"Where is Peng Shuai" protests set to rock Australian Open 2023 as activists plan to 'make trouble' for Tennis Australia

The "Where is Peng Shuai" protests will see a resumption at the upcoming Australian Open in 2023. Activists are planning to cause trouble for Tennis Australia over their commercial links to China despite the issue.

Peng Shuai accused Zhang Gaoli, a member of the Chinese Communist Party, of sexually assaulting her back in 2018. The former World No. 14 penned an essay on social media on November 2, 2021, where she narrated the incident in detail.

Since then, very little information has been available about the player, with many questioning her whereabouts and well-being. A proper investigation is yet to be taken up by the respective authorities on the issue.

With Tennis Australia accused of partnering with Chinese companies on commercial deals, activists have expressed their annoyance and made it clear that they'd raise their voice against the association during the Australian Open in 2023.

"Unfortunately for them, they are going to have these political problems on their hands for the next few years. We are just not going to allow that tension and that contradiction to go unnoticed and we are going to make trouble for Tennis Australia," lead activist Drew Pavlou stated in a conversation with 'The Guardian'.

The 2023 Australian Open is set to commence on January 16. It is yet to be seen whether the organizers will ban protesters from entering the stadium premises, like they did last time around.

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"The WTA stands pretty much alone on this" - Martina Navratilova on the Peng Shuai issue

Martina Navratilova at the WTA's "Her Health Advantage" Event

Martina Navratilova feels that the WTA is the only association fighting for the rights of retired Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai.

During the 2022 Australian Open, officials at the tournament denied fans wearing t-shirts with the slogan "Where is Peng Shuai" from entering the stadium. Navratilova stated that such an action from Tennis Australia was "pathetic," before claiming that the WTA stood alone on the issue.

"That’s just pathetic. The @wta stands pretty much alone on this!!! #whereisPengShuai," she wrote in her tweet back in January.

The WTA made a stern decision back in 2021 as they immediately suspended China from hosting tennis tournaments and stated that the suspension would stand until they felt that the safety of the players was ensured. The association has also been relentlessly pushing the investigating authorities to solve the case and bring justice to the alleged victim.