WTA's Steve Simon Calls for 'Verifiable Proof' of Peng Shuai's Safety After Email

WTA chief executive Steve Simon expressed concern Wednesday after Chinese state media released a statement it said was written by Peng Shuai.

"The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts," Simon said.

He added he wants "independent and verifiable proof that she is safe" since he has been unable to get in contact with the 35-year-old.

CGTN shared an emailed statement it said Peng had written and sent to Simon in which she said she was "not missing, nor am I unsafe." 

In a since-deleted post on Chinese social media platform Weibo, Peng alleged she had been sexually assaulted by Zhang Gaoli, a retired vice premier in the Chinese government. 

"That afternoon, I was very afraid. I didn't expect it to be like this," she wrote of the alleged assault by Zhang. "I didn't agree to have sex with you and kept crying that afternoon."

She said in Wednesday's email the Weibo message was "released without my consent" and that the details included were not true.

Peng's post was subsequently deleted, and her general silence in the aftermath of the initial publishing has left some concerned.

Speaking with the New York Times' Christopher Clarey, Simon initially said that WTA officials had heard Peng was "fine and doing okay, and isn't under any threat." However, he couldn't confirm that with the player herself:

Naomi Osaka addressed the situation Tuesday on Twitter and included the hashtag "#WhereIsPengShuai":

Peng has won 23 doubles titles in the WTA, including Grand Slam victories at Wimbledon in 2013 and Roland Garros in 2014. She climbed to the No. 1 ranking in the world in February 2014.