Peng Shuai: World Tennis Champion Serena Williams say case 'must dey investigated'

American great Tennis player, Serena Williams don chook mouth for di mata of Peng Shuai, one ogbonge Chinese Tennis player.

Williams tok say di case "must dey investigated". She add say make pipo "no dey silent" about her welfare.

Dis dey come as nobody don hear from Peng since she accuse one top Chinese goment official of sexual assault two weeks ago.

Di Chinese state media bin release one email dem attribute to Peng, but pipo dey doubt di originality of di email.

"I hope she dey safe and dem find her soon as possible," Williams tok.

Concerns for 35 year old Chinese Champion, Peng, welfare don continue to grow since she tok say she dey "forced" into sexual relationship wit former China vice-premier Zhang Gaoli.

She bin make di accuse inside one post on top Chinese social media site Weibo for November 3 and quickly delete am from China internet.

Dis na di first time any China senior political leaders go dey faced wit that kain allegation.

Chairman of di Women Tennis Association, Steve Simon, say Peng deserved "to dey heard, not censored" on top di accuse.

On Wednesday, he bin doubt di email wey di Chinese state media release. He say e "only raise" concerns about Peng safety.

Williams na one of many leading players to speak out about Peng welfare, afta men's world number one Novak Djokovic and Japan four-time major winner, Naomi Osaka.

"I dey devastated and shocked to hear about di news," Williams, wey be 23-time Grand Slam singles champion tok.

"Dis case must dey investigated and we must not stay silent.

"Sending love to her and her family during dis incredibly difficult time." Williams add.

China's #MeToo movement dey gada momentum - Who be Peng Shuai?

Supporters have shown up at her court hearings carrying protest signs, an increasingly rare sight in China

Peng Shuai na Chinese professional tennis player.

She be former world number one doubles player wey don win two Grand Slam titles - at Wimbledon for 2013 and for di 2014.

She don also achieve career-high singles rankings of 14 for 2011 and she reach di US Open singles semi-finals for 2014.

Peng, wey neva play on di WTA Tour since March 2020, tok say she no go fit provide proof to back up her claims.

Her allegation na di highest-profile incident for China #MeToo movement.

Zhang, wey be 75 years old neva respond to Peng claims.

E bin serve as China vice-premier between 2013 and 2018 and e be close friend of President Xi Jinping.

On Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry tok-tok pesin Zhao Lijian say im "no dey aware of di relevant situation" when one tori pesin ask am to react.

Tennis world dey demand answers

Pipo from across tennis - wey iclude past and present players, coaches and journalists - don dey demand answers about Peng welfare.

Popular sports stars, actors and politicians also get interest for di case plus how she dey do.

Many don dey use #WhereIsPengShuai on Twitter posts, join wit her foto.

Serbia Djokovic wey be one of di first big players to discuss di issue, say e dey "shocking" when dem ask her earlier dis week.

Osaka, wey for long don use her platform to speak out about social issues, say "censorship is never OK".

On Thursday, Barcelona and former Spain footballer Gerard Pique became one of the most prominent athletes outside tennis to express his concern.

Amnesty International - di organisation wey dey focus on human rights - say di make pipo no take di email wey claim to come from Peng "wit face value".

Di group don questioned Chinese state media "track record" of "so-called statements".

As China dey ready to host next year Winter Olympics for Beijing, di International Olympic Committee say "Experience don show say quiet diplomacy dey offer di best opportunity to find solution for questions of such nature."