"Stop harassing young Chinese women, you creep" - Activist at Australian Open draws flak from tennis fans for hounding Qinwen Zheng about Peng Shuai

A human rights activist from Australia recently came under fire for harassing China’s budding tennis player Qinwen Zheng with questions about Peng Shuai at the 2023 Australian Open.

The incident happened while Qinwen Zheng was in the middle of a practice session in Melbourne Park, right before her first-round match against Dalma Galfi. The activist, by the name of Drew Pavlou, posted a video of one of his team members asking the 20-year-old Chinese star about the whereabouts of Peng Shuai, who was said to have disappeared after sexual abuse revelations against a Chinese government official.

“My Hong Konger friend Presley saw the biggest young Chinese tennis star Qinwen Zheng at the Australian Open practice courts so she asked ‘Where Is Peng Shuai?’ in Mandarin. She was quiet and replied back ‘I don’t know.’ Sadly CCP censorship and fear continues” he wrote.

The activist and his team bothered not just Qinwen Zheng but also other Chinese tennis players going about their day at the Australian Open.

Tennis fans were furious about the way he dealt with the issue and accused Pavlou of targeting Chinese players who are simply contesting a Grand Slam tournament and badgering them with racially motivated questions.

“Racially motivated harassing a chinese woman in the name of "human rights" for him, but not for the Chinese,” one fan said.

Others stated that Pavlou was known for such unmannerly behavior and asked the Australian Open organizers to intervene and protect Qinwen Zheng and other players from racial and political motives.

“Hey Australian Open, I suggest you investigate this blatant harassment by Drew Pavlou for racially targeting a young innocent Chinese player. He has a nasty habit of do this.”

Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:

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Prior to Qinwen Zheng's Australian Open incident, Drew Pavlou was escorted out of Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios’ 2022 Wimbledon final for causing a "nuisance"

Drew Pavlou being escorted out at 2022 Wmibledon final

Prior to the Australian Open incident with Qinwen Zheng, Drew Pavlou, a renowned anti-communist activist from Australia, was previously removed from Wimbledon Center Court during the 2022 final involving Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios.

“Wimbledon head of security threatened to call police to arrest me for silently holding poster asking ‘Where Is Peng Shuai?’ When I refused to move they got this nice security bloke to stand behind my shoulder watching me for an hour. The power of Chinese sponsors!” Pavlou wrote of the incident.

Wimbledon officials, meanwhile, stated that the activist was removed from the court for disrupting the play and causing a nuisance.

“A spectator was removed from Centre Court after disrupting play by shouting, running down the stairs and causing a nuisance to their fellow spectators. The individual was removed by security colleagues and escorted off the grounds,” an All England Club spokesman had said, per Fox Sports.