from
Christoph Giesen, Gerald Kleffmann and Johannes Knuth
Seven minutes. Steve Simon did not speak longer in an interview with the American broadcaster CNN on Thursday evening. He was connected to the well-known presenter Erin Burnett via Skype, from sunny St. Petersburg in Florida. And from there the president of the WTA, the association of all professional tennis players, had nothing good to report. No, he still has no sign of life from Peng Shuai, whose case is currently going around the world. They tried on all channels. Yes, he really did get a mail from her. But it is difficult for him to imagine that the athlete wrote the punched lines in which the high song on Chinese tennis is sung. The American Simon, a powerful figure in organized sport, replied immediately to the mail – no reaction. Also the family members: not to be reached. Only the Chinese Tennis Association had assured him, Simon, that Peng Shuai was doing well. She is safe in Beijing.