"If this is done, WTA can contemplate a future without China" - Marion Bartoli on possible merger of men's and women's tour

In a recent statement addressing Peng Shuai's disappearance, WTA chairman Steve Simon said the tour's relationship with China was at a "crossroads."

The 67-year-old had earlier suggested that the WTA would withdraw all its business from the region if the Chinese government failed to resolve concerns surrounding the safety of Peng Shaui.

Peng was not seen for more weeks after she made allegations of sexual assault against a former vice premier of China. Photos of the Chinese attending a tennis event in Beijing recently surfaced, and she also took part in a video call with the International Olympic Committee.

Just days after Simon's comments, former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli has come forward with plans for the expansion of the WTA Tour without China. Speaking to Eurosport, the Frenchwoman said that she has been working with an "investment fund" for the last two years that could play a key role in aiding the merger of the men's and women's tours.

Without divulging too many details on the nature of the fund, Bartoli said it had previously been associated with "large operations" in the sporting world.

"I can not yet say what is this investment fund but it has already made large operations in the world of sport," Bartoli said. "Everything is extremely square and rigorous."

WTA has a 10-year-long deal with Shenzhen for the season-ending tournament.

Echoing ATP chief Andrea Gaudenzi's proposal to have joint Masters 1000 events for men and women, Bartoli hinted at a WTA 1000 event in Bercy, which would be held over two weeks alongside the ATP's Paris Masters.

The Frenchwoman conceded that there were several difficulties in finding partners for such an ambitious project, but was quick to add that if the deal was to go through successfully, the WTA could "contemplate" a future without China.

"Even for me, who has a lot of connections in the tennis world, it is extremely difficult to find partners," Bartoli said. "It is a reality that many organizers know."

"The most important thing was that the ATP aligns," she continued. "Obviously, such an overhaul will take several years. But if this deal is done, then the WTA can calmly contemplate a future without China."

"It's easy today to throw stones, but it was a good intention" - Marion Bartoli on WTA's major investments in China

The 2019 WTA Finals offered the biggest winner's check in the history of the sport.

During the conversation with Eurosport, Marion Bartoli also spoke about the WTA's massive investment in China over recent years, saying it felt like the right move at the time. She was quick to add that no one could have anticipated the current situation involving Peng Shuai.

Pointing to the lack of investors and venues to host events, Bartoli said the Chinese market was the only one "capable" of meeting the tour's needs.

"It's easy today to throw stones," Bartoli said. "But it was a good intention. We could not foresee everything that is happening today ... At a time when the WTA lacked money and partners to organize tournaments, China was the only country capable of meeting its needs."

"The European indoor tour that we [had] before, with the tournaments no longer exists economically," Bartoli said. "So, what do we do? We stop the season after the US Open? Here again, China came at one point to meet this need. "