politics. Retirement often comes with perks like high quality health care, housing and travel within China, but also some monitoring.

“Once you retire, your movements are reported to the party’s department of organization,” said Minxin Pei, a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College in California who studies the party.

In her post, Peng seemed to indicate that she and Zhang had recently had a disagreement, and that he had once again “disappeared” as he did before. She wrote, though, that she expected that her account would have little effect on Zhang’s eminence.

“With your intelligence and wits,” she wrote, “I am sure you will either deny it, or blame it on me, or you could simply play it cool.”

Before Zhang Gaoli was engulfed in accusations that he had sexually assaulted a tennis champion, he seemed to embody the qualities that the Chinese Communist Party prizes in officials: austere, disciplined, and impeccably loyal to the leader of the day.

Before Zhang Gaoli was engulfed in accusations that he had sexually assaulted a tennis champion, he seemed to embody the qualities that the Chinese Communist Party prizes in officials: austere, disciplined, and impeccably loyal to the leader of the day. He had climbed steadily from running an oil refinery to a succession of leadership posts along China’s fast-growing coast, avoiding the scandals and controversy that felled other, flashily ambitious politicians. He became known, if for anything, for his monotone impersonality. On entering China’s top leadership, he invited people to search for anything amiss in his behavior. “Stern, low-key, taciturn,” summed up one of the few profiles of him in the Chinese media. His interests, Xinhua News Agency said, included books, chess and tennis. Now the allegation from Peng Shuai, the professional tennis player, has cast Zhang’s private life under a blaze of international attention, making him a symbol of a political system that prizes secrecy and control over open accountability. The allegation raises questions about how far Chinese officials carry their declared ideals of clean-living integrity into their heavily guarded homes. ALSO READ | The curious case of China vs rest of world over a 'missing' tennis star “Zhang epitomized the image of the bland apparatchik that the party has worked hard to cultivate,” said Jude Blanchette, a scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Peng’s account — that Zhang coerced her into sex during a yearslong, on-off relationship — has not been corroborated. The Chinese authorities’ vigorous efforts to stifle any mention of the matter suggest there is little chance that Zhang will ever be called to public account, even if that might clear his name. Neither Peng nor Zhang have made any public comment since her post appeared. “One would have to imagine, sadly, that in an opaque and patriarchal system of unchecked power these sorts of abuses are not uncommon,” Blanchette added. When Peng, 35, posted her accusation on the popular social media platform Weibo on the night of Nov. 2, she took readers into the cosseted personal lives of the Communist Party’s elite. In Peng’s post, addressed to Zhang, she said the two had met more than a decade earlier when her career was taking off and his was nearing its peak. At the time, she wrote, he was the Communist Party chief of Tianjin, a northern port city, and he told her his political position made it impossible for him to divorce his wife. IN PICS | Peng Shuai: World seeks answers as Chinese tennis player goes 'missing'; Here's is what we know so far Zhang dropped contact with her, the post said, after ascending to the Communist Party’s highest body, the Politburo Standing Committee, a post he held for five years. During this time, he was entrusted with overseeing China’s initial preparations for the 2022 Winter Olympics, which is now being overshadowed by the furor. About three years ago, after stepping down, Zhang called the head of a tennis academy to summon Peng to play tennis with him at a party-owned hotel in Beijing, called the Kangming, that plays host to retired officials, according to her post. Later that day, she said, he forced her to have sex in his home. They resumed a relationship, but he insisted it remain furtive. She had to switch cars to be able to enter the government compound where he lives in Beijing, she wrote. He warned her to tell no one, not even her mother. With rarely a word or hair out of place, Zhang has seemed an unlikely protagonist for a scandal that has rippled around the world. He belongs to a generation of officials who rose after the upheavals of the Cultural Revolution, taking on the self-effacing ethos of collective leadership under Hu Jintao, who preceded the country’s current leader, Xi Jinping. Zhang, who turned 75 the day before Peng’s post appeared, was born in a fishing village in Fujian province. According to official accounts, his father died when he was a child. He began studying economics at Xiamen University in Fujian, but his education was cut short by the Cultural Revolution, when Mao Zedong largely shut down university classes. In 1970, he was assigned to work at oil fields in southern China, where he first heaved bags of cement, according to official profiles. Within years, he climbed into management. As Deng Xiaoping and other leaders shepherded China into an era of market reforms, Zhang became one of those officials whose economic expertise and smattering of higher education marked them for promotion. He perfected the methodical, button-down manner of an official who had submerged his life in the party hierarchy. He served as the party leader of Shenzhen, the city next to Hong Kong that Deng promoted as a showpiece of China’s newfound commercial dynamism. He won the favor of Deng’s successor, Jiang Zemin, and by the early 2000s was put in charge of Shandong, a province crowded with ports and factories. In 2007, he was promoted to oversee Tianjin, the provincial-level port whose fortunes had flagged while other coastal areas boomed. Zhang pushed plans to convert a drab industrial area of Tianjin into a modern business precinct — a “new Manhattan” — that would attract multinationals and wealthy residents. That project has faltered under debt and inflated expectations, but Zhang moved upward into the central leadership in 2012. He became executive vice premier: in effect, China’s deputy prime minister. “I hope that all the party members, officials and members of the public in this city will continue to exercise strict oversight over me,” Zhang said in 2012 as he left Tianjin for Beijing. Zhang’s experience managing big projects made him a safe pair of hands for some of the initiatives that Xi used to make his mark. He negotiated oil deals with Russian President Vladimir Putin and promoted Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative. Zhang oversaw the early preparations for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. In 2016, he met with Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, as Bach was visiting the city. It was Bach who on Sunday held a video call with Peng intended to reassure athletes and others worried about her disappearance after her post. Earlier in Xi’s term, lurid reports about officials’ sexual misdeeds at times surfaced in state media, disclosures intended to signal that he was serious about purifying the party. Xi’s priority now appears to be fending off any odor of scandal tainting the party’s top echelons. References to Peng’s account were nearly wiped off the internet inside China. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, suggested that the attention around Peng had become “malicious hype.” Official media have not shown or reported on Zhang since Peng went public; nor have they directly challenged her account. “Even to deny her allegations would be to give them a level of credence that you couldn’t then roll back,” said Louisa Lim, a former journalist who long worked in China and the author of “The People’s Republic of Amnesia.” When Zhang retired in 2018, he dropped from public view, as is the norm in Chinese politics. Retirement often comes with perks like high quality health care, housing and travel within China, but also some monitoring. “Once you retire, your movements are reported to the party’s department of organization,” said Minxin Pei, a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College in California who studies the party. In her post, Peng seemed to indicate that she and Zhang had recently had a disagreement, and that he had once again “disappeared” as he did before. She wrote, though, that she expected that her account would have little effect on Zhang’s eminence. “With your intelligence and wits,” she wrote, “I am sure you will either deny it, or blame it on me, or you could simply play it cool.”

Leader accused by tennis player personified power in Beijing elite

Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai claimed that a powerful politician sexually assaulted her. In a social media post, Shuai accused a former Chinese vice premier of forcing her into sex several years ago, she also said that he coerced her into sex and they later had an on-off consensual relationship.&nbsp;

In the era of #MeToo, if allegations are against politicians, celebrities or popular personalities, then it gets global coverage and a similar thing happened in Peng Shuai's case as well. Her claims were against Zhang Gaoli, who became a member of the Politburo Standing Committee - China's top decision-making body. 
&nbsp; 
However, the tennis player went 'missing' as she was not heard from or seen publicly for days after making the allegations. Her social media post (on Weibo) was deleted within hours the topic remains blocked from direct online discussion.&nbsp;

But it got highlighted when globally when the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) called on the Chinese government to investigate allegations of sexual assault made by the player and also urged the player to make a public appearance.&nbsp;

IN PICS | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/peng-shuai-world-seeks-answers-as-chinese-tennis-player-goes-missing-heres-is-what-we-know-so-far-430863">Peng Shuai: World seeks answers as Chinese tennis player goes 'missing'; Here's is what we know so far</a>

The issue was escalated when top tennis players raised concerns about the whereabouts of Shuai. From Naomi Osaka to Serena Williams to Novak Djokovic, players asked that "Where is Peng Shuai?" and urged the tennis world to unite.&nbsp;

On one side, the women's tennis governing body kept pressing Chinese authorities over the whereabouts of Shuai and kept raising the issue on a global platform.&nbsp;

On the other side, Chinese state media journalists attempted to ensure the world that Peng Shuai is "safe". Firstly, they released a letter perturbed from the player. After that photos emerged and then a video.&nbsp;

However, WTA wasn't convinced that the player is actually safe as it said that the photographs and video footage of the Chinese tennis star do not address the association's concerns about her.&nbsp;

Then, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach interacted virtually in a 30-minute long video call with Shuai and the details were published on the website.&nbsp;

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WTA re-iterated that Shuai's video call with the IOC president did not address or alleviate concerns about her well-being. "It was good to see Peng Shuai in recent videos, but they don't alleviate or address the WTA's concern about her well-being and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion," a WTA spokeswoman said in an e-mail.

And on being asked about the call with the IOC, the spokeswoman said: "This video does not change our call for a full, fair and transparent investigation, without censorship, into her allegation of sexual assault, which is the issue that gave rise to our initial concern."

But if IOC's efforts are not enough to make the world believe that Peng Shuai is safe, then what's next?

The entire saga emerged as a curious case of a battle between China and the rest of the world that could do nothing more than just raise concerns and question the authorities. Temporary disappearances from public life following a scrape with authority is not something that is unheard of in China. This has happened before — Jack Ma, Fan Bingbing are some examples.&nbsp;

Peng Shuai's case highlights Beijing's censorship machine in a tightly controlled cyberspace and&nbsp;the extreme secrecy surrounding the country's ruling elite.

Is Peng Shuai is really safe?&nbsp;

Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai claimed that a powerful politician sexually assaulted her. In a social media post, Shuai accused a former Chinese vice premier of forcing her into sex several years ago, she also said that he coerced her into sex and they later had an on-off consensual relationship.

Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai claimed that a powerful politician sexually assaulted her. In a social media post, Shuai accused a former Chinese vice premier of forcing her into sex several years ago, she also said that he coerced her into sex and they later had an on-off consensual relationship. In the era of #MeToo, if allegations are against politicians, celebrities or popular personalities, then it gets global coverage and a similar thing happened in Peng Shuai's case as well. Her claims were against Zhang Gaoli, who became a member of the Politburo Standing Committee - China's top decision-making body. However, the tennis player went 'missing' as she was not heard from or seen publicly for days after making the allegations. Her social media post (on Weibo) was deleted within hours the topic remains blocked from direct online discussion. But it got highlighted when globally when the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) called on the Chinese government to investigate allegations of sexual assault made by the player and also urged the player to make a public appearance. IN PICS | Peng Shuai: World seeks answers as Chinese tennis player goes 'missing'; Here's is what we know so far The issue was escalated when top tennis players raised concerns about the whereabouts of Shuai. From Naomi Osaka to Serena Williams to Novak Djokovic, players asked that "Where is Peng Shuai?" and urged the tennis world to unite. On one side, the women's tennis governing body kept pressing Chinese authorities over the whereabouts of Shuai and kept raising the issue on a global platform. On the other side, Chinese state media journalists attempted to ensure the world that Peng Shuai is "safe". Firstly, they released a letter perturbed from the player. After that photos emerged and then a video. However, WTA wasn't convinced that the player is actually safe as it said that the photographs and video footage of the Chinese tennis star do not address the association's concerns about her. Then, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach interacted virtually in a 30-minute long video call with Shuai and the details were published on the website. × WTA re-iterated that Shuai's video call with the IOC president did not address or alleviate concerns about her well-being. "It was good to see Peng Shuai in recent videos, but they don't alleviate or address the WTA's concern about her well-being and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion," a WTA spokeswoman said in an e-mail. And on being asked about the call with the IOC, the spokeswoman said: "This video does not change our call for a full, fair and transparent investigation, without censorship, into her allegation of sexual assault, which is the issue that gave rise to our initial concern." But if IOC's efforts are not enough to make the world believe that Peng Shuai is safe, then what's next? The entire saga emerged as a curious case of a battle between China and the rest of the world that could do nothing more than just raise concerns and question the authorities. Temporary disappearances from public life following a scrape with authority is not something that is unheard of in China. This has happened before — Jack Ma, Fan Bingbing are some examples. Peng Shuai's case highlights Beijing's censorship machine in a tightly controlled cyberspace and the extreme secrecy surrounding the country's ruling elite. Is Peng Shuai is really safe?

The curious case of China vs rest of world over a 'missing' tennis star

Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai`s video call with the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not address or alleviate the Women`s Tennis Association`s (WTA) concern about her well-being, the WTA said on Monday. 
 
The whereabouts of Peng, a former doubles world number one, became a matter of international concern nearly three weeks ago, after she alleged that former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had sexually assaulted her. 
 
She appeared at a dinner with friends on Saturday and a children`s tennis tournament in Beijing on Sunday, photographs and videos published by Chinese state media journalists and by the tournament`s organisers show. But they have done little to quell concerns. 
 
"It was good to see Peng Shuai in recent videos, but they don`t alleviate or address the WTA`s concern about her well-being and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion," a WTA spokeswoman said in an e-mail. 
 
Asked about the call with the IOC, the spokeswoman said: "This video does not change our call for a full, fair and transparent investigation, without censorship, into her allegation of sexual assault, which is the issue that gave rise to our initial concern." 
 
The IOC said in a statement that Peng held a 30-minute call with its president Thomas Bach on Sunday during which she said she was safe and well at home in Beijing, and wanted to have her privacy respected for now. 
 
The concern over Peng comes as global rights groups and others have called for a boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February over China`s human rights record. The WTA has also threatened to pull tournaments out of China over the matter.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/relieved-ioc-president-thomas-bach-interacts-with-chinese-tennis-star-peng-shuai-in-a-video-call-431047">'Relieved' IOC president Thomas Bach interacts with Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai in a video call</a>

Hu Xijin, the editor of the state-owned newspaper Global Times who has in recent days posted videos and photographs of Peng in Beijing, said on Twitter https://twitter.com/huxijin_gt/status/1462655560893939715?s=21 on Monday that her appearance should be enough to ease worries of "those who truly care about (the) safety of Peng Shuai. 
 
"But for those aiming to attack China’s system and boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics, facts, no matter how many, don`t work for them," he said. 
 
On Nov. 2, Peng posted on Chinese social media that Zhang had coerced her into sex and they later had an on-off consensual relationship. The post was quickly deleted and the topic has been blocked from discussion on China`s heavily censored internet. Neither Zhang nor the Chinese government have commented on Peng`s allegations. China’s State Council Information office and foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent on Monday. 
 
France`s foreign minister called on Sunday for Chinese authorities to let Peng speak publicly. "I`m expecting only one thing: that she speaks," Jean-Yves Le Drian told LCI television, adding that there could be unspecified diplomatic consequences if China did not clear up the situation. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the IOC`s statement. 
 
The United States and Britain have also called for China to provide proof of Peng`s whereabouts.Men`s singles world No.1 Novak Djokovic said it would be strange to hold tournaments in China unless the "horrific" situation was resolved.

Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai`s video call with the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not address or alleviate the Women`s Tennis Association`s (WTA) concern about her well-being, the WTA said on Monday.

Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai`s video call with the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not address or alleviate the Women`s Tennis Association`s (WTA) concern about her well-being, the WTA said on Monday. The whereabouts of Peng, a former doubles world number one, became a matter of international concern nearly three weeks ago, after she alleged that former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had sexually assaulted her. She appeared at a dinner with friends on Saturday and a children`s tennis tournament in Beijing on Sunday, photographs and videos published by Chinese state media journalists and by the tournament`s organisers show. But they have done little to quell concerns. "It was good to see Peng Shuai in recent videos, but they don`t alleviate or address the WTA`s concern about her well-being and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion," a WTA spokeswoman said in an e-mail. Asked about the call with the IOC, the spokeswoman said: "This video does not change our call for a full, fair and transparent investigation, without censorship, into her allegation of sexual assault, which is the issue that gave rise to our initial concern." The IOC said in a statement that Peng held a 30-minute call with its president Thomas Bach on Sunday during which she said she was safe and well at home in Beijing, and wanted to have her privacy respected for now. The concern over Peng comes as global rights groups and others have called for a boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February over China`s human rights record. The WTA has also threatened to pull tournaments out of China over the matter. ALSO READ | 'Relieved' IOC president Thomas Bach interacts with Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai in a video call Hu Xijin, the editor of the state-owned newspaper Global Times who has in recent days posted videos and photographs of Peng in Beijing, said on Twitter https://twitter.com/huxijin_gt/status/1462655560893939715?s=21 on Monday that her appearance should be enough to ease worries of "those who truly care about (the) safety of Peng Shuai. "But for those aiming to attack China’s system and boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics, facts, no matter how many, don`t work for them," he said. On Nov. 2, Peng posted on Chinese social media that Zhang had coerced her into sex and they later had an on-off consensual relationship. The post was quickly deleted and the topic has been blocked from discussion on China`s heavily censored internet. Neither Zhang nor the Chinese government have commented on Peng`s allegations. China’s State Council Information office and foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent on Monday. France`s foreign minister called on Sunday for Chinese authorities to let Peng speak publicly. "I`m expecting only one thing: that she speaks," Jean-Yves Le Drian told LCI television, adding that there could be unspecified diplomatic consequences if China did not clear up the situation. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the IOC`s statement. The United States and Britain have also called for China to provide proof of Peng`s whereabouts.Men`s singles world No.1 Novak Djokovic said it would be strange to hold tournaments in China unless the "horrific" situation was resolved.

WTA says Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai's video call with Olympic chief is not enough

Peng Shuai: World seeks answers as Chinese tennis player goes 'missing'; Here's is what we know so far

In another attempt to assure the world that Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai is safe, two new video clips emerged on the social media platform. Hu Xijin, whose Twitter bio says he is editor-in-chief of the Global Times, posted clips to push a narrative that the tennis player is fine. However, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Chairman and CEO, Steve Simon is not convinced.&nbsp;

The videos claimed that Peng was having dinner with her coach and friends. Now, the women tennis governing body says the videos were a "positive" sign, but there's no clarity whether the tennis player is free and able to make decisions and take actions on her own.&nbsp;

In the caption,&nbsp;Hu Xijin wrote, "I acquired two video clips, which show Peng Shuai was having dinner with her coach and friends in a restaurant. The video content clearly shows they are shot on Saturday Beijing time."

The video was&nbsp;posted on social media and WION cannot take responsibility or independently verify the details.&nbsp;

IN PICS | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/peng-shuai-world-seeks-answers-as-chinese-tennis-player-goes-missing-heres-is-what-we-know-so-far-430863">Peng Shuai: World seeks answers as Chinese tennis player goes 'missing'; Here's is what we know so far</a>

In a statement, Steve Simon wrote, "I am glad to see the videos released by China state-run media that appear to show Peng Shuai at a restaurant in Beijing. While it is positive to see her, it remains unclear if she is free and able to make decisions and take actions on her own, without coercion or external interference."&nbsp;

"This video alone is insufficient. As I have stated from the beginning, I remain concerned about Peng Shuai's health and safety and that the allegation of sexual assault is being censored and swept under the rug. I have been clear about what needs to happen and our relationship with China is at a crossroads," he added.

ALSO READ&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-chinese-reporter-posts-video-which-shows-tennis-player-peng-shuai-having-dinner-with-her-coach-430835">Watch: Chinese reporter posts video, which shows tennis player Peng Shuai having dinner with her coach</a>

How did all of this start? On November 2, Shuai had claimed in a social media (Weibo) post that China's former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had "forced" her into sex during a long-term on-off relationship. Her post was deleted, without leaving any trace, but the entire incident led to a massive global outcry as thousands raised concerns, including top tennis players to ask "Where is Peng Shuai?".&nbsp;

Wimbledon organisers the All England Lawn Tennis Club, meanwhile, said in a statement: "We are united with the rest of tennis in the need to understand that Peng Shuai is safe."

"We have been working in support of the WTA's efforts to establish her safety through our relationships behind the scenes," the statement added.&nbsp;

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In another attempt to assure the world that Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai is safe, two new video clips emerged on the social media platform. Hu Xijin, whose Twitter bio says he is editor-in-chief of the Global Times, posted clips to push a narrative that the tennis player is fine.

In another attempt to assure the world that Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai is safe, two new video clips emerged on the social media platform. Hu Xijin, whose Twitter bio says he is editor-in-chief of the Global Times, posted clips to push a narrative that the tennis player is fine. However, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Chairman and CEO, Steve Simon is not convinced. The videos claimed that Peng was having dinner with her coach and friends. Now, the women tennis governing body says the videos were a "positive" sign, but there's no clarity whether the tennis player is free and able to make decisions and take actions on her own. In the caption, Hu Xijin wrote, "I acquired two video clips, which show Peng Shuai was having dinner with her coach and friends in a restaurant. The video content clearly shows they are shot on Saturday Beijing time." The video was posted on social media and WION cannot take responsibility or independently verify the details. IN PICS | Peng Shuai: World seeks answers as Chinese tennis player goes 'missing'; Here's is what we know so far In a statement, Steve Simon wrote, "I am glad to see the videos released by China state-run media that appear to show Peng Shuai at a restaurant in Beijing. While it is positive to see her, it remains unclear if she is free and able to make decisions and take actions on her own, without coercion or external interference." "This video alone is insufficient. As I have stated from the beginning, I remain concerned about Peng Shuai's health and safety and that the allegation of sexual assault is being censored and swept under the rug. I have been clear about what needs to happen and our relationship with China is at a crossroads," he added. ALSO READ Watch: Chinese reporter posts video, which shows tennis player Peng Shuai having dinner with her coach How did all of this start? On November 2, Shuai had claimed in a social media (Weibo) post that China's former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had "forced" her into sex during a long-term on-off relationship. Her post was deleted, without leaving any trace, but the entire incident led to a massive global outcry as thousands raised concerns, including top tennis players to ask "Where is Peng Shuai?". Wimbledon organisers the All England Lawn Tennis Club, meanwhile, said in a statement: "We are united with the rest of tennis in the need to understand that Peng Shuai is safe." "We have been working in support of the WTA's efforts to establish her safety through our relationships behind the scenes," the statement added. ×

Peng Shuai: China uses state media to push narrative she's fine, WTA not convinced

The head of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), Steve Simon, in an interview with CNN, has said that he is in favour of pulling&nbsp;business even if that means losing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of business in China if tennis player Peng Shuai's safety is not fully accounted for.&nbsp;

While speaking to CNN, he said, "We're definitely willing to pull our business and deal with all the complications that come with it. Because this is certainly, this is bigger than the business."&nbsp;

Shuai went missing after she alleged that a powerful Chinese politician sexually assaulted her.&nbsp;

In a social media post on November 2, the tennis player had claimed that China's former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had "forced" her into sex during a long-term on-off relationship. Her post on Weibo was deleted within 30 minutes.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/a-letter-from-chinese-tennis-player-peng-shuai-claiming-she-is-fine-and-resting-at-home-raises-concerns-430184">Also read |&nbsp;A letter from Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai claiming she is 'fine' and 'resting at home' raises concerns</a>

After Japanese star Naomi Osaka, American professional tennis player Serena Williams has raised concerns over the whereabouts of Shuai. This comes after a letter, purportedly from Shuai claimed that she is not missing or unsafe as she is just resting at home and everything is fine.

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I am devastated and shocked to hear about the news of my peer, Peng Shuai. I hope she is safe and found as soon as possible. This must be investigated and we must not stay silent. Sending love to her and her family during this incredibly difficult time. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/whereispengshuai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#whereispengshuai</a> <a href="https://t.co/GZG3zLTSC6">pic.twitter.com/GZG3zLTSC6</a>
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) <a href="https://twitter.com/serenawilliams/status/1461408866697105413?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Williams joined other sports stars by tweeting under the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai. In a tweet, she wrote, "I am devastated and shocked to hear about the news of my peer, Peng Shuai. I hope she is safe and found as soon as possible. This must be investigated and we must not stay silent. Sending love to her and her family during this incredibly difficult time."

Not just Osaka and Williams, but Novak Djokovic and several other players have said that they were deeply worried.

The letter has raised more concerns as even the head of the WTA on Wednesday voiced doubt over the letter he received as an email.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/im-in-shock-naomi-osaka-concerned-over-missing-chinese-tennis-player-peng-shuais-whereabouts-430046">Also read |&nbsp;'I'm in shock': Naomi Osaka concerned over missing Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai's whereabouts</a>

A part of the letter read: "Regarding the recent news released on the official website of the WTA, the content has not been confirmed or verified by myself and it was released without my consent"

"The news in that release, including the allegation of sexual assault, is not true. I’m not missing, nor I am unsafe. I’ve just been resting at home and everything is fine. Thank you again for caring about me," it added.&nbsp;

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The head of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), Steve Simon, in an interview with CNN, has said that he is in favour of pulling business even if that means losing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of business in China if tennis player Peng Shuai's safety is not fully accounted for.

The head of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), Steve Simon, in an interview with CNN, has said that he is in favour of pulling business even if that means losing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of business in China if tennis player Peng Shuai's safety is not fully accounted for. While speaking to CNN, he said, "We're definitely willing to pull our business and deal with all the complications that come with it. Because this is certainly, this is bigger than the business." Shuai went missing after she alleged that a powerful Chinese politician sexually assaulted her. In a social media post on November 2, the tennis player had claimed that China's former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had "forced" her into sex during a long-term on-off relationship. Her post on Weibo was deleted within 30 minutes. Also read | A letter from Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai claiming she is 'fine' and 'resting at home' raises concerns After Japanese star Naomi Osaka, American professional tennis player Serena Williams has raised concerns over the whereabouts of Shuai. This comes after a letter, purportedly from Shuai claimed that she is not missing or unsafe as she is just resting at home and everything is fine. I am devastated and shocked to hear about the news of my peer, Peng Shuai. I hope she is safe and found as soon as possible. This must be investigated and we must not stay silent. Sending love to her and her family during this incredibly difficult time. #whereispengshuai pic.twitter.com/GZG3zLTSC6 — Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) November 18, 2021 × Williams joined other sports stars by tweeting under the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai. In a tweet, she wrote, "I am devastated and shocked to hear about the news of my peer, Peng Shuai. I hope she is safe and found as soon as possible. This must be investigated and we must not stay silent. Sending love to her and her family during this incredibly difficult time." Not just Osaka and Williams, but Novak Djokovic and several other players have said that they were deeply worried. The letter has raised more concerns as even the head of the WTA on Wednesday voiced doubt over the letter he received as an email. Also read | 'I'm in shock': Naomi Osaka concerned over missing Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai's whereabouts A part of the letter read: "Regarding the recent news released on the official website of the WTA, the content has not been confirmed or verified by myself and it was released without my consent" "The news in that release, including the allegation of sexual assault, is not true. I’m not missing, nor I am unsafe. I’ve just been resting at home and everything is fine. Thank you again for caring about me," it added. ×

WTA chairman to pull out of China if Peng Shuai's safety not taken care of; Serena Williams expresses concern

A letter, purportedly from Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai claimed that she is not missing or unsafe as she is just resting at home and everything is fine. Instead of clearing the air, the letter has raised more concerns as even the head of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) on Wednesday (November 17) voiced doubt over the letter he received as an email.&nbsp;

One of China's biggest sports stars went missing after she alleged that a powerful Chinese politician sexually assaulted her. Shuai had claimed in a social media (Weibo) post on November 2 that China's former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had "forced" her into sex during a long-term on-off relationship. Ever since she made the claims, she has not been seen or heard from publicly. Even&nbsp;her post was&nbsp;deleted about half an hour later.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/im-in-shock-naomi-osaka-concerned-over-missing-chinese-tennis-player-peng-shuais-whereabouts-430046">'I'm in shock': Naomi Osaka concerned over missing Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai's whereabouts</a>

In the aftermath, a letter has been posted on the Twitter handle of the Chinese state-affiliated media outlet CGTN, saying it was an email Peng had sent to WTA Chairman Steve Simon.&nbsp;

A part of the letter read: "Regarding the recent news released on the official website of the WTA, the content has not been confirmed or verified by myself and it was released without my consent"

"The news in that release, including the allegation of sexual assault, is not true. I’m not missing, nor I am unsafe. I’ve just been resting at home and everything is fine. Thank you again for caring about me," it added.&nbsp;

Read the letter here:

<img alt="Peng Shuai" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8eb1572-4899-4e92-b876-a5d2719f0cdb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/FEaa8FzXMAIhUM0_0.png" />

Image: CGTN tweets an email allegedly sent by Peng Shuai to Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Chairman and CEO Steve Simon in this screengrab obtained via social media on November 18, 2021.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/im-fighting-for-it-roger-federer-out-of-australian-open-participation-in-wimbledon-remains-doubtful-430030">'I'm fighting for it': Roger Federer out of Australian Open, participation in Wimbledon remains doubtful</a>

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Statement by Steve Simon, WTA Chairman &amp; CEO: 
 
The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts. Peng Shuai must be allowed to speak freely, without coercion or intimidation from any source.
— wta (@WTA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WTA/status/1461062506512846849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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In reply to the letter, Simon said, "The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts. I have a hard time believing that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received or believes what is being attributed to her."&nbsp;

Recently, Japanese star Naomi Osaka voiced concerns over the whereabouts of Shuai. The four-time Grand Slam winner took to her official Twitter handle and asked "Where Is Peng Shuai"? Not just Osaka, Novak Djokovic and several other players have also spoken in the recent days saying they were deeply worried.&nbsp;

Previously, WTA had also&nbsp;called for Peng's claims to be "investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship".&nbsp;

A letter, purportedly from Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai claimed that she is not missing or unsafe as she is just resting at home and everything is fine. Instead of clearing the air, the letter has raised more concerns as even the head of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) on Wednesday (November 17) voiced doubt over the letter he received as an email.

A letter, purportedly from Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai claimed that she is not missing or unsafe as she is just resting at home and everything is fine. Instead of clearing the air, the letter has raised more concerns as even the head of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) on Wednesday (November 17) voiced doubt over the letter he received as an email. One of China's biggest sports stars went missing after she alleged that a powerful Chinese politician sexually assaulted her. Shuai had claimed in a social media (Weibo) post on November 2 that China's former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had "forced" her into sex during a long-term on-off relationship. Ever since she made the claims, she has not been seen or heard from publicly. Even her post was deleted about half an hour later. ALSO READ | 'I'm in shock': Naomi Osaka concerned over missing Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai's whereabouts In the aftermath, a letter has been posted on the Twitter handle of the Chinese state-affiliated media outlet CGTN, saying it was an email Peng had sent to WTA Chairman Steve Simon. A part of the letter read: "Regarding the recent news released on the official website of the WTA, the content has not been confirmed or verified by myself and it was released without my consent" "The news in that release, including the allegation of sexual assault, is not true. I’m not missing, nor I am unsafe. I’ve just been resting at home and everything is fine. Thank you again for caring about me," it added. Read the letter here: Image: CGTN tweets an email allegedly sent by Peng Shuai to Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Chairman and CEO Steve Simon in this screengrab obtained via social media on November 18, 2021. ALSO READ | 'I'm fighting for it': Roger Federer out of Australian Open, participation in Wimbledon remains doubtful Statement by Steve Simon, WTA Chairman & CEO: The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts. Peng Shuai must be allowed to speak freely, without coercion or intimidation from any source. — wta (@WTA) November 17, 2021 × In reply to the letter, Simon said, "The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts. I have a hard time believing that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received or believes what is being attributed to her." Recently, Japanese star Naomi Osaka voiced concerns over the whereabouts of Shuai. The four-time Grand Slam winner took to her official Twitter handle and asked "Where Is Peng Shuai"? Not just Osaka, Novak Djokovic and several other players have also spoken in the recent days saying they were deeply worried. Previously, WTA had also called for Peng's claims to be "investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship".

A letter from Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai claiming she is 'fine' and 'resting at home' raises concerns

'Where is Peng Shuai?'

Japanese star Naomi Osaka has raised concerns over the whereabouts of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who went missing after she alleged that a powerful Chinese politician sexually assaulted her.&nbsp;

Shuai had claimed in a social media post on November 2 that China's former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had "forced" her into sex during a long-term on-off relationship. Ever since she made the claims, she has not been seen or heard from publicly, leading to growing suspicion and global outrage.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/im-fighting-for-it-roger-federer-out-of-australian-open-participation-in-wimbledon-remains-doubtful-430030">'I'm fighting for it': Roger Federer out of Australian Open, participation in Wimbledon remains doubtful</a>

As the world continues to wait and watch to get some&nbsp;information, the four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka took to her official Twitter handle and asked "Where Is Peng Shuai"? Osaka's&nbsp;questions have been added to growing concerns within the tennis fraternity about Peng's fate, with Novak Djokovic and several other players also spoken in the same context in recent days saying they were deeply worried.

Osaka wrote, "I was recently informed of a fellow tennis player that has gone missing shortly after revealing that she has been sexually abused. Censorship is never ok at any cost, 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."

In a recent development, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) called for Peng's claims to be "investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship".&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chinese-star-peng-shuais-safety-comes-ahead-of-business-assures-former-wta-ceo-stacey-allaster-429731">Chinese star Peng Shuai's safety comes ahead of business, assures former WTA CEO Stacey Allaster</a>

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. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhereIsPengShuai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhereIsPengShuai</a> <a href="https://t.co/51qcyDtzLq">pic.twitter.com/51qcyDtzLq</a>
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) <a href="https://twitter.com/naomiosaka/status/1460723353174433793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Steve Simon, WTA Chairman and CEO, in a statement said, "Peng Shuai, and all women, deserve to be heard, not censored. Her accusation about the conduct of a former Chinese leader involving a sexual assault must be treated with the utmost seriousness."

"We expect this issue to be handled properly, meaning the allegations must be investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship. Our absolute and unwavering priority is the health and safety of our players. We are speaking out so justice can be done," Simon added.&nbsp;

'Where is Peng Shuai?' Japanese star Naomi Osaka has raised concerns over the whereabouts of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who went missing after she alleged that a powerful Chinese politician sexually assaulted her.

'Where is Peng Shuai?' Japanese star Naomi Osaka has raised concerns over the whereabouts of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who went missing after she alleged that a powerful Chinese politician sexually assaulted her. Shuai had claimed in a social media post on November 2 that China's former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli had "forced" her into sex during a long-term on-off relationship. Ever since she made the claims, she has not been seen or heard from publicly, leading to growing suspicion and global outrage. ALSO READ | 'I'm fighting for it': Roger Federer out of Australian Open, participation in Wimbledon remains doubtful As the world continues to wait and watch to get some information, the four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka took to her official Twitter handle and asked "Where Is Peng Shuai"? Osaka's questions have been added to growing concerns within the tennis fraternity about Peng's fate, with Novak Djokovic and several other players also spoken in the same context in recent days saying they were deeply worried. Osaka wrote, "I was recently informed of a fellow tennis player that has gone missing shortly after revealing that she has been sexually abused. Censorship is never ok at any cost, 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." In a recent development, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) called for Peng's claims to be "investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship". ALSO READ | Chinese star Peng Shuai's safety comes ahead of business, assures former WTA CEO Stacey Allaster . #WhereIsPengShuai pic.twitter.com/51qcyDtzLq — NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) November 16, 2021 × Steve Simon, WTA Chairman and CEO, in a statement said, "Peng Shuai, and all women, deserve to be heard, not censored. Her accusation about the conduct of a former Chinese leader involving a sexual assault must be treated with the utmost seriousness." "We expect this issue to be handled properly, meaning the allegations must be investigated fully, fairly, transparently and without censorship. Our absolute and unwavering priority is the health and safety of our players. We are speaking out so justice can be done," Simon added.

'I'm in shock': Naomi Osaka concerned over missing Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai's whereabouts

The WTA Tour on Sunday called on the Chinese government to investigate allegations of sexual assault made by Peng Shuai against a former Chinese vice premier, while also demanding an end to censorship of the former top-ranked doubles player.

Peng, one of China`s biggest sporting stars, alleged on her Weibo social media account on Nov. 2 that Zhang Gaoli, who became a member of the Politburo Standing Committee - China`s top decision-making body - coerced her into sex and they later had an on-off consensual relationship.

Peng said in the post, which was deleted around half an hour after it was published, that she could provide no evidence to back her allegations.

The China Tennis Association did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

China's internet is heavily censored and the private lives of top leaders are an especially sensitive subject. Zhang, now 75, was a vice premier between 2013 and 2018 and served on the Politburo Standing Committee between 2012 and 2017.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/daniil-medvedev-says-double-triumph-late-last-year-at-paris-masters-and-atp-finals-laid-platform-for-rise-428851">Daniil Medvedev says double triumph late last year at Paris Masters and ATP Finals laid platform for rise</a>

Concerns among the global tennis community have grown as Peng has not been seen since the post.

The WTA said in a statement that it will seek a, "full, fair and transparent investigation into sexual assault allegations" against a former Chinese leader.

"The recent events in China concerning a WTA player, Peng Shuai, are of deep concern," said WTA Tour chairman and CEO Steve Simon in a statement.

"Peng Shuai, and all women, deserve to be heard, not censored.

"Her accusation about the conduct of a former Chinese leader involving a sexual assault must be treated with the utmost seriousness."

Peng was the world number one doubles player in 2014, the first Chinese player to achieve a top ranking, after winning the doubles titles at Wimbledon in 2013 and the French Open in 2014.

China, the focus of the Tour`s most aggressive expansion over the last decade, hosted nine tournaments in the 2019 season, including the elite WTA Finals, with a total $30.4 million prize money on offer.

The season-ending WTA Finals, contested by the world`s top eight singles players and eight doubles teams, had a prize purse of $14 million in 2019 when it was played in Shenzhen for the first time.

The Finals was cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and moved this year to Guadalajara, Mexico.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/atp-finals-daniil-medvedev-survives-hubert-hurkacz-scare-mateo-berrettini-injured-vs-alexander-zverev-429485">ATP Finals: Daniil Medvedev survives Hubert Hurkacz scare, Mateo Berrettini injured vs Alexander Zverev</a>

The WTA said that the tournament will return to Shenzhen from 2022 and the Chinese city will host every edition until 2030.

"I think everybody fully understands what`s at stake here on many different fronts as we`re going through it," Simon told the New York Times on Sunday. "I think we`re certainly, from players to board to council, fully united that the only acceptable approach is that of doing what is right."

Simon told the Times no one at the WTA Tour has talked directly to Peng but has received assurances from the Chinese Tennis Association that she is safe.

"We`ve received confirmation from several sources, including the Chinese Tennis Association, that she is safe and not under any physical threat," Simon told the Times.

The WTA Tour on Sunday called on the Chinese government to investigate allegations of sexual assault made by Peng Shuai against a former Chinese vice premier, while also demanding an end to censorship of the former top-ranked doubles player.

The WTA Tour on Sunday called on the Chinese government to investigate allegations of sexual assault made by Peng Shuai against a former Chinese vice premier, while also demanding an end to censorship of the former top-ranked doubles player. Peng, one of China`s biggest sporting stars, alleged on her Weibo social media account on Nov. 2 that Zhang Gaoli, who became a member of the Politburo Standing Committee - China`s top decision-making body - coerced her into sex and they later had an on-off consensual relationship. Peng said in the post, which was deleted around half an hour after it was published, that she could provide no evidence to back her allegations. The China Tennis Association did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. China's internet is heavily censored and the private lives of top leaders are an especially sensitive subject. Zhang, now 75, was a vice premier between 2013 and 2018 and served on the Politburo Standing Committee between 2012 and 2017. ALSO READ | Daniil Medvedev says double triumph late last year at Paris Masters and ATP Finals laid platform for rise Concerns among the global tennis community have grown as Peng has not been seen since the post. The WTA said in a statement that it will seek a, "full, fair and transparent investigation into sexual assault allegations" against a former Chinese leader. "The recent events in China concerning a WTA player, Peng Shuai, are of deep concern," said WTA Tour chairman and CEO Steve Simon in a statement. "Peng Shuai, and all women, deserve to be heard, not censored. "Her accusation about the conduct of a former Chinese leader involving a sexual assault must be treated with the utmost seriousness." Peng was the world number one doubles player in 2014, the first Chinese player to achieve a top ranking, after winning the doubles titles at Wimbledon in 2013 and the French Open in 2014. China, the focus of the Tour`s most aggressive expansion over the last decade, hosted nine tournaments in the 2019 season, including the elite WTA Finals, with a total $30.4 million prize money on offer. The season-ending WTA Finals, contested by the world`s top eight singles players and eight doubles teams, had a prize purse of $14 million in 2019 when it was played in Shenzhen for the first time. The Finals was cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and moved this year to Guadalajara, Mexico. ALSO READ: ATP Finals: Daniil Medvedev survives Hubert Hurkacz scare, Mateo Berrettini injured vs Alexander Zverev The WTA said that the tournament will return to Shenzhen from 2022 and the Chinese city will host every edition until 2030. "I think everybody fully understands what`s at stake here on many different fronts as we`re going through it," Simon told the New York Times on Sunday. "I think we`re certainly, from players to board to council, fully united that the only acceptable approach is that of doing what is right." Simon told the Times no one at the WTA Tour has talked directly to Peng but has received assurances from the Chinese Tennis Association that she is safe. "We`ve received confirmation from several sources, including the Chinese Tennis Association, that she is safe and not under any physical threat," Simon told the Times.

WTA calls for investigation into Peng Shuai's allegations after Chinese tennis star goes 'missing'

US&nbsp;Open champion Emma Raducanu eased into the Transylvania Open quarter-finals with a controlled 6-3 6-4 win over home favourite Ana Bogdan in the second round on Thursday.

Raducanu followed up her maiden WTA Tour win over Polona Hercog -- a battling three-set victory on Tuesday -- with a much improved performance against Bogdan and looked steady on serve, winning 87.5% of her first serve points.

"It was so good to play a Romanian here. All the volunteers who go into making this tournament possible, we really appreciate their support. Ana was a great opponent," Raducanu said after the match.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wta-roundup-simona-halep-beats-elena-gabriela-ruse-to-record-easy-win-in-homeland-424725">WTA roundup: Simona Halep beats Elena-Gabriela Ruse to record easy win in homeland</a>

"It's definitely taking me some time to find my feet still. I`m taking some learnings from every match I play. I still don't think I'm the finished product yet."

Raducanu, who announced herself on the grandest stage when she claimed the Flushing Meadows title as a qualifier last month, added that she has gifted her U.S. Open trophy to the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).

"I just thought the LTA had done so much for me and I just wanted them to have it as a sign for everything they had done for me. It`s a little gift," the British number one said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/teen-sensation-emma-raducanu-battles-past-polona-hercog-to-secure-first-wta-tour-win-424356">Teen sensation Emma Raducanu battles past Polona Hercog to secure first WTA Tour win</a>

Raducanu will next face 19-year-old Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk.

US Open champion Emma Raducanu eased into the Transylvania Open quarter-finals with a controlled 6-3 6-4 win over home favourite Ana Bogdan in the second round on Thursday.

US Open champion Emma Raducanu eased into the Transylvania Open quarter-finals with a controlled 6-3 6-4 win over home favourite Ana Bogdan in the second round on Thursday. Raducanu followed up her maiden WTA Tour win over Polona Hercog -- a battling three-set victory on Tuesday -- with a much improved performance against Bogdan and looked steady on serve, winning 87.5% of her first serve points. "It was so good to play a Romanian here. All the volunteers who go into making this tournament possible, we really appreciate their support. Ana was a great opponent," Raducanu said after the match. ALSO READ: WTA roundup: Simona Halep beats Elena-Gabriela Ruse to record easy win in homeland "It's definitely taking me some time to find my feet still. I`m taking some learnings from every match I play. I still don't think I'm the finished product yet." Raducanu, who announced herself on the grandest stage when she claimed the Flushing Meadows title as a qualifier last month, added that she has gifted her U.S. Open trophy to the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). "I just thought the LTA had done so much for me and I just wanted them to have it as a sign for everything they had done for me. It`s a little gift," the British number one said. ALSO READ: Teen sensation Emma Raducanu battles past Polona Hercog to secure first WTA Tour win Raducanu will next face 19-year-old Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk.

Emma Raducanu beats Ana Bogdan to reach Transylvania Open quarter-finals

Top-seeded Simona Halep recorded six aces while knocking off Romanian countrymate Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-1, 6-2 on Wednesday in the first round of the Transylvania Open at Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Halep needed just 73 minutes to finish off Ruse, who committed six double faults without notching an ace. Halep won 25 of 30 first-serve points (83.3 percent).

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/teen-sensation-emma-raducanu-battles-past-polona-hercog-to-secure-first-wta-tour-win-424356">Teen sensation Emma Raducanu battles past Polona Hercog to secure first WTA Tour win</a>

Second-seeded Anett Kontaveit of Estonia was a 6-3, 7-5 winner over Serbia`s Aleksandra Krunic, while Romania`s Jaqueline Cristian posted a 7-6 (5), 7-5 win over fifth-seeded Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia. Eighth-seeded Anhelina Kalinina beat Germany`s Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-2, 6-2, and Ukraine`s Lesia Tsurenko beat Russian Anastasia Gasanova 6-2, 7-5.

Courmayeur Ladies Open

Russia's Anna Kalinskaya notched a 6-3, 0-6, 6-3 victory over sixth-seeded American Alison Riske in the second round at Courmayeur, Italy.

Third-seeded Liudmilla Samsonova registered a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Spain`s Aliona Bolsova, and fifth-seeded Clara Tauson of Denmark beat Italy`s Giula Gatto-Monticone 6-4, 6-1.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/atp-rankings-roger-federer-slips-four-positions-to-15th-jannik-sinner-moves-to-career-high-11th-spot-423925">ATP Rankings: Roger Federer slips four positions to 15th, Jannik Sinner moves to career-high 11th spot</a>

Ninth-seeded American Ann Li was a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 winner over Russian Kamilla Rakhimova, and 10th-seeded Dayana Yastremska beat fellow Ukrainian Kateryna Kozlova 6-1, 3-6, 7-5. 
&nbsp;

Top-seeded Simona Halep recorded six aces while knocking off Romanian countrymate Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-1, 6-2 on Wednesday in the first round of the Transylvania Open at Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Top-seeded Simona Halep recorded six aces while knocking off Romanian countrymate Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-1, 6-2 on Wednesday in the first round of the Transylvania Open at Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Halep needed just 73 minutes to finish off Ruse, who committed six double faults without notching an ace. Halep won 25 of 30 first-serve points (83.3 percent). ALSO READ: Teen sensation Emma Raducanu battles past Polona Hercog to secure first WTA Tour win Second-seeded Anett Kontaveit of Estonia was a 6-3, 7-5 winner over Serbia`s Aleksandra Krunic, while Romania`s Jaqueline Cristian posted a 7-6 (5), 7-5 win over fifth-seeded Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia. Eighth-seeded Anhelina Kalinina beat Germany`s Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-2, 6-2, and Ukraine`s Lesia Tsurenko beat Russian Anastasia Gasanova 6-2, 7-5. Courmayeur Ladies Open Russia's Anna Kalinskaya notched a 6-3, 0-6, 6-3 victory over sixth-seeded American Alison Riske in the second round at Courmayeur, Italy. Third-seeded Liudmilla Samsonova registered a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Spain`s Aliona Bolsova, and fifth-seeded Clara Tauson of Denmark beat Italy`s Giula Gatto-Monticone 6-4, 6-1. ALSO READ | ATP Rankings: Roger Federer slips four positions to 15th, Jannik Sinner moves to career-high 11th spot Ninth-seeded American Ann Li was a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 winner over Russian Kamilla Rakhimova, and 10th-seeded Dayana Yastremska beat fellow Ukrainian Kateryna Kozlova 6-1, 3-6, 7-5.

WTA roundup: Simona Halep beats Elena-Gabriela Ruse to record easy win in homeland

U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu had to work hard for her first win on the WTA Tour after her fairytale New York triumph as she recovered from a set down to beat world number 124 Polona Hercog 4-6 7-5 6-1 in the Transylvania Open in Romania on Tuesday. Raducanu announced herself on the grandest stage when she claimed the Flushing Meadows title as a qualifier last month, but the 18-year-old Briton lost to Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus in straight sets at Indian Wells.

Still without a coach after parting ways with former Davis Cup player Andrew Richardson and having skipped the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, world number 23 Raducanu had sought to temper the expectations but showed her class in a difficult match.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/atp-rankings-roger-federer-slips-four-positions-to-15th-jannik-sinner-moves-to-career-high-11th-spot-423925">ATP Rankings: Roger Federer slips four positions to 15th, Jannik Sinner moves to career-high 11th spot</a>

She surrendered the opening set tamely after being 4-1 up before showing glimpses of the fighting character that marked her maiden major success to draw level at one-set apiece. With the momentum going her way, Raducanu raised her level by a notch and roared to 5-0 in the deciding set, winning 77% of her first serve points to close out the victory in Cluj-Napoca.

"Polona`s a great opponent, and she`s really experienced, so I really had to fight hard to pull that one through," Raducanu said of the 30-year-old Slovenian. "I thought that by the end of the third set I was playing some better tennis and the most important thing was I earned another opportunity to go and play better in my next round." 
"It feels like a huge win, to be honest. It`s actually my first WTA win, which makes me very, very happy." 
Raducanu will next take on home favourite Ana Bogdan.

U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu had to work hard for her first win on the WTA Tour after her fairytale New York triumph as she recovered from a set down to beat world number 124 Polona Hercog 4-6 7-5 6-1 in the Transylvania Open in Romania on Tuesday.

U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu had to work hard for her first win on the WTA Tour after her fairytale New York triumph as she recovered from a set down to beat world number 124 Polona Hercog 4-6 7-5 6-1 in the Transylvania Open in Romania on Tuesday. Raducanu announced herself on the grandest stage when she claimed the Flushing Meadows title as a qualifier last month, but the 18-year-old Briton lost to Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus in straight sets at Indian Wells. Still without a coach after parting ways with former Davis Cup player Andrew Richardson and having skipped the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, world number 23 Raducanu had sought to temper the expectations but showed her class in a difficult match. ALSO READ | ATP Rankings: Roger Federer slips four positions to 15th, Jannik Sinner moves to career-high 11th spot She surrendered the opening set tamely after being 4-1 up before showing glimpses of the fighting character that marked her maiden major success to draw level at one-set apiece. With the momentum going her way, Raducanu raised her level by a notch and roared to 5-0 in the deciding set, winning 77% of her first serve points to close out the victory in Cluj-Napoca. "Polona`s a great opponent, and she`s really experienced, so I really had to fight hard to pull that one through," Raducanu said of the 30-year-old Slovenian. "I thought that by the end of the third set I was playing some better tennis and the most important thing was I earned another opportunity to go and play better in my next round." "It feels like a huge win, to be honest. It`s actually my first WTA win, which makes me very, very happy." Raducanu will next take on home favourite Ana Bogdan.

Teen sensation Emma Raducanu battles past Polona Hercog to secure first WTA Tour win

World number one Ashleigh Barty said she was one of a few players offered admittance to a COVID-19 vaccine through a WTA Tour activity at a competition in South Carolina recently.&nbsp;

Barty, who turns 25 on Saturday, and her Australian mentor Craig Tyzzer were among the individuals who exploited the WTA's offer yet said she ensured they were not "bouncing the line".&nbsp;

"We were taking a gander at various roads to attempt to get immunized without bouncing the line in Australia to perceive what our alternatives were, and we couldn't find quite a bit of a solution before we left in March," she told journalists at a competition in Stuttgart.&nbsp;

"We had the option to get the antibody, similar to a ton of different players, through the Tour and that they had coordinated through a specific drug store that had additional items, and that was essential to me realizing that the individuals who were the most helpless had the option to get it first."&nbsp;

Barty spent the most recent year back home in Australia, for the most part, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Miami Open was her first competition abroad since February 2020.&nbsp;

"It was ideal to realize that we have that little layer of insurance," Barty said, adding that she had encountered a couple of results from the immunization.&nbsp;

"We actually do the correct things and submit to every one of the standards and the rules set up by the Tour however realizing that we had that tad of additional assurance reassures us a touch more."

Barty had won eight straight matches since getting back to the WTA Tour a month ago, including a great competition triumph at the Miami Open.&nbsp;

In Friday's quarter-finals, Barty plays either Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko, likewise a previous Roland Garros champ, or previous world number one Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic.&nbsp;

Recently, Barty asserted her second successive Miami Open title to hold her No. 1 WTA positioning.&nbsp;

The 2021 French Open will begin on Monday, May 24.

(With inputs from agencies)

World number one Ashleigh Barty said she was one of a few players offered admittance to a COVID-19 vaccine through a WTA Tour activity at a competition in South Carolina recently.

World number one Ashleigh Barty said she was one of a few players offered admittance to a COVID-19 vaccine through a WTA Tour activity at a competition in South Carolina recently. Barty, who turns 25 on Saturday, and her Australian mentor Craig Tyzzer were among the individuals who exploited the WTA's offer yet said she ensured they were not "bouncing the line". "We were taking a gander at various roads to attempt to get immunized without bouncing the line in Australia to perceive what our alternatives were, and we couldn't find quite a bit of a solution before we left in March," she told journalists at a competition in Stuttgart. "We had the option to get the antibody, similar to a ton of different players, through the Tour and that they had coordinated through a specific drug store that had additional items, and that was essential to me realizing that the individuals who were the most helpless had the option to get it first." Barty spent the most recent year back home in Australia, for the most part, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Miami Open was her first competition abroad since February 2020. "It was ideal to realize that we have that little layer of insurance," Barty said, adding that she had encountered a couple of results from the immunization. "We actually do the correct things and submit to every one of the standards and the rules set up by the Tour however realizing that we had that tad of additional assurance reassures us a touch more." Barty had won eight straight matches since getting back to the WTA Tour a month ago, including a great competition triumph at the Miami Open. In Friday's quarter-finals, Barty plays either Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko, likewise a previous Roland Garros champ, or previous world number one Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic. Recently, Barty asserted her second successive Miami Open title to hold her No. 1 WTA positioning. The 2021 French Open will begin on Monday, May 24. (With inputs from agencies)

Through WTA Tour initiative, Ashleigh Barty among players to get COVID-19 vaccine in US

Swiss tennis ace Roger Federer on Wednesday took to Twitter to propose&nbsp;an idea for a merger of the men's and women's association.&nbsp;

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Just wondering…..am I the only one thinking that now is the time for men’s and women’s tennis to be united and come together as one?
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/status/1252922285096423424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The men's division in the game is headed by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) whereas the women's division is headed by Women's Tennis Association (WTA).&nbsp;

The 20-time Grand Slam winner said that "probably should have happened."&nbsp;

Roger Federer posted a series of tweets elaborating&nbsp;his proposal&nbsp; as he&nbsp;said: "We can come out of this with two weakened bodies or one stronger body."

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It probably should have happened a long time ago, but maybe now is really the time. 
These are tough times in every sport and we can come out of this with 2 weakened bodies or 1 stronger body. <a href="https://t.co/30SbbAla5g">https://t.co/30SbbAla5g</a>
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/status/1252931040399839233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Federer added: "I am not talking about merging competition on the court but merging the two governing bodies that oversee the men's and women's professional tours."

"It's too confusing for the fans when there are different ranking systems, different logos, different websites, different tournament categories."

The American tennis legend Billie Jean King was one of the first to voice his support to Federer's idea, he said: "The WTA on its own was always Plan B. I'm glad we are on the same page. Let's make it happen."

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I agree, and have been saying so since the early 1970s. One voice, women and men together, has long been my vision for tennis. 
 
The WTA on its own was always Plan B. 
 
I’m glad we are on the same page. 
 
Let’s make it happen. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneVoice?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneVoice</a> <a href="https://t.co/FHbQHLiY6v">https://t.co/FHbQHLiY6v</a>
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillieJeanKing/status/1252953431414919168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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King played a major role in the creation of WTA.&nbsp;

Federer's long-time on-pitch rival and 19-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal too joined the movement. He said: "It would be great to get out of this world crisis with the union of men's and women's tennis in only one organisation."

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Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rogerfederer</a> as you know per our discussions I completely agree that it would be great to get out of this world crisis with the union of men's and women's tennis in one only organisation 🎾👍🏻 <a href="https://t.co/fTCfvMiU4G">https://t.co/fTCfvMiU4G</a>
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal/status/1252957445342846978?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Many leading ladies in the game came forward to support Roger Federer's idea. These ladies included Simona Halep and Serena Williams.&nbsp;

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Just wondering…..am I the only one thinking that now is the time for men’s and women’s tennis to be united and come together as one?
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/status/1252922285096423424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Tennis has been on a halt since early March due to the on-going coronavirus pandemic. Players have been on a social media spree ever since and have shared various videos of them training or enjoying life with their loved ones.&nbsp;

Swiss tennis ace Roger Federer on Wednesday took to Twitter to propose an idea for a merger of the men's and women's association. Just wondering…..am I the only one thinking that now is the time for men’s and women’s tennis to be united and come together as one?

Swiss tennis ace Roger Federer on Wednesday took to Twitter to propose an idea for a merger of the men's and women's association. Just wondering…..am I the only one thinking that now is the time for men’s and women’s tennis to be united and come together as one? — Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) April 22, 2020 × The men's division in the game is headed by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) whereas the women's division is headed by Women's Tennis Association (WTA). The 20-time Grand Slam winner said that "probably should have happened." Roger Federer posted a series of tweets elaborating his proposal as he said: "We can come out of this with two weakened bodies or one stronger body." It probably should have happened a long time ago, but maybe now is really the time. These are tough times in every sport and we can come out of this with 2 weakened bodies or 1 stronger body. https://t.co/30SbbAla5g — Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) April 22, 2020 × Federer added: "I am not talking about merging competition on the court but merging the two governing bodies that oversee the men's and women's professional tours." "It's too confusing for the fans when there are different ranking systems, different logos, different websites, different tournament categories." The American tennis legend Billie Jean King was one of the first to voice his support to Federer's idea, he said: "The WTA on its own was always Plan B. I'm glad we are on the same page. Let's make it happen." I agree, and have been saying so since the early 1970s. One voice, women and men together, has long been my vision for tennis. The WTA on its own was always Plan B. I’m glad we are on the same page. Let’s make it happen. #OneVoice https://t.co/FHbQHLiY6v — Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) April 22, 2020 × King played a major role in the creation of WTA. Federer's long-time on-pitch rival and 19-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal too joined the movement. He said: "It would be great to get out of this world crisis with the union of men's and women's tennis in only one organisation." Hey @rogerfederer as you know per our discussions I completely agree that it would be great to get out of this world crisis with the union of men's and women's tennis in one only organisation 🎾👍🏻 https://t.co/fTCfvMiU4G — Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) April 22, 2020 × Many leading ladies in the game came forward to support Roger Federer's idea. These ladies included Simona Halep and Serena Williams. Just wondering…..am I the only one thinking that now is the time for men’s and women’s tennis to be united and come together as one? — Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) April 22, 2020 × Tennis has been on a halt since early March due to the on-going coronavirus pandemic. Players have been on a social media spree ever since and have shared various videos of them training or enjoying life with their loved ones.

Roger Federer proposes 'merger' of tennis associations, support pours in

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../tennis-serena-williams-caroline-wozniacki- struggle-but-advance-to-auckland-quarters-273201">Serena&nbsp;Williams</a>&nbsp;won her first&nbsp;title&nbsp;since the 2017 Australian Open with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Jessica Pegula at the&nbsp;Auckland&nbsp;Classic on Sunday but was unable to complete the perfect week in New Zealand when she lost the doubles final.

The 38-year-old&nbsp;Williams, who said she would donate all her prize money to Australian bushfire relief funds, and good friend Caroline Wozniacki were beaten by American duo Asia Muhammad and Taylor Townsend 6-4 6-4.

The result meant that Wozniacki was unable to complete her own fairytale farewell to a tournament with which she has become synonymous, having played in New Zealand's largest city every&nbsp;year&nbsp;since 2015.

The 29-year-old Dane, who was beaten by Pegula in the singles semi-finals, is retiring after the Australian Open, which runs from Jan 20 to Feb. 2.

"I have loved coming back here," Wozniacki said after tournament organisers made a special presentation before the doubles trophy was given to Muhammad and Townsend.

"Serena, thank you playing doubles with me, it has been so much fun and the only regrets I have is that we didn't do this sooner.

"I have had such a blast and it is rare that I have this much fun on court and it was a really fun way to finish off in&nbsp;Auckland."

Williams' singles victory, however, gave the American her 73rd WTA&nbsp;title&nbsp;and broke a near&nbsp;three-year&nbsp;drought, despite having appeared in five finals since she clinched her 23rd Grand Slam crown with a&nbsp;win&nbsp;at the Australian Open in 2017.

She is chasing Australian <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../bianca-andreescu-to-face-serena-for-us-open- title-247884">Margaret Court</a>'s record 24 Grand Slam singles&nbsp;titles, but has lost two Wimbledon and two U.S. Open finals since her 6-4 6-4 victory over elder sister Venus in Melbourne.

"It feels good, it has been a long time,"&nbsp;Williams&nbsp;said. "I played an incredible opponent in Jessica and honestly it was a great match."

Williams&nbsp;had struggled for consistency earlier in the week, but sent an ominous message to the Australian Open field when she demolished promising teenager Amanda Anisimova 6-1 6-1 in their semi-final and then beat an impressive Pegula on Sunday.

"I was definitely improving as the week went on and I needed to because I had some tough matches,"&nbsp;Williams&nbsp;said.

"I feel fortunate and blessed to be out here and to be healthy and to play. I have been playing for so long and been through so much and I'm happy to be doing something I love."

Serena Williams won her first title since the 2017 Australian Open with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Jessica Pegula at the Auckland Classic on Sunday but was unable to complete the perfect week in New Zealand when she lost the doubles final.

Serena Williams won her first title since the 2017 Australian Open with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Jessica Pegula at the Auckland Classic on Sunday but was unable to complete the perfect week in New Zealand when she lost the doubles final. The 38-year-old Williams, who said she would donate all her prize money to Australian bushfire relief funds, and good friend Caroline Wozniacki were beaten by American duo Asia Muhammad and Taylor Townsend 6-4 6-4. The result meant that Wozniacki was unable to complete her own fairytale farewell to a tournament with which she has become synonymous, having played in New Zealand's largest city every year since 2015. The 29-year-old Dane, who was beaten by Pegula in the singles semi-finals, is retiring after the Australian Open, which runs from Jan 20 to Feb. 2. "I have loved coming back here," Wozniacki said after tournament organisers made a special presentation before the doubles trophy was given to Muhammad and Townsend. "Serena, thank you playing doubles with me, it has been so much fun and the only regrets I have is that we didn't do this sooner. "I have had such a blast and it is rare that I have this much fun on court and it was a really fun way to finish off in Auckland." Williams' singles victory, however, gave the American her 73rd WTA title and broke a near three-year drought, despite having appeared in five finals since she clinched her 23rd Grand Slam crown with a win at the Australian Open in 2017. She is chasing Australian Margaret Court's record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, but has lost two Wimbledon and two U.S. Open finals since her 6-4 6-4 victory over elder sister Venus in Melbourne. "It feels good, it has been a long time," Williams said. "I played an incredible opponent in Jessica and honestly it was a great match." Williams had struggled for consistency earlier in the week, but sent an ominous message to the Australian Open field when she demolished promising teenager Amanda Anisimova 6-1 6-1 in their semi-final and then beat an impressive Pegula on Sunday. "I was definitely improving as the week went on and I needed to because I had some tough matches," Williams said. "I feel fortunate and blessed to be out here and to be healthy and to play. I have been playing for so long and been through so much and I'm happy to be doing something I love."

WTA Auckland Open: Williams breaks three-year title drought to win

World number one Ashleigh&nbsp;Barty&nbsp;spectacularly ended her jinx against defending champion Elina Svitolina to win the WTA Finals on Sunday and scoop the richest prize in tennis history.

Barty, who had never beaten Svitolina in five previous attempts, won 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 26 minutes at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre.

The Australian claimed a record-setting US$4.42 million paycheque,&nbsp;the largest sum ever awarded in men's and women's tennis.

Barty's only loss was to late replacement Kiki Bertens and she became the fifth debutant to win the lucrative round-robin tournament.

"It's been the most incredible year for me,"&nbsp;Barty&nbsp;said after the match. "I took my opportunities when I got them tonight.''

"Pretty happy to play that kind of level in such a big match."

Svitolina has not won a trophy since claiming the WTA Finals in Singapore last year, which remains the biggest title of her career. She had lost just one set before the final to be on track to claim a maximum prize of $4.725 million before falling short in the decider.

The Ukrainian had taken a liking to the slow indoor hard court, which has been criticised by other players, with her methodical counterpunching overwhelming opponents -- but she was thwarted by an irresistible&nbsp;Barty.

The 25-year-old said she would use the off-season to recover from a nagging right knee injury, which forced her to withdraw from the Guangzhou Open in September.

"It's the priority for me to be healthy for next season," she said. "The pain is still there. It's on and off. I have to manage it."

Both players, who served strongly in Shenzhen, comfortably held service until&nbsp;Barty&nbsp;faced trouble in the ninth game, but she saved a breakpoint and dug deep when it mattered most to fend off Svitolina's relentless defensive prowess.

An increasingly confident&nbsp;Barty&nbsp;then attacked Svitolina's serve in the 10th game and claimed the set with a sizzling forehand winner.

The Ukrainian hit back early in the second set and was gifted a break in the third game through a&nbsp;Barty&nbsp;double fault but could not consolidate on serve.

Svitolina's title defence appeared in tatters when she double-faulted to lose serve in the sixth game but courageously broke back.

The see-saw continued when&nbsp;Barty&nbsp;captured another break in a gruelling eighth game before serving it out to cap off a momentous season, which also includes a French Open crown and the year-end number one ranking.

Barty's season is set to continue when she spearheads Australia's Fed Cup title hopes against France in the final on November 9-10.

It was the first WTA Finals played in Shenzhen after a five-year run in Singapore and the competition will be based in the southern Chinese city until 2028.

The event's move to China was highlighted by an eye-watering total prize pool of $14 million.

World number one Ashleigh Barty spectacularly ended her jinx against defending champion Elina Svitolina to win the WTA Finals on Sunday and scoop the richest prize in tennis history.

World number one Ashleigh Barty spectacularly ended her jinx against defending champion Elina Svitolina to win the WTA Finals on Sunday and scoop the richest prize in tennis history. Barty, who had never beaten Svitolina in five previous attempts, won 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 26 minutes at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre. The Australian claimed a record-setting US$4.42 million paycheque, the largest sum ever awarded in men's and women's tennis. Barty's only loss was to late replacement Kiki Bertens and she became the fifth debutant to win the lucrative round-robin tournament. "It's been the most incredible year for me," Barty said after the match. "I took my opportunities when I got them tonight.'' "Pretty happy to play that kind of level in such a big match." Svitolina has not won a trophy since claiming the WTA Finals in Singapore last year, which remains the biggest title of her career. She had lost just one set before the final to be on track to claim a maximum prize of $4.725 million before falling short in the decider. The Ukrainian had taken a liking to the slow indoor hard court, which has been criticised by other players, with her methodical counterpunching overwhelming opponents -- but she was thwarted by an irresistible Barty. The 25-year-old said she would use the off-season to recover from a nagging right knee injury, which forced her to withdraw from the Guangzhou Open in September. "It's the priority for me to be healthy for next season," she said. "The pain is still there. It's on and off. I have to manage it." Both players, who served strongly in Shenzhen, comfortably held service until Barty faced trouble in the ninth game, but she saved a breakpoint and dug deep when it mattered most to fend off Svitolina's relentless defensive prowess. An increasingly confident Barty then attacked Svitolina's serve in the 10th game and claimed the set with a sizzling forehand winner. The Ukrainian hit back early in the second set and was gifted a break in the third game through a Barty double fault but could not consolidate on serve. Svitolina's title defence appeared in tatters when she double-faulted to lose serve in the sixth game but courageously broke back. The see-saw continued when Barty captured another break in a gruelling eighth game before serving it out to cap off a momentous season, which also includes a French Open crown and the year-end number one ranking. Barty's season is set to continue when she spearheads Australia's Fed Cup title hopes against France in the final on November 9-10. It was the first WTA Finals played in Shenzhen after a five-year run in Singapore and the competition will be based in the southern Chinese city until 2028. The event's move to China was highlighted by an eye-watering total prize pool of $14 million.

Australian Ashleigh Barty wins WTA Finals

World number one Ashleigh Barty booked her place in the semi-finals of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/svitolina-starts-wta-title-defence-with-win-as-halep-sees-off-andreescu-258579">WTA Finals </a>on Thursday as the Australian made short work of Petra Kvitova, handing the Czech a 6-4 6-2 defeat.

Barty needed to win to be sure of progressing having won one and lost one of her opening matches, and she did so in style as she dominated to win in 88 minutes against a tired-looking Kvitova, who exits the competition with three straight losses.

"I felt like I executed really well tonight and I think overall I knew I had to come out here and play aggressively and play to win," said Barty.

"It was a really good match tonight and I'm really excited to have another chance to play here on this beautiful court."

Barty took the first set after breaking Kvitova in the fifth game, using her athleticism and movement around the court to put the Ukrainian under constant pressure.

The Australian continued her dominance early in the second set, breaking Kvitova twice in the first three games to establish a winning margin over the Czech, who racked up 31 unforced errors across the match.

Later in the evening, Belinda Bencic joined Barty in the last four after Kiki Bertens withdrew from their meeting after losing the first set to the Swiss.

Bertens, who came into the tournament after the first round as an injury replacement for Naomi Osaka, called for the doctor after losing the opening set and, after a brief consultation, headed for the locker room and a retirement.

"With Kiki, we were fighting a lot for coming here for the eighth spot for the WTA Finals, so it was nice to have a match for the semi-finals," said Bencic.

"But I'm sorry that maybe the gas ran out. It's the end of the season so everyone's exhausted and I wish her the best."

Bertens broke early in the opening set and surged ahead, only to surrender her own serve in the 10th game to allow Bencic to pull level.

The Swiss went on to claim the first set before an emotional Bertens withdrew.

"I'm super happy with how I fought in the first set, it was not easy," said Bencic.

"She was slowing the pace down well. It was tactically good from her, serving bombs, serving aces so it wasn't easy.

"But I'm happy with how I played and how I fought and I'm excited to be in the semis."

World number one Ashleigh Barty booked her place in the semi-finals of the WTA Finals on Thursday as the Australian made short work of Petra Kvitova, handing the Czech a 6-4 6-2 defeat.

World number one Ashleigh Barty booked her place in the semi-finals of the WTA Finals on Thursday as the Australian made short work of Petra Kvitova, handing the Czech a 6-4 6-2 defeat. Barty needed to win to be sure of progressing having won one and lost one of her opening matches, and she did so in style as she dominated to win in 88 minutes against a tired-looking Kvitova, who exits the competition with three straight losses. "I felt like I executed really well tonight and I think overall I knew I had to come out here and play aggressively and play to win," said Barty. "It was a really good match tonight and I'm really excited to have another chance to play here on this beautiful court." Barty took the first set after breaking Kvitova in the fifth game, using her athleticism and movement around the court to put the Ukrainian under constant pressure. The Australian continued her dominance early in the second set, breaking Kvitova twice in the first three games to establish a winning margin over the Czech, who racked up 31 unforced errors across the match. Later in the evening, Belinda Bencic joined Barty in the last four after Kiki Bertens withdrew from their meeting after losing the first set to the Swiss. Bertens, who came into the tournament after the first round as an injury replacement for Naomi Osaka, called for the doctor after losing the opening set and, after a brief consultation, headed for the locker room and a retirement. "With Kiki, we were fighting a lot for coming here for the eighth spot for the WTA Finals, so it was nice to have a match for the semi-finals," said Bencic. "But I'm sorry that maybe the gas ran out. It's the end of the season so everyone's exhausted and I wish her the best." Bertens broke early in the opening set and surged ahead, only to surrender her own serve in the 10th game to allow Bencic to pull level. The Swiss went on to claim the first set before an emotional Bertens withdrew. "I'm super happy with how I fought in the first set, it was not easy," said Bencic. "She was slowing the pace down well. It was tactically good from her, serving bombs, serving aces so it wasn't easy. "But I'm happy with how I played and how I fought and I'm excited to be in the semis."

Top ranked Barty books berth in WTA Finals last four

Elina&nbsp;Svitolina&nbsp;made a winning start to her WTA Finals defence in Shenzhen on Monday when the Ukrainian defeated <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/karolina-pliskosva-closes-gap-on-world-number-one-barty-249988">Karolina Pliskova</a> in straight sets while Wimbledon champion <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wimbledon-champion-simona-halep-targets-strong-finish-in-asia-251694">Simona Halep</a> saved a match point to beat Bianca Andreescu.

Svitolina&nbsp;secured a 7-6 (12) 6-4 win over the former world number one to top the standings in the Purple Group in the round-robin phase of the competition, with Halep joining her following her victory over Andreescu.

"I was just trying to be ready for her big serves and then try to take on the second serves, I just tried to move very quickly and react quick,"&nbsp;Svitolina&nbsp;said at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center.

"The surface is a little bit slow so I had a little bit more time and I think it benefited a little bit my returns. I was just trying to focus on what I had to do and in the end I delivered."

Svitolina&nbsp;conceded a break on her own serve in the opening game and was trailing but, after picking up three straight games to restore parity, she then ground her opponent down in the tiebreaker and clinched the first set.

The second set was almost as keenly fought, with&nbsp;Svitolina&nbsp;picking up the opening two games as she maintained her momentum.

Pliskova, however, won three straight games to ensure matters were back on serve before&nbsp;Svitolina&nbsp;claimed another break in the seventh when her opponent sent her attempt long from behind the baseline.

That gave the eighth seed the platform to secure her fourth straight win over Pliskova.

Later in the evening, Halep showed all her fighting qualities to come back from a set down to claim a 3-6 7-6(6) 6-3 win over U.S. Open champion Andreescu, saving a match point in the process.

Andreesca had her older opponent on the ropes throughout the first set, including forcing Halep to fight back from 0-40 down to save her own serve in the fifth game, before winning the last four games to take the lead.

Both players struggled to hold serve throughout the second set and Halep saved a match point in her final service game before forcing a tiebreaker.

Halep prevailed to send the match into a deciding set which featured five breaks of serve before the Romanian closed out the match after two hours and 34 minutes.

"It was a very tough match," said Halep. "I knew that she's a great player and that she's playing until the end, without giving up so I had to fight.

"I didn't play so much since Wimbledon so I’m a little bit dead but I have time tomorrow to recover and I'm happy I could win finally a match at the WTA Finals."

Elina Svitolina made a winning start to her WTA Finals defence in Shenzhen on Monday when the Ukrainian defeated Karolina Pliskova in straight sets while Wimbledon champion Simona Halep saved a match point to beat Bianca Andreescu.

Elina Svitolina made a winning start to her WTA Finals defence in Shenzhen on Monday when the Ukrainian defeated Karolina Pliskova in straight sets while Wimbledon champion Simona Halep saved a match point to beat Bianca Andreescu. Svitolina secured a 7-6 (12) 6-4 win over the former world number one to top the standings in the Purple Group in the round-robin phase of the competition, with Halep joining her following her victory over Andreescu. "I was just trying to be ready for her big serves and then try to take on the second serves, I just tried to move very quickly and react quick," Svitolina said at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. "The surface is a little bit slow so I had a little bit more time and I think it benefited a little bit my returns. I was just trying to focus on what I had to do and in the end I delivered." Svitolina conceded a break on her own serve in the opening game and was trailing but, after picking up three straight games to restore parity, she then ground her opponent down in the tiebreaker and clinched the first set. The second set was almost as keenly fought, with Svitolina picking up the opening two games as she maintained her momentum. Pliskova, however, won three straight games to ensure matters were back on serve before Svitolina claimed another break in the seventh when her opponent sent her attempt long from behind the baseline. That gave the eighth seed the platform to secure her fourth straight win over Pliskova. Later in the evening, Halep showed all her fighting qualities to come back from a set down to claim a 3-6 7-6(6) 6-3 win over U.S. Open champion Andreescu, saving a match point in the process. Andreesca had her older opponent on the ropes throughout the first set, including forcing Halep to fight back from 0-40 down to save her own serve in the fifth game, before winning the last four games to take the lead. Both players struggled to hold serve throughout the second set and Halep saved a match point in her final service game before forcing a tiebreaker. Halep prevailed to send the match into a deciding set which featured five breaks of serve before the Romanian closed out the match after two hours and 34 minutes. "It was a very tough match," said Halep. "I knew that she's a great player and that she's playing until the end, without giving up so I had to fight. "I didn't play so much since Wimbledon so I’m a little bit dead but I have time tomorrow to recover and I'm happy I could win finally a match at the WTA Finals."

Tennis: Svitolina starts WTA title defence with win as Halep sees off Andreescu

Naomi Osaka lifted her first trophy since winning the Australian Open in January, blasting past Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2 6-3 in the Pan Pacific Open final on Sunday.

Her victory marked a return to the ruthless form that helped world number four Osaka claim last year's US&nbsp;Open crown before her Melbourne success, with the 21-year-old not dropping a set all week in Osaka, Japan.

"I just wanted to win this really bad," Osaka, who has endured several lows this season and sacked two coaches in the space of seven months, told a news conference.

She became the first Japanese player to win the title since Kimiko Date in 1995.

"I think what I learned from this tournament is just to focus every point, and just to have really positive energy," Osaka added.

Osaka relied on her powerful serve and groundstrokes to break world number 41 Pavlyuchenkova early in the contest and cruise through the opening set.

Chasing her first title in the tournament having made the final twice before -- in 2016 and 2018 when it was held in Tokyo -- Osaka started the second set in similarly dominant fashion but Pavlyuchenkova saved three break points to hold for 2-4.

However, there was no denying Osaka as she closed out the match on her third matchpoint and stayed on course to qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals in Shenzhen.

Naomi Osaka lifted her first trophy since winning the Australian Open in January, blasting past Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2 6-3 in the Pan Pacific Open final on Sunday.

Naomi Osaka lifted her first trophy since winning the Australian Open in January, blasting past Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2 6-3 in the Pan Pacific Open final on Sunday. Her victory marked a return to the ruthless form that helped world number four Osaka claim last year's US Open crown before her Melbourne success, with the 21-year-old not dropping a set all week in Osaka, Japan. "I just wanted to win this really bad," Osaka, who has endured several lows this season and sacked two coaches in the space of seven months, told a news conference. She became the first Japanese player to win the title since Kimiko Date in 1995. "I think what I learned from this tournament is just to focus every point, and just to have really positive energy," Osaka added. Osaka relied on her powerful serve and groundstrokes to break world number 41 Pavlyuchenkova early in the contest and cruise through the opening set. Chasing her first title in the tournament having made the final twice before -- in 2016 and 2018 when it was held in Tokyo -- Osaka started the second set in similarly dominant fashion but Pavlyuchenkova saved three break points to hold for 2-4. However, there was no denying Osaka as she closed out the match on her third matchpoint and stayed on course to qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals in Shenzhen.

Naomi Osaka returns to winning ways with Pan Pacific Open crown

Japanese tennis sensation Naomi Osaka beat Elise Mertens of Belgium on Saturday to reach the final of the Pan Pacific Open, thrilling her Japanese fans in the city of her birth.

Top seed Osaka dispatched No. 9 seed Mertens 6-4, 6-1 in Osaka, western Japan, to reach her first final since winning the Australian Open.

The pair both held their serves for the first set until Osaka broke Mertens in the 10th game.

Osaka, 21, rounded into form in the second, and after the pair traded early breaks, won the last four games of the match to sprint to victory in just over an hour.

"It's been kind of rough like the past couple of months so I'm really glad that I made it to the final," she said.

She tried to stay calm because the 23-year-old Belgian player is "an amazing player and it's so hard to hit her balls," she said.

Earlier in the day, Osaka saw off Yulia Putintseva in straight sets, even as she was tricked at times by the Kazakh player's slices and drop shots.

"For me, I learned a lot from when I played her at Wimbledon, and I know that a hard court is where I feel most comfortable," Osaka told press after beeting Putintseva.

Last week, Osaka announced she was splitting with her coach, her second break-up this year as she battles to regain form after slipping from the top of the world rankings to number four.

Osaka had already caught the tennis world by surprise when she announced she was parting ways with coach Sascha Bajin, who had overseen her stunning rise to win two Grand Slams -- the US Open in 2018 and the Australian Open title in January.

Her challenger in the final will be Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, 28, who ousted former world number one Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-3, 6-3.

Japanese tennis sensation Naomi Osaka beat Elise Mertens of Belgium on Saturday to reach the final of the Pan Pacific Open, thrilling her Japanese fans in the city of her birth.

Japanese tennis sensation Naomi Osaka beat Elise Mertens of Belgium on Saturday to reach the final of the Pan Pacific Open, thrilling her Japanese fans in the city of her birth. Top seed Osaka dispatched No. 9 seed Mertens 6-4, 6-1 in Osaka, western Japan, to reach her first final since winning the Australian Open. The pair both held their serves for the first set until Osaka broke Mertens in the 10th game. Osaka, 21, rounded into form in the second, and after the pair traded early breaks, won the last four games of the match to sprint to victory in just over an hour. "It's been kind of rough like the past couple of months so I'm really glad that I made it to the final," she said. She tried to stay calm because the 23-year-old Belgian player is "an amazing player and it's so hard to hit her balls," she said. Earlier in the day, Osaka saw off Yulia Putintseva in straight sets, even as she was tricked at times by the Kazakh player's slices and drop shots. "For me, I learned a lot from when I played her at Wimbledon, and I know that a hard court is where I feel most comfortable," Osaka told press after beeting Putintseva. Last week, Osaka announced she was splitting with her coach, her second break-up this year as she battles to regain form after slipping from the top of the world rankings to number four. Osaka had already caught the tennis world by surprise when she announced she was parting ways with coach Sascha Bajin, who had overseen her stunning rise to win two Grand Slams -- the US Open in 2018 and the Australian Open title in January. Her challenger in the final will be Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, 28, who ousted former world number one Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-3, 6-3.

Naomi Osaka advances to Pan Pacific final in home city

Karolina Pliskosva's victory at the Zhengzhou Open at the weekend means the Czech is now just 86 points behind Ashleigh Barty who remains at the top of the WTA rankings released on Monday.

Pliskova claimed her fourth title of the year as she defeated Petra Martic in a rain-disrupted final in Zhengzhou on Sunday.&nbsp;

After the 6-3, 6-2 win, the 27-year-old said that taking top spot from the Australian&nbsp;was "not my goal for now".

"My goal is to play well, which I'm trying to play. So that's my goal for now and to enjoy and to (not) really stress about results," she said.

There were no other changes in the top 25.

WTA rankings as of September 16:

1. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6,501 pts

2. Karolína Pliskova (CZE) 6,415

3. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5,131

4. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 4,846

5. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 4,835

6. Simona Halep (ROU) 4,803

7. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,326

8. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,325

9. Serena Williams (USA) 3,935

10. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 3,738

11. Johanna Konta (GBR) 3,115

12. Qiang Wang (CHN) 2,893

13. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 2,785

14. Sloane Stephens (USA) 2,769

15. Angelique Kerber (GER) 2,750

16. Madison Keys (USA) 2,727

17. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 2,597

18. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 2,517

19. Anett Kontaveit (EST) 2,500

20. Sofia Kenin (USA) 2,450

Karolina Pliskosva's victory at the Zhengzhou Open at the weekend means the Czech is now just 86 points behind Ashleigh Barty who remains at the top of the WTA rankings released on Monday.

Karolina Pliskosva's victory at the Zhengzhou Open at the weekend means the Czech is now just 86 points behind Ashleigh Barty who remains at the top of the WTA rankings released on Monday. Pliskova claimed her fourth title of the year as she defeated Petra Martic in a rain-disrupted final in Zhengzhou on Sunday. After the 6-3, 6-2 win, the 27-year-old said that taking top spot from the Australian was "not my goal for now". "My goal is to play well, which I'm trying to play. So that's my goal for now and to enjoy and to (not) really stress about results," she said. There were no other changes in the top 25. WTA rankings as of September 16: 1. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6,501 pts 2. Karolína Pliskova (CZE) 6,415 3. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5,131 4. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 4,846 5. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 4,835 6. Simona Halep (ROU) 4,803 7. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,326 8. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,325 9. Serena Williams (USA) 3,935 10. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 3,738 11. Johanna Konta (GBR) 3,115 12. Qiang Wang (CHN) 2,893 13. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 2,785 14. Sloane Stephens (USA) 2,769 15. Angelique Kerber (GER) 2,750 16. Madison Keys (USA) 2,727 17. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 2,597 18. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 2,517 19. Anett Kontaveit (EST) 2,500 20. Sofia Kenin (USA) 2,450

Karolina Pliskosva closes gap on world number one Barty

Naomi Osaka holds on to the top of the WTA rankings on Monday despite injury and elimination from the Cincinnati Masters.

The Japanese lost to 20th placed Sofia Kenin in the quarter-finals on Sunday due to a knee injury. Her participation at the US Open is still uncertain.

Madison Keys jumped eight spots and is ranked 10th after she won Cincinnati on Sunday.&nbsp;

Also on the rise in an otherwise unchanged top 10 is Elina Svitolina who moved up two spots to fifth, a career high for Ukrainian.

Sloane Stephens was robbed of her 10th spot in the rankings and sits at 11th after her defeat to Svetlana Kuznetsova in Cincinatti's third round.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Kiki Bertens took two steps back to 7th place and Johanna Konta was demoted to 16th.

WTA Rankings, August 19:

1. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 6,606 pts

2. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6,501

3. Karolína Plíšková (CZE) 6,315

4. Simona Halep (ROU) 4,743

5. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,492 (+2)

6. Petra Kvitová (CZE) 4,485

7. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,325 (-2)

8. Serena Williams (USA) 3,935

9. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,320

10. Madison Keys (USA) 3,267 (+8)

11. Sloane Stephens (USA) 3,189 (-1)

12. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 3,167 (-1)

13. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 3,008 (-1)

14. Angelique Kerber (GER) 2,870 (-1)

15. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 2,837 (-1)

16. Johanna Konta (GBR) 2,695 (-1)

17. Markéta Vondroušová (CZE) 2,651 (-1)

18. Qiang Wang (CHN) 2,593 (-1)

19. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 2,537

20. Sofia Kenin (USA) 2,460 (+2)

Naomi Osaka holds on to the top of the WTA rankings on Monday despite injury and elimination from the Cincinnati Masters. The Japanese lost to 20th placed Sofia Kenin in the quarter-finals on Sunday due to a knee injury.

Naomi Osaka holds on to the top of the WTA rankings on Monday despite injury and elimination from the Cincinnati Masters. The Japanese lost to 20th placed Sofia Kenin in the quarter-finals on Sunday due to a knee injury. Her participation at the US Open is still uncertain. Madison Keys jumped eight spots and is ranked 10th after she won Cincinnati on Sunday. Also on the rise in an otherwise unchanged top 10 is Elina Svitolina who moved up two spots to fifth, a career high for Ukrainian. Sloane Stephens was robbed of her 10th spot in the rankings and sits at 11th after her defeat to Svetlana Kuznetsova in Cincinatti's third round. Meanwhile, Kiki Bertens took two steps back to 7th place and Johanna Konta was demoted to 16th. WTA Rankings, August 19: 1. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 6,606 pts 2. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6,501 3. Karolína Plíšková (CZE) 6,315 4. Simona Halep (ROU) 4,743 5. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,492 (+2) 6. Petra Kvitová (CZE) 4,485 7. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,325 (-2) 8. Serena Williams (USA) 3,935 9. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,320 10. Madison Keys (USA) 3,267 (+8) 11. Sloane Stephens (USA) 3,189 (-1) 12. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 3,167 (-1) 13. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 3,008 (-1) 14. Angelique Kerber (GER) 2,870 (-1) 15. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 2,837 (-1) 16. Johanna Konta (GBR) 2,695 (-1) 17. Markéta Vondroušová (CZE) 2,651 (-1) 18. Qiang Wang (CHN) 2,593 (-1) 19. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 2,537 20. Sofia Kenin (USA) 2,460 (+2)

Injured Naomi Osaka maintains top spot

World number one Naomi Osaka will "probably" defend her US&nbsp;Open title, even if it means defying her doctor's orders, she said after retiring from the Cincinnati Masters with a knee injury on Friday.

Osaka was trailing American Sofia Kenin in the third set of their quarter-final in Cincinnati when she sought treatment on her heavily-strapped left knee.

After briefly returning to play, the Japanese star retired with Kenin leading 6-4, 1-6, 2-0.

Osaka's withdrawal comes after Serena Williams, the woman she beat in a tumultuous final at Flushing Meadows last year, pulled out of Cincinnati with back problems.

The injury has also loosened Osaka's grip on the top ranking, with world number two Ash Barty poised to reclaim it if the Australian makes the final.

"I really don't know what's going on with my leg right now," Osaka told reporters.

"It sucks, especially since I didn't want to get injured this close to the Open, and now I'm kind of worried a little bit.

"The thing is, my pain tolerance is really high, so that's usually why I play through things that apparently I shouldn't."

Osaka said she "felt it wasn't safe" to continue against Kenin ahead of the US&nbsp;Open starting Monday week.

"I feel like this might have that one per cent chance of me not being able to play, and that's what's concerning me.

"In the end, I'm going to play even if the doctor says no, probably."

Osaka's retirement sent Kenin through to face fellow American Madison Keys in Saturday's semi-final.

Keys faced only two break points in beating Venus Williams 6-2, 6-3 in the evening encounter.

Barty will face Russian veteran Svetlana Kuznetsova in the other semi-final after rallying to a 5-7, 6-2, 6-0 victory over Greek Maria Sakkari.

The Australian had surged to a 4-1 lead in the first set before she stumbled with unforced errors, with Sakkari lifting to take control through a slew of backhand winners.

Barty cleaned up her game in the second set, however, recovering the backhand slice that had deserted her in the opener.

"It was important for me at the start of the second set to go back to basics and what worked before," the 23-year-old Barty said.

"I had to serve well, and not give her too many looks at second serves. I tried to bring in my slice to change the tempo of the match."

Kuznetsova outlasted Czech third seed Karolina Pliskova 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-3, having been a set down with her opponent serving for the match.

World number one Naomi Osaka will "probably" defend her US Open title, even if it means defying her doctor's orders, she said after retiring from the Cincinnati Masters with a knee injury on Friday.

World number one Naomi Osaka will "probably" defend her US Open title, even if it means defying her doctor's orders, she said after retiring from the Cincinnati Masters with a knee injury on Friday. Osaka was trailing American Sofia Kenin in the third set of their quarter-final in Cincinnati when she sought treatment on her heavily-strapped left knee. After briefly returning to play, the Japanese star retired with Kenin leading 6-4, 1-6, 2-0. Osaka's withdrawal comes after Serena Williams, the woman she beat in a tumultuous final at Flushing Meadows last year, pulled out of Cincinnati with back problems. The injury has also loosened Osaka's grip on the top ranking, with world number two Ash Barty poised to reclaim it if the Australian makes the final. "I really don't know what's going on with my leg right now," Osaka told reporters. "It sucks, especially since I didn't want to get injured this close to the Open, and now I'm kind of worried a little bit. "The thing is, my pain tolerance is really high, so that's usually why I play through things that apparently I shouldn't." Osaka said she "felt it wasn't safe" to continue against Kenin ahead of the US Open starting Monday week. "I feel like this might have that one per cent chance of me not being able to play, and that's what's concerning me. "In the end, I'm going to play even if the doctor says no, probably." Osaka's retirement sent Kenin through to face fellow American Madison Keys in Saturday's semi-final. Keys faced only two break points in beating Venus Williams 6-2, 6-3 in the evening encounter. Barty will face Russian veteran Svetlana Kuznetsova in the other semi-final after rallying to a 5-7, 6-2, 6-0 victory over Greek Maria Sakkari. The Australian had surged to a 4-1 lead in the first set before she stumbled with unforced errors, with Sakkari lifting to take control through a slew of backhand winners. Barty cleaned up her game in the second set, however, recovering the backhand slice that had deserted her in the opener. "It was important for me at the start of the second set to go back to basics and what worked before," the 23-year-old Barty said. "I had to serve well, and not give her too many looks at second serves. I tried to bring in my slice to change the tempo of the match." Kuznetsova outlasted Czech third seed Karolina Pliskova 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-3, having been a set down with her opponent serving for the match.

Knee injury puts Naomi Osaka's US Open title defence in doubt

Serena Williams' first US&nbsp;Open tune-up ended in dramatic fashion as the tearful American was forced to retire with a back injury while trailing Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu 3-1 in the Rogers Cup final on Sunday.

Williams, who hopes to chase a record-equalling 24th career Grand Slam title at the US&nbsp;Open, seemed fine on court but suddenly sat crying in her chair before deciding to retire 19 minutes into the match with back spasms.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do it today. I tried but I just couldn't do it," an emotional Williams, who struggled to get the words out, told the crowd.

"It's been a tough year but we'll keep going."

Andreescu consolidated an early break to move 3-1 up at which point Williams went to her chair where she called for the trainer and broke down in tears.

Williams said the spasms began during her three-set semi-final win over Czech Marie Bouzkova on Saturday. They got so bad that she was unable to sleep and could not really move but she added that she at least wanted to try and play the final.

"I was just trying to figure out how do you play a match where you have no rotation?" said Williams.

"And I don't want to get this far and not at least try. I think I would have really regretted not at least going out there and seeing maybe if a miracle happened."

The 37-year-old Williams, whose competitive action this year has been severely limited because of knee issues, declared herself pain-free ahead of the tournament, which she was hoping to use as a springboard for the rest of her hardcourt swing.

But the six-times US&nbsp;Open champion, still without a title since returning from maternity leave in 2018, now faces her latest injury setback with the year's final Grand Slam just two weeks away.

Williams, who is due to compete in Cincinnati next week, said she has experienced back spasms a lot in her career and that if this latest episode plays out like those before, she does not expect it to keep her out of any events.

"They're incredibly painful, but it goes away after, like, 24, 36, maybe 48 hours, and like clockwork," said Williams.

"In that first phase, it is incredibly painful, to a point where I usually don't get out of bed. So if it's what typically happens, I will be fine, but I have to wait and see."

As Williams sat dejected in her chair, Andreescu, who is no stranger to injury setbacks, went over to console her. The pair embraced and had a heartfelt conversation.

Andreescu, who shot to prominence with her Indian Wells triumph in March and was competing this week for the first time since withdrawing from the French Open with a shoulder injury, is the first Canadian to win the event in 50 years.

"I feel for Serena so much. I've been through so much the last year with injury so I am so sorry she had to go out this way," the 19-year-old said during the trophy ceremony.

"Sometimes, you can't push your body and she couldn't today and I wish her a fast recovery."

Serena Williams' first US Open tune-up ended in dramatic fashion as the tearful American was forced to retire with a back injury while trailing Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu 3-1 in the Rogers Cup final on Sunday.

Serena Williams' first US Open tune-up ended in dramatic fashion as the tearful American was forced to retire with a back injury while trailing Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu 3-1 in the Rogers Cup final on Sunday. Williams, who hopes to chase a record-equalling 24th career Grand Slam title at the US Open, seemed fine on court but suddenly sat crying in her chair before deciding to retire 19 minutes into the match with back spasms. "I'm sorry I couldn't do it today. I tried but I just couldn't do it," an emotional Williams, who struggled to get the words out, told the crowd. "It's been a tough year but we'll keep going." Andreescu consolidated an early break to move 3-1 up at which point Williams went to her chair where she called for the trainer and broke down in tears. Williams said the spasms began during her three-set semi-final win over Czech Marie Bouzkova on Saturday. They got so bad that she was unable to sleep and could not really move but she added that she at least wanted to try and play the final. "I was just trying to figure out how do you play a match where you have no rotation?" said Williams. "And I don't want to get this far and not at least try. I think I would have really regretted not at least going out there and seeing maybe if a miracle happened." The 37-year-old Williams, whose competitive action this year has been severely limited because of knee issues, declared herself pain-free ahead of the tournament, which she was hoping to use as a springboard for the rest of her hardcourt swing. But the six-times US Open champion, still without a title since returning from maternity leave in 2018, now faces her latest injury setback with the year's final Grand Slam just two weeks away. Williams, who is due to compete in Cincinnati next week, said she has experienced back spasms a lot in her career and that if this latest episode plays out like those before, she does not expect it to keep her out of any events. "They're incredibly painful, but it goes away after, like, 24, 36, maybe 48 hours, and like clockwork," said Williams. "In that first phase, it is incredibly painful, to a point where I usually don't get out of bed. So if it's what typically happens, I will be fine, but I have to wait and see." As Williams sat dejected in her chair, Andreescu, who is no stranger to injury setbacks, went over to console her. The pair embraced and had a heartfelt conversation. Andreescu, who shot to prominence with her Indian Wells triumph in March and was competing this week for the first time since withdrawing from the French Open with a shoulder injury, is the first Canadian to win the event in 50 years. "I feel for Serena so much. I've been through so much the last year with injury so I am so sorry she had to go out this way," the 19-year-old said during the trophy ceremony. "Sometimes, you can't push your body and she couldn't today and I wish her a fast recovery."

Bianca Andreescu wins Toronto crown after Serena Williams retires injured

US and Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka&nbsp;returned to the world number one spot in the WTA rankings on Monday.&nbsp;

The 21-year-old lost to Serena Williams in the quarter-finals of last week's Rogers Cup but benefitted from the second round defeat of former number one Ashleigh Barty and the failure of Karolina Pliskova to reach the semis in Toronto.

Osaka first hit top spot in January, after winning back-to-back majors in New York and Melbourne, making history as the first Japanese player to achieve it.

After seven weeks on top, Barty slips to second with Pliskova in third.&nbsp;

The only other movement in the top 10 sees Williams, finalist in Toronto, climbing two places to eight with Sloane Stephens going in the other direction.&nbsp;

Canadian Bianca Andreescu, who won the Rogers Cup following Williams' withdrawal with back spasms in the opening set of the final, climbs 13 places to 14.

WTA rankings as of August 12

1. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 6,417 pts (+1)

2. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6,256 (-1)

3. Karolína Pliskova (CZE) 6,185

4. Simona Halep (ROU) 5,223

5. Kiki Bertens (NED) 5,120

6. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,780

7. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,577

8. Serena Williams (USA) 3,995 (+2)

9. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,565

10. Sloane Stephens (USA) 3,189 (-2)

11. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 3,167

12. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 3,008

13. Angelique Kerber (GER) 2,875

14. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 2,837 (+13)

15. Johanna Konta (GBR) 2,695 (-1)

16. Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) 2,652 (-1)

17. Qiang Wang (CHN) 2,647 (-1)

18. Madison Keys (USA) 2,557 (-1)

19. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 2,537 (-1)

20. Anett Kontaveit (EST) 2,380 (-1)

...

40. Victoria Azarenka (-1)

65. Venus Williams (-9)

97. Maria Sharapova (-16)

US and Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka returned to the world number one spot in the WTA rankings on Monday. The 21-year-old lost to Serena Williams in the quarter-finals of last week's Rogers Cup but benefitted from the second round defeat of former number one Ashleigh Barty and the failure of Karolina Pliskova to reach the semis in Toronto.

US and Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka returned to the world number one spot in the WTA rankings on Monday. The 21-year-old lost to Serena Williams in the quarter-finals of last week's Rogers Cup but benefitted from the second round defeat of former number one Ashleigh Barty and the failure of Karolina Pliskova to reach the semis in Toronto. Osaka first hit top spot in January, after winning back-to-back majors in New York and Melbourne, making history as the first Japanese player to achieve it. After seven weeks on top, Barty slips to second with Pliskova in third. The only other movement in the top 10 sees Williams, finalist in Toronto, climbing two places to eight with Sloane Stephens going in the other direction. Canadian Bianca Andreescu, who won the Rogers Cup following Williams' withdrawal with back spasms in the opening set of the final, climbs 13 places to 14. WTA rankings as of August 12 1. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 6,417 pts (+1) 2. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6,256 (-1) 3. Karolína Pliskova (CZE) 6,185 4. Simona Halep (ROU) 5,223 5. Kiki Bertens (NED) 5,120 6. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,780 7. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,577 8. Serena Williams (USA) 3,995 (+2) 9. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,565 10. Sloane Stephens (USA) 3,189 (-2) 11. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 3,167 12. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 3,008 13. Angelique Kerber (GER) 2,875 14. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 2,837 (+13) 15. Johanna Konta (GBR) 2,695 (-1) 16. Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) 2,652 (-1) 17. Qiang Wang (CHN) 2,647 (-1) 18. Madison Keys (USA) 2,557 (-1) 19. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 2,537 (-1) 20. Anett Kontaveit (EST) 2,380 (-1) ... 40. Victoria Azarenka (-1) 65. Venus Williams (-9) 97. Maria Sharapova (-16)

Naomi Osaka returns to number one in WTA rankings

Canadian teenager <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bianca-andreescu-wins-toronto-crown-after-serena-williams-retires-injured-242351">Bianca Andreescu won the Rogers Cup</a> title after her opponent and&nbsp;former world number one Serena Williams was forced to retire in the final with a back injury on Sunday.&nbsp;

More than winning, the 19-year-old earned praises for consoling Serena, who was in tears after the match was brought to a premature end.&nbsp;

During the first set, Serena called for a medical timeout, but within a minute, the umpire announced she was retiring.&nbsp;

Andreescu approached her chair, offering words of encouragement and a consolatory hug as Williams tried to fight back tears.&nbsp;

When Williams sat dejected in her chair, Andreescu, who is no stranger to injury setbacks, went over to console her. The pair embraced and had a heartfelt conversation.&nbsp;

Watch the video:&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
"I know all about injuries." <a href="https://twitter.com/Bandreescu_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bandreescu_</a> consoles Serena Williams following her <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerscup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rogerscup</a> final retirement. <a href="https://t.co/CM1joKu6Cw">pic.twitter.com/CM1joKu6Cw</a>
— WTA (@WTA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WTA/status/1160626947090780163?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Andreescu, who was competing this week for the first time since withdrawing from the French Open with a shoulder injury, told Serena that "I know all about injuries".&nbsp;

"I feel like a million bucks! No pun intended, but no, seriously, it's not the way I wanted to win," said Andreescu during the post-match presentation.&nbsp;

"It's not easy for an athlete to pull out, especially in a final, in the final round, but I know she's gonna bounce back really quick, she's an incredible athlete and I wish her the fastest recovery," she added.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“I was really sad and she made me feel a lot better.”<a href="https://twitter.com/serenawilliams?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@serenawilliams</a> praises her <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerscup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rogerscup</a> final opponent <a href="https://twitter.com/Bandreescu_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bandreescu_</a> in her post-match press conference. <a href="https://t.co/4wh8QCggDg">pic.twitter.com/4wh8QCggDg</a>
— WTA (@WTA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WTA/status/1160691416403795968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Serena was full of praises for the young&nbsp;Canadian, who won her first WTA title at Indian Wells in March.&nbsp;

Twitter users also praised Bianca's gesture.&nbsp;

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19-year-old Bianca Andreescu comforts Serena Williams, after her emotional idol is forced to retire from the Rogers Cup Final. 
 
All class <a href="https://twitter.com/Bandreescu_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bandreescu_</a> 👏🎾<a href="https://t.co/wm54gLqFVL">pic.twitter.com/wm54gLqFVL</a>
— Adriano Del Monte (@adriandelmonte) <a href="https://twitter.com/adriandelmonte/status/1160801289015480320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Hey sania Bianca andrescu won it was 3-1 and Serena had back spasms and had to withdraw
— Dado (@Dado3615) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dado3615/status/1160612918959968256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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What a class act from Bianca Andreescu I will start to follow her career. Little gestures like this go a long way. Serena will be back for sure. She loves tennis.
— junior (@junior4run) <a href="https://twitter.com/junior4run/status/1160819867924254720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Andreescu is the first Canadian to win the Rogers Cup women's singles title since 1969.&nbsp;

Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu won the Rogers Cup title after her opponent and former world number one Serena Williams was forced to retire in the final with a back injury on Sunday.

Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu won the Rogers Cup title after her opponent and former world number one Serena Williams was forced to retire in the final with a back injury on Sunday. More than winning, the 19-year-old earned praises for consoling Serena, who was in tears after the match was brought to a premature end. During the first set, Serena called for a medical timeout, but within a minute, the umpire announced she was retiring. Andreescu approached her chair, offering words of encouragement and a consolatory hug as Williams tried to fight back tears. When Williams sat dejected in her chair, Andreescu, who is no stranger to injury setbacks, went over to console her. The pair embraced and had a heartfelt conversation. Watch the video: "I know all about injuries." @Bandreescu_ consoles Serena Williams following her @rogerscup final retirement. pic.twitter.com/CM1joKu6Cw — WTA (@WTA) August 11, 2019 × Andreescu, who was competing this week for the first time since withdrawing from the French Open with a shoulder injury, told Serena that "I know all about injuries". "I feel like a million bucks! No pun intended, but no, seriously, it's not the way I wanted to win," said Andreescu during the post-match presentation. "It's not easy for an athlete to pull out, especially in a final, in the final round, but I know she's gonna bounce back really quick, she's an incredible athlete and I wish her the fastest recovery," she added. “I was really sad and she made me feel a lot better.”@serenawilliams praises her @rogerscup final opponent @Bandreescu_ in her post-match press conference. pic.twitter.com/4wh8QCggDg — WTA (@WTA) August 11, 2019 × Serena was full of praises for the young Canadian, who won her first WTA title at Indian Wells in March. Twitter users also praised Bianca's gesture. 19-year-old Bianca Andreescu comforts Serena Williams, after her emotional idol is forced to retire from the Rogers Cup Final. All class @Bandreescu_ 👏🎾pic.twitter.com/wm54gLqFVL — Adriano Del Monte (@adriandelmonte) August 12, 2019 × Hey sania Bianca andrescu won it was 3-1 and Serena had back spasms and had to withdraw — Dado (@Dado3615) August 11, 2019 × What a class act from Bianca Andreescu I will start to follow her career. Little gestures like this go a long way. Serena will be back for sure. She loves tennis. — junior (@junior4run) August 12, 2019 × Andreescu is the first Canadian to win the Rogers Cup women's singles title since 1969.

Watch: Bianca Andreescu 'consoling' crying Serena Williams wins internet

Upsets bookended the Rogers Cup on Monday with Ukrainian teen Dayana Yastremska beating British 13th seed Johanna Konta 6-3 6-2 early on in Toronto before Maria Sharapova fell 4-6 6-3 6-4 to Anett Kontaveit under the lights in the evening session.

Estonian Kontaveit battled back from a set and a break down in the first-round match to defeat the five-time Grand Slam champion, who entered the tournament as a wild card after injuries kept her out of action for much of the season.

The Russian sent a forehand service return long on match point to end the engrossing two hour and 41-minute battle.

Kontaveit will next face either seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams or Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro, who play their first-round match on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Yastremska, ranked 33rd in the world, squandered four match points but took her fifth opportunity, dispatching Konta with the clock barely ticking past noon on the Toronto hardcourt.

The result avenged Yastremska's loss to Konta when the pair met at Eastbourne in June.

The 19-year-old from Odessa is having a breakout season after claiming two titles and producing a spirited run to the last 16 at Wimbledon.

Russia's Daria Kasatkina recovered from a disastrous first set to upset 12th seed Angelique Kerber 0-6 6-2 6-4 while Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko, 15th seed Caroline Wozniacki and American Jennifer Brady all advanced in straight sets at the WTA's Premier 5 event.

In other matches, 76th-ranked American Jennifer Brady defeated 50th-ranked Kristina Mladenovic of France 6-1 6-2. Swiss 11th seed Belinda Benic, the 2015 champion, beat Russian Anastasia Potapova 6-2 6-1 and 20th-ranked Belgian Elise Mertens outlasted Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus 3-6 6-3 6-1.

Tuesday's schedule features world number one Ashleigh Barty taking on American Sofia Kenin and an all-Canadian clash between Eugenie Bouchard and teenager Bianca Andreescu.

Upsets bookended the Rogers Cup on Monday with Ukrainian teen Dayana Yastremska beating British 13th seed Johanna Konta 6-3 6-2 early on in Toronto before Maria Sharapova fell 4-6 6-3 6-4 to Anett Kontaveit under the lights in the evening session.

Upsets bookended the Rogers Cup on Monday with Ukrainian teen Dayana Yastremska beating British 13th seed Johanna Konta 6-3 6-2 early on in Toronto before Maria Sharapova fell 4-6 6-3 6-4 to Anett Kontaveit under the lights in the evening session. Estonian Kontaveit battled back from a set and a break down in the first-round match to defeat the five-time Grand Slam champion, who entered the tournament as a wild card after injuries kept her out of action for much of the season. The Russian sent a forehand service return long on match point to end the engrossing two hour and 41-minute battle. Kontaveit will next face either seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams or Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro, who play their first-round match on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, Yastremska, ranked 33rd in the world, squandered four match points but took her fifth opportunity, dispatching Konta with the clock barely ticking past noon on the Toronto hardcourt. The result avenged Yastremska's loss to Konta when the pair met at Eastbourne in June. The 19-year-old from Odessa is having a breakout season after claiming two titles and producing a spirited run to the last 16 at Wimbledon. Russia's Daria Kasatkina recovered from a disastrous first set to upset 12th seed Angelique Kerber 0-6 6-2 6-4 while Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko, 15th seed Caroline Wozniacki and American Jennifer Brady all advanced in straight sets at the WTA's Premier 5 event. In other matches, 76th-ranked American Jennifer Brady defeated 50th-ranked Kristina Mladenovic of France 6-1 6-2. Swiss 11th seed Belinda Benic, the 2015 champion, beat Russian Anastasia Potapova 6-2 6-1 and 20th-ranked Belgian Elise Mertens outlasted Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus 3-6 6-3 6-1. Tuesday's schedule features world number one Ashleigh Barty taking on American Sofia Kenin and an all-Canadian clash between Eugenie Bouchard and teenager Bianca Andreescu.

Johanna Konta, Maria Sharapova fall at Rogers Cup in Toronto

Aryna Sabalenka's disappointment at losing the San Jose WTA final over the weekend may be offset to a small extent by her rise to number nine in the latest rankings released by the WTA on Monday.

The 21-year-old Belarusian, who was playing in her first final since winning the Shenzhen Open in China in January, was beaten in straight sets by China's Zheng Saisai.

But the points she collected from reaching the final means she moves ahead of Serena Williams who drops to 10.&nbsp;

Zheng was the week's biggest mover, climbing 17 places to 38.

Roland Garros winner Ashleigh Barty is still number one ahead of Naomi Osaka as the players head to Montreal where a lot of points are at stake.

WTA rankings as of August 5

1. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6,605 pts

2. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 6,228

3. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 6,055

4. Simona Halep (ROU) 5,933

5. Kiki Bertens (NED) 5,130

6. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,785

7. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,737

8. Sloane Stephens (USA) 3,773

9. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,565 (+1)

10. Serena Williams (USA) 3,410 (-1)

11. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 3,356

12. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 2,963

13. Angelique Kerber (GER) 2,875

14. Johanna Konta (GBR) 2,745

15. Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) 2,652

16. Qiang Wang (CHN) 2,647

17. Madison Keys (USA) 2,556

18. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 2,478

19. Anett Kontaveit (EST) 2,335

20. Elise Mertens (BEL) 2,180

...

38. Zheng Saisai (CHN) 1360 (+17)

39. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 1,335 (-1)

56. Venus Williams (USA) 986 (-6)

81. Maria Sharapova (RUS) 740 (+1)

Aryna Sabalenka's disappointment at losing the San Jose WTA final over the weekend may be offset to a small extent by her rise to number nine in the latest rankings released by the WTA on Monday.

Aryna Sabalenka's disappointment at losing the San Jose WTA final over the weekend may be offset to a small extent by her rise to number nine in the latest rankings released by the WTA on Monday. The 21-year-old Belarusian, who was playing in her first final since winning the Shenzhen Open in China in January, was beaten in straight sets by China's Zheng Saisai. But the points she collected from reaching the final means she moves ahead of Serena Williams who drops to 10. Zheng was the week's biggest mover, climbing 17 places to 38. Roland Garros winner Ashleigh Barty is still number one ahead of Naomi Osaka as the players head to Montreal where a lot of points are at stake. WTA rankings as of August 5 1. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6,605 pts 2. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 6,228 3. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 6,055 4. Simona Halep (ROU) 5,933 5. Kiki Bertens (NED) 5,130 6. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,785 7. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,737 8. Sloane Stephens (USA) 3,773 9. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,565 (+1) 10. Serena Williams (USA) 3,410 (-1) 11. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 3,356 12. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 2,963 13. Angelique Kerber (GER) 2,875 14. Johanna Konta (GBR) 2,745 15. Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) 2,652 16. Qiang Wang (CHN) 2,647 17. Madison Keys (USA) 2,556 18. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 2,478 19. Anett Kontaveit (EST) 2,335 20. Elise Mertens (BEL) 2,180 ... 38. Zheng Saisai (CHN) 1360 (+17) 39. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 1,335 (-1) 56. Venus Williams (USA) 986 (-6) 81. Maria Sharapova (RUS) 740 (+1)

Aryna Sabalenka moves up to ninth in WTA rankings

Top seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine and second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus advanced to the quarter finals of the WTA San Jose hardcourt tournament with straight set victories Wednesday.

Svitolina defeated Russia's Darya Kasatkina 6-3, 6-1 while Sabalenka dispatched American Coco Vandeweghe 6-3, 6-3.

Seventh ranked Svitolina booked a last-eight date against Greek seventh seed Maria Sakkari, who eliminated Japan's Mayo Hibi 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

It was Svitolina's first match since <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/andy-murray-serena-williams-form-wimbledon-mixed-doubles-dream-team-232624">Wimbledon</a>, where she became the first woman from her homeland to reach a Grand Slam semifinal, and she improved to 5-0 against Kasatkina.

"I played quite a solid match for my first match on hard courts," Svitolina said. "I'm excited for all the matches here and overall this part of the season."

Sabalenka ranked 10th, advanced to a quarter-final against Spanish sixth seed Carla Suarez Navarro, who rallied past American Bethanie Mattek Sands 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Mattek Sands defeated fellow wildcard <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wimbledon-15-year-old-cori-gauff-stuns-idol-venus-williams-to-steal-day-one-limelight-232214">Venus Williams</a> in the opening round.

Top seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine and second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus advanced to the quarter finals of the WTA San Jose hardcourt tournament with straight set victories Wednesday.

Top seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine and second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus advanced to the quarter finals of the WTA San Jose hardcourt tournament with straight set victories Wednesday. Svitolina defeated Russia's Darya Kasatkina 6-3, 6-1 while Sabalenka dispatched American Coco Vandeweghe 6-3, 6-3. Seventh ranked Svitolina booked a last-eight date against Greek seventh seed Maria Sakkari, who eliminated Japan's Mayo Hibi 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. It was Svitolina's first match since Wimbledon, where she became the first woman from her homeland to reach a Grand Slam semifinal, and she improved to 5-0 against Kasatkina. "I played quite a solid match for my first match on hard courts," Svitolina said. "I'm excited for all the matches here and overall this part of the season." Sabalenka ranked 10th, advanced to a quarter-final against Spanish sixth seed Carla Suarez Navarro, who rallied past American Bethanie Mattek Sands 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. Mattek Sands defeated fellow wildcard Venus Williams in the opening round.

Top seeds Svitolina, Sabalenka win at WTA San Jose event

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