American great Serena Williams said that the case of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai “must be investigated” and urged people “not to be silent” about her welfare.
Peng, 35, has not been notified since she brought a sexual assault allegation against a top Chinese government official two weeks ago.
Chinese state media published an email attributed to Peng, but Doubts have been settled about its authenticity.
“I hope she is safe and found as soon as possible,” Williams said.
Peng’s welfare concerns have continued to grow since she said she was “forced” into an affair with former Chinese vice premier Zhang Gaoli.
The allegations were made in a post on China’s Weibo social network on November 3 and were quickly removed from the Chinese internet.
It is the first time such a statement has been made against one of China’s senior political leaders.
Steve Simon, President of the Women’s Tennis Association, said Peng deserves “to be heard, not censored” about the allegations.
On Wednesday, he cast doubt on the email published by Chinese state media, saying it “only raises” concerns about Peng’s safety.
Williams is one of many top tennis players to speak out about Peng’s welfare, following world number one Novak Djokovic and four-time Japan champion Naomi Osaka.
Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, said: “I am heartbroken and shocked to hear this news.
“This must be investigated and we must not remain silent.
“Sending love to her and her family during this extremely difficult time.”
China’s #MeToo movement is on the rise
Peng is a former world number one doubles player who has won two Grand Slam titles – at Wimbledon 2013 and the 2014 French Open, alongside Hsieh Su-wei of Chinese Taipei.
She also achieved a career-high singles ranking of 14 in 2011 and reached the semi-finals of the US Open singles in 2014.
Peng, who has not competed on the WTA Tour since March 2020, admitted that she will not be able to provide evidence to support her claims.
Her allegation is the most famous one in China’s #MeToo movement.
Zhang, 75, did not respond to Peng’s statements. He served as Vice Premier of China from 2013 to 2018 and is a close ally of President Xi Jinping.
On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said he was “not aware of the relevant situation” when asked about this by a reporter.
The world of tennis demands answers
People from across tennis – including past and present tennis players, coaches and journalists – have asked for answers about Peng’s welfare, as have sports stars, actors, and actresses. and other famous politicians.
Many people used #WhereIsPengShuai on Twitter posts, along with a photo of her.
Serbia’s Djokovic was one of the first big-name tennis players to discuss the matter, saying it was “shocking” when asked earlier this week.
Osaka who has been using her platform for a long time speak out about social issues, added to her concerns and said that “censorship is never good”.
On Thursday, Barcelona and former Spain player Gerard Pique became among the most prominent athletes outside of tennis to voice their concerns.
Amnesty International – which focuses on human rights – said the purported email from Peng “should not be taken as face value”.
The group questioned the “record” of Chinese state media on “so-called claims”.
With China set to host the Winter Olympics next year in Beijing, the International Olympic Committee has also been asked for comment.
It said: “Experience shows that quiet diplomacy offers the best chance of finding solutions to questions of this nature.”
