The Chinese tennis champ has told Singapore’s pro-Beijing ​​Lianhe Zaobao Chinese-language newspaper that she has never said or written claims that a former top Communist Party official sexually assaulted her. “I need to emphasise this point very clearly,” Peng told the newspaper’s reporter. She was not asked the obvious follow-up question – if it wasn’t her, how/why did a lengthy statement making the accusations appear on her Weibo account on 2 November? The Women’s Tennis Association – which is demanding proof that Peng is OK and has cancelled upcoming tournaments in China until that happens – was unmoved. “We remain steadfast in our call for a full, fair and transparent investigation, without censorship, into her allegation of sexual assault,” the peak players body said in a statement.