ITF cancels tournament return to China
Although the question "Where is Peng Shuai" is still unresolved, the International Tennis Federation fixes the first events at ITF level in the Middle Kingdom.
by Dietmar Kaspar
last edit: Apr 06, 2023, 01:58 am
You have to look back to October 2019 for the men if you want to identify the last ATP title holder on Chinese soil. At that time, Daniil Medvedev defeated Alexander Zverev in two sets in the final of the Masters tournament in Shanghai. On the women's tour, the last WTA trophy in China was awarded to Ekaterina Alexandrova at the international event in Shenzhen in January 2020, who also defeated Elena Rybakina without losing a set.
Covid-19 paralyzes the tour
Although professional tennis slowly recovered despite the global Covid pandemic after the complete lockdown from summer 2020 and returned to normal operation to some extent in 2021 with fewer restrictions, all international tennis tournaments in China continued to be canceled due to strict Covid restrictions.
The case of Peng Shuai
For the 2022 season, the Chinese tournaments were firmly back on the ATP and WTA calendars until events surrounding the disappearance of former professional player Peng Shuai following her allegations of sexual abuse by a former senior official shook the sporting world. While the WTA around CEO Steve Simon banned all tournaments in China from the tour calendar until the case was clarified, the ATP stuck to hosting the tournaments for 2022. However, these were canceled again due to newly increased Covid measures.
Outlook for the current season
The approaches of the major associations are still different for the current season. While the ATP is again planning two parallel 250 tournaments in autumn, a 500 event in Beijing and the Masters tournament in Shanghai, the WTA is still completely covered with the calendar from mid-September - the outcome is uncertain.
As has now become known, the ITF has again included Chinese tournaments in the tournament calendar without committing itself to the topic "Peng Shuai". From June 5th, six consecutive tournaments of the ITF World Tennis Tour will be held for both men and women. In an ITF statement, President David Haggerty expressed his delight at the return to China. It will be interesting to see what effect the return of the Chinese tournament to the ITF calendar will have on WTA decision-making.