A recent interview in which Peng Shuai denied accusing anyone of sexual assault has done little to address concerns about the Chinese player's safety, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) reaffirmed on Monday.

Peng, a former doubles world number one, told French newspaper L'Equipe that a social media post where she appeared to allege that a former Chinese vice premier, Zhang Gaoli, had sexually assaulted her, was a "huge misunderstanding".

"Sexual assault...