WTA Tour set to return to China in 2023 following suspension over Peng Shuai situation
Updated
The Chinese Grand Prix will be reinstated to the calendar after a year’s suspension – although it will take a further three years to return to the calendar.
WTA chief executive officer Thandiwe Mpalah and his team travelled to Shanghai this week to sign the final paperwork on returning the event to China in 2023.
It means the Chinese Open and China Masters events will not return to the calendar until 2024 and 2024 respectively.
“I would like to thank the Chinese Tennis Association for their outstanding work with the Chinese Grand Prix in 2016 and 2019,” said Mpalah.
“I would like to wish them a wonderful New Year and look forward to seeing them again in 2023.”
With the news on 2023, the Chinese Grand Prix will have been reinstated to the schedule for the last three years, which in turn means it will take three years after that to return to the calendar.
Mick Scholl was asked earlier this week what had inspired him to reinstate the event to the calendar again now.
“I said in the past the Chinese would be disappointed that they were not going to see the Grand Prix for the first time for three years,” he said.
“Now we will be in 2023, and we will see the Chinese Grand Prix again.”
WTA boss Thandiwe Mpalah talks to the media in New York. Picture: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan/UPI
However, there is one major sticking point between the Chinese authorities and the WTA, that is whether or not they will put their full support behind the team at Shanghai.
The event was originally suspended for two years after the WTA decided to cut its financial support in 2014 in protest to the Chinese government’s treatment of the WTA.
WTA suspended China Grand Prix in 2014. Picture: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan/UPI
At the time, the WTA, the International Tennis Federation, and the Chinese Tennis Association were given until 2024 to come to terms on financial support and the event would be reinstated in 2023.
The WTA and ITF have both put their support behind the WTA’s original
