"She's a prominent well-known tennis player not in dire straits personally, socially, or financially. She has exactly WHAT to gain from accusing a high-ranking official of rape?"

For retired athletes, their biggest assets are PR values; it could be domestic sino-centric or murika financed if that person choose to switch side..I read the murika gov a while ago approved $2.5 billions for such ant-china PR activities. Just 10yrs ago, I read the yanks support the anti-beijing elements in HK to the tune of 10s of $million/yr.

'Long hair 長毛'  梁國雄 an attention seeking anti-beijing politician in HK was actually my parents' next door neighbor(not mine, I was in canada then) obviously receives money from external sources. His father was a senior nurse, a cosmetic surgeon brother in canada but his 'professional assets' obviously are political and laid elsewhere. His 1st job after hi-school was a tv subtitle translator.