Portugal Colonial - WTA president Simon to step down in December

In charge of women's tennis since 2015, Simon revealed his intention to leave to the organisation last autumn, according to the press release published by the WTA.

"To ensure a smooth transition, the board will now begin a comprehensive selection process" for his successor, the body said.

Simon caused a furore at the end of 2021 by suspending all WTA tournaments in China after the disappearance of former world doubles No.1 Peng Shuai.

The Chinese player, who in November 2021 accused a former senior leader of the Chinese Communist Party of forcing her into a sexual relationship, was not seen in public for several days, before finally reappearing in videos published by official media.

"In good conscience, I don't see how I can ask our athletes to take part in tournaments when Peng Shuai is not allowed to communicate freely and has apparently been pressured to retract her allegations of sexual violence," Simon said at the time.

The WTA finally resumed staging tournaments in China in September 2023, despite a situation that showed "no sign of changing".

In 2023, in a separate case, Simon was accused of psychological abuse by Ukrainian player Lesia Tsurenko, just under a year after Russia's invasion - assisted by Belarus - of Ukraine.

Tsurenko withdrew before a match against Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka at the WTA 1000 Indian Wells, saying she had had a panic attack after a discussion with the head of the WTA.

"He told me that he himself was against the war, but that if Russian or Belarussian players supported it, that was their own opinion, and that other people's opinions shouldn't bother me," said the Ukrainian, who announced in mid-April that she was taking the WTA to court.

The WTA responded by emphasising that it had "condemned the war waged by Russia" and taken "numerous measures" to help Ukrainian players.

N.Esteves--PC