Peng Shuai tells paper she never wrote of being assaulted

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has denied saying she was sexually assaulted, despite a November social media post attributed to her that accused a former top Communist Party official of forcing her into sex. The newspaper Lianhe Zaobao posted video of Peng it says was taken Sunday in Shanghai in which she says she has been mainly staying at home in Beijing but was free to come and go as she chose. Peng dropped out of sight after the accusation against former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli briefly appeared on Chinese social media before being swiftly removed. Screen shots of the post were widely shared, drawing widespread concern about Peng’s safety.