Former NBA star Yao Ming talks with Peng Shuai during the Beijing Olympics

Former NBA great Yao Ming said Monday that he and others had a pleasant conversation with Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai when they met last month. Peng Shuai's disappearance after making a sexual assault allegation against a former government official sparked international concern. He also expressed regret that Novak Djokovic will be unable to compete in the Australian Open due to his COVID-19 vaccination status. Yao, on the other hand, stated that he is unqualified to comment on Australia's pandemic policy. Yao, who played for the Houston Rockets from 2002-11 and is now president of the Chinese Basketball Association, used…