Protesters plan to use the tournament, the first Grand Slam of the year and which is due to start in Melbourne tomorrow, to draw attention to the well-being of 2017 Australian Open doubles champion, who is believed to have been censured by the Chinese Communist Party after allegations of assault on her by a senior Government official.

Concerns about Peng's safety continue even as officials are seemingly satisfied with the limited interviews conducted with the star since she first dropped off the radar.

Protesters are critical of the ongoing relationship between the professional tours and China and also the Australian Open's decision to take on Chinese sponsors.

"Unfortunately for them, they are going to have these political problems on their hands for the next few years," protest organiser Drew Pavlou told The Guardian.

"We are just not going to allow that tension and that contradiction to go unnoticed and we are going to make trouble for Tennis Australia."

Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley has confirmed the decision to overturn their short-lived and controversial ban on "Where is Peng Shuai?" merchandise at the 2022 Australian Open will remain for this year's event.

Only China's zero-COVID policy kept the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour from returning to the country in 2022.

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour had asked China to provide further assurances regarding the safety of their former player before they would allow Chinese events to return to the circuit.

But it is expected they will stage tournaments again in the country this year - COVID-19 regulations permitting - including its flagship end of year finals there.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach was pictured on a number of occasions with Peng during last year's Winter Games in Beijing and invited her to visit the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.

But it is believed that Peng is still not allowed to leave China and the IOC have provided no update about her situation since leaving Beijing after the Olympics.

Former world number one Martina Navratilova has come out in support of the protests and feels that more needs to be done when player safety is at stake.

"I support the protests," the three-time Australian Open-winner said.

"The Women’s Tennis Association is the only one that has actually tried to do something [about Peng Shuai]."

Peng abruptly disappeared from the public eye back in November 2021 after she accused former Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexually assaulting her in multiple incidents stretching back three years.

The social media posts were quickly deleted, and Peng has largely disappeared from view, only making public appearances that appear to be stage managed by Chinese officials.

The protesters turned up at every Grand Slam in 2022 and intend to continue to lift their voices in support of Peng.

A spectator was removed from the stands for shouting "Where is Peng Shuai?" during last year's Wimbledon final between Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Australia's Nick Kyrgios.