New Delhi, Aug. 3 -- SHENZHEN - Wang Xinyu did not find out at a press conference. She found out the way the rest of the tennis world did - when China's Billie Jean King Cup Finals squad was announced, and her name was not on it.

The statement she published on Instagram afterward said everything that could be said without saying anything that could not be taken back. "Being unable to take part in the BJK Cup Finals in my hometown was a surprise," she wrote. "Representing my country has always been my priority. I respect this decision and I am disappointed."

Three sentences. The first is the fact, delivered without embellishment. The second is the loyalty statement, included because in professional sports it needs to be included. The thi...