Chinese player Peng disappeared from the public scene in November 2021 following the accusation of sexual assault against the country’s former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli, which led to condemnation from the international community.
The WTA said it would no longer hold tournaments in the country, but last month reversed that decision after conceding defeat in its efforts to bring about change in China.
Peng met with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, but since then not much has been heard about his whereabouts, with many believing the meeting was a staged one.
The former US Open semi-finalist and two-time Grand Slam doubles champion has not been seen outside of China since making the allegation.
Fans with banners reading “Where is Peng Shuai?” they were seen at tennis events, including the Australian Open in January.
Simon addressed this issue when he spoke at the Internationaux de Strasbourg tour.
“The WTA knows she is safe and knows where she is,” he told L’Equipe.
“We have taken a very firm position in China, which very few companies or industries have done.
“We don’t question this decision. It was the right decision and I would do it again today.
“Nearly two years later, the progress we wanted to see in China had not led to a solution. So it was time to change our approach.
“We were reassured that Peng Shuai is safe and we know where he is. That was the first thing to do.
“We need to talk and be together to find solutions. I hope that the return of the WTA to China will give us the opportunity to do this.”
Shortly after her disappearance, an email purporting to be from Peng to Simon surfaced, saying she was safe and that her accusation was false.
However, the statement was widely believed to be false, and Simon said this only increased concerns about her safety.
Photos of Peng with her cat and stuffed animals were also deemed to be fabricated.
When lifting the ban imposed on China, the WTA said that “after 16 months of suspension of tennis competitions and sustained efforts to meet our initial requests, the situation has shown no sign of change”.
“We have come to the conclusion that we will never be able to fully secure these goals, and it will be our players and our tournaments that will ultimately pay an extraordinary price for their sacrifices,” the organization added.
“For these reasons, the WTA lifts the suspension of the tournaments in the People’s Republic of China and will resume the tournaments in China in September of this year.”
The move means major events such as the Shanghai Masters will return.
But the WTA’s position was criticized by some as a “capitulation”, in the context in which it was stated that the decision was motivated by money and the profitable Chinese market.
“We could have remained in a deadlock and we would not have gone further,” added Simon.
“Or we can go back there and try to be part of the solution. This is a change of position. But we never said we will not go back to China.
“The main thing is how we can continue to defend Peng Shuai’s interests and how we can make significant changes there to solve the problems.”
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