Serena Williams ‘Devastated and Shocked’ over Reports of Peng Shuai’s Disappearance

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Tennis star Serena Williams has called for an investigation into the disappearance of Chinese player Peng Shuai:

Peng made headlines in early November when she alleged Zhang Gaoli, the former Vice Premier of China, forced her into a sexual relationship in a since-deleted social media post, via BBC.

The 35-year-old has not been seen or heard from since, with the exception of an email Chinese state media reported she wrote which said the allegations were not true and she is simply resting at home.

WTA chairman Steve Simon released a statement Wednesday alleging the email was fake:

“I have a hard time believing that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received or believes what is being attributed to her. Peng Shuai displayed incredible courage in describing an allegation of sexual assault against a former top official in the Chinese government. The WTA and the rest of the world need independent and verifiable proof that she is safe. I have repeatedly tried to reach her via numerous forms of communication, to no avail.”

Peng reached as high as No. 1 in the world in doubles in 2014, winning 2013 Wimbledon and 2014 French Open. She has also been a consistent competitor in singles competitions, reaching the semifinals of the 2014 U.S. Open.

Several top tennis players have tried to bring attention to the situation, including Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic. 

Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam winner with more than 10 million followers on Twitter, should further help shine a spotlight on the issue.