The Peng Shuai scandal has been jeopardized by the Chinese city’s tennis intentions by Reuters

By David Kirton

SHENZHEN, China (Reuters) – The organization of the Women’s Tennis Association Finals was supposed to put Shenzh’s Chinese technology hub on the sports map, but the suspension of the tournament in the wake of the Peng Shuai scandal has left her ambitions in vain.

China’s “miracle” city, known as the start of the country’s 40-year economic transformation, is one of China’s richest and is home to technology giants including Huawei Technologies and Tencent Holdings (OTC :).

In January 2018, the WTA announced that Shenzhen would face competition from former hosts Manchester, Prague, St. Petersburg and Singapore to host what would become “the biggest and most significant WTA Final” in its history, its president and CEO Steve Simon said. hour.

Hong Kong residents promised a top-tier stadium for more than $ 17 million in the city, and local real estate developer Gemdale Corp put $ 14 million in prizes – double the pot in the previous finals – to win the right. organize the event from 2019 to 2028.

But earlier this month, Simon announced that the WTA would suspend Chinese tournaments for the treatment of former No. 1 doubles player Peng Shuai after he was accused of sexually assaulting former Chinese Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli, who had not been seen in public for nearly three weeks. [L1N2SN04V]

“If China does not take the steps we have asked for, we cannot put our players and staff at risk by holding events in China,” said Simon, who received support from the global tennis community but was embarrassed by Beijing. Winter Olympics.

Doubts about the future of the tournament highlight the clash between China’s global sporting intentions and Western criticism of Beijing’s authoritarianism. A few U.S.-led countries have announced a diplomatic boycott of the Olympics, meaning they will not send government representatives.

China hosted nine WTA events in 2019, but the WTA confirmed on December 7 that the traditional Shenzhen Open at the start of the season, a separate event from the WTA finals, will not take place in the first half of 2022. Everything has been China. – Close international visitors to the COVID-19 pandemic. [L4N2SS1I0]

A Shenzhen government spokesman said he did not know whether the WTA would return. The Florida WTA said it was still hoping that China would do what was asked of it to allow direct communication with Peng.

“That’s why it’s a suspension at the moment, not a cancellation,” a spokesman said.

LOST SERVICE

For Shenzhen, the WTA final was to be a boost to its cultural and sporting prestige.

In late 2017, then-mayor Chen Rugui personally lobbied Simon to host the final, a young and open city in Shenzhen that would help “take the sport to a new level,” according to an official report.

The Chinese media was effusive.

“It’s not just an important event for Chinese fans and tennis fans, but it’s a wonderful opportunity for Shenzhen to become an internationally renowned name,” the Shenzhen Evening News reported.

The WTA Final is the most famous women’s event after four Grand Slams, and the prize money in Shenzhen was $ 5 million more than in the men’s ATP Finals equivalent, ensuring a star-studded raffle. Australia’s Ashleigh Barty won world number 1 in the first final of the Shenzhen WTA in 2019.

“It’s the biggest tournament outside of the Grand Slams, it’s massive, it’s hard to overstate the importance of that in terms of player prestige and level and the money involved,” said China Sports Insider’s Mark Dreyer.

POLITICAL WILL

Shenzhen’s tennis expectations also underscored the confluence between the sport in China and the struggling property sector today.

Nine of the top 16 teams in China’s top football league, which has become known for splashing millions of dollars on the world’s stars, are mostly owned by real estate-related companies, including China Evergrande Group and the Kaisa Group. Owner of the Shenzhen club.

Gemdal, who sponsored the tournament, manages several tennis facilities in Shenzhen, including an “international” training academy.

“Their business model is not to return to ticket sales and things like that, it’s the political will they get from the Shenzhen government,” Dreyer said.

Gemdal has no comment.

As for the stadium, the plan is to preserve the facade of a 1985 arena -historical by Shenzhen standards- to renovate 3.6 billion yuan ($ 566 million), which would increase its capacity to 16,000, according to forecasts and by someone familiar with it. matter.

Work continues as the stadium will host other events, two friends with knowledge of the subject said. For the time being, it remains a dusty construction site in the central district of Futian.