That looks unlikely now, given the overall No 1 draft pick has yet to practice with the New Orleans Pelicans since having surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee on Oct 21.

The reeling Pelicans could certainly use him. They've lost 10 straight heading into Friday night's game (Saturday morning Beijing time) at Philadelphia to fall to 6-19, but coach Alvin Gentry said this week that he could not forecast a return date.

"I don't have any idea," Gentry said. "I know that he's here every day and know that he's working his butt off.

"We're not going to rush anything with him," Gentry continued. "We're going to be overly cautious."

Williamson's initial prognosis was for his rehabilitation to last six to eight weeks. This Monday will mark eight weeks since surgery.

"We have been much more cautious with him in terms of how quickly we've ramped him up from stage to stage because he's 19 and he's still growing and he was 285 pounds when he had the surgery," David Griffin, the Pelicans executive vice-president of basketball operations, recently told Fox Sports.

"But there's been absolutely no setback and no other mission afoot than to get him on the court as soon as possible."

Griffin also has said Williamson won't play on consecutive nights in the early days after his return to the court.

Caution is understandable considering the long-term potential of the 6-foot-6 Williamson, who took college basketball by storm in his lone season at Duke and who hardly seemed to have trouble adjusting to the NBA during the preseason.

He averaged 23.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in four games, went right at highly respected defenders, including Utah's Rudy Gobert, and produced his share of above-the-rim highlights.

Pelicans players say they have urged Williamson to practice patience during his rehabilitation, but they also express excitement over the effect they expect him to have when he is able to play.

"I told him to play the same way when he gets back. Don't change. Keep putting pressure on the rim and when guys collapse in, kick out for open 3s," Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball said, referring to Williamson's showing in the preseason.

"You saw what he did during preseason," Ball continued. "We could definitely use that."

Guard Frank Jackson said getting Williamson back will be "huge".

"Any time he's on the floor, he's a threat to anyone," said Jackson, who also played at Duke. "So we're looking forward to getting him back."

The Pelicans' top brass, however, has sought to take pressure off Williamson.

"We expect for him obviously to inject some energy into our team and do some things like that, but we don't expect that all of a sudden he's going to be the cavalry and everything's going to change," Gentry said.

"We have to change before he gets back on the floor and he would just be an additional positive thing."

Gentry said Williamson has remained highly engaged with the team, watching every practice, walking through offensive and defensive sets with coaches and even verbalizing frustration after losses. He's even traveled to road games recently, and Gentry said a lopsided loss in Dallas last Saturday "bothered him as much as anybody".

"I do think he'll be more of a voice," Gentry said. "For the most part, obviously, we've got really quiet guys, but I don't see him being a quiet guy.

"He's not afraid to speak his mind. It's just one of those things where he's just who he is and he's a natural," Gentry continued. "The players will embrace that, too, because he's a good guy and he's here every day."

It's also illustrated the sizable gap between the top Chinese riders and the world's elite, with none of the home hopes making it through to Saturday's snowboard final at the newly built 2022 venue.

That's not particularly surprising, given China remains a relative newcomer to Big Air, (which also includes freeski), and there are encouraging signs that the nation's young talents are beginning to gain ground on the globe's snowboard superpowers.

Fifteen-year-old Su Yiming narrowly failed to emerge from his heat, missing out on the final by one spot after finishing 11th overall in a tough qualification competition that featured the likes of Canada's Olympic silver medalist Max Parrott, who ranked third in his group, and experienced American Chris Corning, who topped the group to advance.

"This is the first time that I've competed in Beijing and I'm just thrilled to join the World Cup," said Su. "The ramp and the weather were perfect. And there were a lot of spectators cheering for me when I made my last jump, which made me even more excited."

Following his parents' passion for the sport, Su started snowboarding when he was just 4 years old in the chilly northeast province of Jilin, traditionally a cradle for winter sports stars.

"I'm from Jilin, so I enjoyed a great snowboarding environment," said Su. "I learned how to snowboard when I was 4 and started Big Air when I was 7 or 8. I joined the national team one and a half years ago."

Making it this far has not been easy. Constant travel abroad for training and competitions makes finding time for his academic life particularly tough.

However, the thought of representing China at the 2022 Winter Olympics is all the motivation Su needs to persevere.

"My goal is to participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics and, if I make it, I will try my best to win glory for our nation," said Su. "My family and the national team have been supporting me and they are what motivate me.

"Snowboarding is an indispensable part of my life－in fact, it's my lifestyle. This is a challenging sport and snowboarders must have big hearts. Despite all the injuries I've picked up over the years, it has taught me a lot."

Not all China's contingent at this week's World Cup meet began boarding at such a young age.

Zhai Yue is a former gymnast who converted to snowboarding after falling in love with the exhilaration of lifting off from a Big Air ramp.

A quick learner, Zhai already finds herself competing against the likes of Austria's reigning Olympic champion Anna Gasser, who was fifth in qualifying, and Japan's 15-year-old phenom Kokomo Murase, who topped the women's standings.

"I used to do gymnastics. When you do gymnastics, you always have help and protection from your coach, but you are all on your own when you lift off from the Big Air slope," said Zhai.

"Honestly speaking, it was quite terrifying for me the first time I stood on the Big Air ramp. Progressing from smaller and lower ramps to the higher slopes, I've gradually improved. I would just turn on my music when I was stressed and got a little terrified when I stood on one of the bigger slopes.

"You know, it's easy to get addicted to snowboarding. When you pull off a good jump, that moment gives you an enormous sense of satisfaction and achievement."

Regardless of when they first bound their feet to a board, all the Chinese talent share a common dream of competing and winning a medal at the 2022 Olympics.

That's why testing themselves against the best in the business this week is so crucial to their development.

The Air& Style global series first arrived in Beijing in 2010, with the event upgraded to a World Cup meet in 2017. It was previously staged on detachable ramps at Beijing's Bird's Nest and Workers' Stadium.

"I've participated in the World Cup for three years, and this year's venue and competition environment is better than ever," said Zhang Tong, who like Zhai found the going tough in the women's heats.

"I have been improving each time I come to this event. But there's still a gap between us and the world's top riders. After all, they took up the sport much earlier than us.

"Now I spend a lot of time training in foreign countries, especially during the summer when China has no snow. In those countries, the kids start snowboarding when they are very young. To improve the level of snowboarding in China, we also need to attract more young kids to the sport."

Snowboarders show off their moves on the newly built Big Air ramp at Beijing's Shougang Industrial Park, which will be used as a venue for the 2022 Winter Olympics. WEI XIAOHAO/CHINA DAILY

"Everything that happened on the night of September 4, 2018 looked bizarre," recalled Sun after his morning training session in Beijing on Wednesday.

"The doping officials didn't have sufficient credentials, one official had never received any training in doping control, and they agreed not to take away my samples because they lacked the proper credentials.

"The funny thing is that they brought with them a foam box like one for storing seafood, instead of a standard collection box," added the three-time Olympic and 11-time world champion.

Sun was tested by Chinese anti-doping officials on Tuesday night, his 25th check of the year. He said the Chinese officials "performed their duty exactly as required by the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) code and used standard testing equipment".

The 28-year-old has been tested nearly 200 times since 2012, including 28 tests in 2017 and 31 in 2018.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Tuesday that its verdict in the WADA case against Sun is not expected until mid-January, partly because it is taking so long to prepare a written transcript of the Nov 15 hearing, which was marred by poor translation.

Sun refused to complete a doping test conducted by international testing company IDTM at his home on Sept 4, 2018 after discovering that the doping-control officer (DCO) and her assistants lacked sufficient authorization and credentials.

The three testers signed a statement with Sun on the morning of Sept 5, which specified that the test was "incomplete" and that they would not take away the swimmer's samples.

Sun's case was later heard by swimming's world governing body FINA, which in January 2019 decided that the swimmer was not guilty of anti-doping rule violations. WADA disagreed, appealed the decision and asked the court to ban Sun for between two and eight years.

At Sun's request, last month's hearing in Montreux, Switzerland, was only the second public proceeding in the history of CAS.

Sun said that he wanted the hearing to be made public to let the world know what happened and to prove his innocence.

In an earlier interview with Xinhua, Sun said he couldn't trust testers that did not have sufficient documentation to prove who they were.

"I refused to take a urine test in front of a man who wasn't a real tester," Sun said.

"When I take a urine test, I have to roll up my sleeves up to elbows and have my pants down to my knees. I can show my body to doctors or official testers. How can I urinate in front of a total stranger who isn't a tester or doctor?"

Missing testimony

One of the doping-control assistants (DCA) on the night, who asked not to be named, told Xinhua that he was a construction worker by profession, had never been trained in doping control, and was only at Sun's home on the night in question at the request of the DCO, who was a former high school classmate of his.

On Wednesday, the same person, who again spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that he had been willing to testify at the Nov 15 CAS hearing but nobody contacted him.

"I told them I would like to give my testimony via telephone or video conference as they suggested. I was ready, however nobody ever contacted me," he said.

"I felt like they did not seriously expect me to show up and give my words in the court. Maybe they just asked me in a casual way."

He added: "My daily job is doing construction work at construction sites. I am so busy that I don't have time to travel to Switzerland for public hearings. No one had ever spoken to me about doping control, not to mention any such kind of training. It is unnecessary for me."

The stand-in DCA said he had provided a written statement in mid-October, outlining what he knew and experienced on the night of the test.

"It was the first time someone from the international organization asked me about this matter in a year. I just got to know this case was upgraded to an international appeal," he said.

During the CAS hearing, it was alleged that a DCA had signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with IDTM.

However, the temporary DCA said: "Did someone say that? I was totally unclear about it. What does NDA mean and what is in it? I have no idea and no one had talked about it with me.

"My classmate came to me a couple of times in the early morning on September 5, 2018, and showed me something on the iPad. It was all in English! I could not understand it at all, so I returned it to her. I did not sign my signature on it. Is that what you call an NDA?

"I am an honest person. I am a construction worker, I have never previously been associated with doping-control matters－no training, no DCA, no NDA, no IDTM."

South Korea's Im produced a glorious chip-in eagle on the first hole as he and Canadian partner Adam Hadwin edged Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay 1-up in the second match.

An, a late call-up to replace the injured Jason Day, teamed with home hero Adam Scott to defeat Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau 2&1, while Pan and Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama earned a fourth point for Ernie Els' team with a thrilling 1-up win over Patrick Reed and Webb Simpson.

Louis Oosthuizen and Abraham Ancer, one of seven debutants in the team, also delivered a point for the Internationals.

US playing captain Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas won the first point of the session with a 4&3 win over Marc Leishman and Joaquin Niemann.

This is the first time since 2005 that the Internationals, whose solitary Presidents Cup win came at Royal Melbourne in 1998, have led after the first round.

South African legend Els still holds Royal Melbourne's course record (60), and the 21-year-old Im credited his captain's expert knowledge for his flying start.

"Surprisingly I wasn't too nervous. I was going to hit a 3-iron off the tee but Ernie came up and advised me to hit a driver since the pin was to the left and obviously it worked out really well. I'm really happy about my results and I'm excited for tomorrow," said Im, who will partner Cameron Smith in Friday's foursomes against Gary Woodland and Rickie Fowler.

"I feel like our teamwork was great. When I wasn't playing well, Adam (Hadwin) would cover for me and vice versa. I think our teamwork really helped make our match great."

An was delighted to start his first Presidents Cup on a winning note alongside Scott.

"It was crazy. I was a little bit nervous. It was fun playing in front of a home crowd, and then playing with Adam calmed me down a lot, and that's why I was able to hit some great shots in the first couple of holes," said the Korean.

"We got in the mood and got some birdies going. Overall we played great. When he's not playing well the first couple holes, I had him covered, and when I was struggling in the middle, he got some birdies going," said An.

Pan was the last pairing out on course as he and Matsuyama fought tooth-and-nail against Reed and Simpson.

The 28-year-old said watching highlights of the International Team's 1998 victory on Wednesday night had rallied the squad.

"The video, even after last night, I watched it a couple of times because I loved it. It's been 21 long years, and I know it's day one, but we still have a lot of work to do. That video definitely pumped and excited everyone on the team," said Pan.

"It's incredible, especially the last match to finish on 18, as well. The crowd are absolutely amazing and the people, the feeling, it's making me like speechless. Yeah, I played great. We're very happy to earn this point."

With their match tied through 16 holes, Matsuyama drained a 28-foot birdie on 17 to regain a 1-up lead and burst into a fist-pump celebration which ignited one of the loudest cheers of the day.

"Hideki, he's such a clutch putter. I was close but he made that tough putt. That was so crucial," said Pan.

Li Haotong has also been left out of Friday's foursome pairings, but Els proclaimed the first Chinese mainland player to be selected for the Presidents Cup would be "raring to go" on Saturday.

 

 

 

Fritz was the chief ice technician at this week's Qinghai International Curling Elite tournament which concluded on Tuesday at Duoba National Highland Physical Training Base in northwest China's Qinghai province. As a major international event, the 16 competing teams expected top-class facilities, including perfect ice.

With 23 years' experience in ice-making behind him, Fritz was undoubtedly the man for the job.

The German and his team began work early each morning by pebbling, scraping and nipping the sheets to ensure the ice was ready for curling.

"Pebbling the ice looks easy. But when you are actually carrying 15 kilos of water on your back and going backwards at a good pace on the ice, that's a different story," said Fritz as he unloaded his backpack sprayer.

Ice makers need to re-pebble the surface prior to each match. With 64 matches to take care of in Qinghai, the technicians had to work around the clock.

But the 65-year-old Fritz starts his job long before the matches begin, building up a supply of curling-grade ice that requires much more than just frozen water to produce.

Curling ice has to be perfectly level so that the rocks can curl－after all, a 20-kilo granite stone cannot defy gravity. "It's all about perfection when it comes to making curling ice," said Fritz.

To produce fresh and perfect sheets, the team spends seven days and nights flooding, painting, spraying and scraping. Each step has to be repeated several times, with the greatest possible delicacy.

But for Fritz, each job is never the same, as every arena poses a different challenge.

"There is no criteria for making the ice," said Fritz, noting that there are many variables to consider－from room temperature to the number of spectators. "People have no clue how much work we put in," he said.

And things don't always go to plan－even for Fritz.

Humidity is the enemy of ice makers, with the slightest atmospheric shift making all the difference. At the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, for example, Fritz had to contend with heavy rain, with the resulting humidity leading to the cancelation of one match.

Fritz learned how to make ice from a Canadian technician back when he was coach of a German curling team. He began his ice-making career in 1996 and worked his way up to international tournaments such as the Winter Olympics and world championships.

Just like he learned from his Canadian teacher, Fritz has been passing on his knowledge and experience to assistants in Qinghai, Ming Laisheng and Hu Yue.

"It's hard work and experience that make a good ice maker," Fritz said, adding that his Chinese students are getting better at the job every year.

Russia's women and the United States's men emerged victorious on the final day of competition in Qinghai, when, ever the perfectionist, Fritz showed up two hours before the action began to prepare the tracks with the same thoroughness he has exercised over the last two decades.

"There are many little things that should be taken care of to make the event better," said Fritz, who is already looking forward to the 2020 edition. "I would be honored to come back next year," he added.

She'll start off with that big, broad smile.

Then comes the bubbly laugh, summoned from deep in the belly.

Finally, there's a boundless, almost childlike passion for whatever is on her mind.

"The thing that people always ask me about her, after they first meet Missy and she's so nice, they wonder, 'Is she like that all the time?'" said Jack Bauerle, her former coach. "Yes, that's what she's like all the time."

Even now, when she has every reason to be bitter about a broken-down body that snuffed out her brilliant swimming career, Franklin still glides easily to the sunny side to life.

"One of the hardest things about retirement is having a lot of people ask－and I know they don't always mean it negatively－but there's this connotation of, 'What are you going to do now?'" Franklin told Associated Press during a recent interview. "People are assuming that I've already peaked."

She wants everyone to know that's not the case.

At 24, she feels like she's just getting started.

"I can really make an impact outside the pool," Franklin said. "That is one of the coolest things."

For sure, her swimming peak was a sight to behold.

As a 17-year-old, high school senior-to-be, she turned in one of the greatest performances in Olympic history at the 2012 London Games, capturing four gold medals as well as a bronze.

Franklin was even better the following summer, just before she went off to college at the University of California, Berkeley. At the world championships in Barcelona, she became the first female swimmer to win six golds at the second-biggest meet after the Olympics.

The female version of Michael Phelps, it seemed.

But Franklin's body would not let her fully realize her potential.

After a dismal showing at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she qualified in just two events and won her only medal as a relay swimmer, Franklin underwent surgery on both shoulders. She transferred from Cal-Berkeley to the University of Georgia, hoping a change of scenery and working with Bauerle would help spur her comeback.

Unfortunately, her shoulders continued to hurt. When doctors told her she could undergo another surgery, but there was a less-than-50-percent chance it would relieve her pain in the pool, Franklin decided to retire－just from swimming, not from life.

In September, Franklin married former swimmer, Hayes Johnson. On Monday, she wrapped up her final class at Georgia, earning a degree in religion. On Wednesday, she and her husband packed up and headed for suburban Denver, where Franklin grew up and the newlyweds have purchased a home.

"I would've loved to keep going as a swimmer," Franklin said. "But I know I made the right decision."

She is convinced that her best is yet to come, even if she doesn't have the same sort of audience that she did in an Olympic pool.

Next summer, Franklin will attend the Tokyo Olympics to work with sponsors and spread a message about protecting the environment and dealing with climate change. She's not quite clear where life is going to take her, but it's clear that she wants to stay involved with swimming－especially if it gives her a chance to work with young people.

She has a story to tell. A complete story.

"I remember coming off of London, that was one of the hardest things for me," Franklin said. "I would have people come up and say, 'Swimming has just been so hard, I don't love it anymore, I want to quit, what did you do when you felt like that?' Well, I'd never felt like that before."

Then came Rio.

Franklin had never been through anything like that before. There were plenty of tears, even as she tried to maintain her smiling, upbeat facade.

"It was brutal," she recalled. "You are literally on the biggest stage in the world and falling short of every single goal you've set for yourself. You truly feel like you're embarrassing yourself."

Yet, that was when Franklin found something deep inside, something she always hoped was there but wouldn't really know until she went through such a trying ordeal.

"It's really easy to inspire people in success and when you're doing well. It's really hard to inspire people when you're failing, when you're falling on your butt," she said. "Now I have to show up and be that person I always said I wanted to be in a situation like this."

While this has been a solitary journey in many ways, Franklin's husband has helped greatly in easing the transition from competitive swimming.

When his wife-to-be was contemplating whether to have another surgery, he pointed out that there were far more important things still to come, that had nothing to do with being a star athlete.

"There's always going to be a part of me that's still working through it, still reflecting and seeing what else I can take away from it," she said.

"But he was almost like the sunshine at the end of the tunnel. I had gone through all this work and now I had a person to share it with, experience it with, communicate with and kind of help push me the rest of the way, to really show me what was on the other side."

Maybe life didn't turn out the way Franklin envisioned it while standing atop the medal podium in London.

That's OK.

In so many ways, it's turned out better.

"The way I have been able to interact and connect and share my story, my experience in Rio and what's happened since, has made me so grateful for it," Franklin said, her voice rising with enthusiasm.

"I truly, in my heart, feel like I needed that experience as a human being. I needed to go through something like that so I can help other people go through it."

Franklin isn't swimming anymore, but she can still light up the room.

At a news conference in Shenzhen on Tuesday, it was also announced that the tournament is renewing its title sponsorship with Volvo Cars. Next year's edition, which takes place from April 23-26, will mark the 89th time Volvo has sponsored a European Tour tournament.

Founded in 1995, the Volvo China Open was the first international professional golf event to be staged in the Chinese mainland, and remains one of the highest-profile events in the country.

"The 2020 Volvo China Open will be the final test for Chinese players in the run-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, so it will be a wonderful opportunity for them to strive for the opportunity to represent their motherland in the Olympic golf competition," said Pang Zheng, secretary-general of the China Golf Association.

Genzon has previously hosted the China Open in 2014 and this year, when Finland's Mikko Korhonen was victorious.

"We are extremely excited to join hands with the Volvo China Open for the next three years. Shenzhen is a highly advanced city with open, inclusive and innovative cultural characteristics, and there are now many creative entrepreneurs based in the city," said Deng Xueqin, chairman and president of Genzon Group.

"Our market and cultural background actually promotes the development of golf. We insist on transmitting the true spirit of the game, and by combining with the city of Shenzhen we are able to showcase the essential charm of the sport.

"It is our firm commitment to join hands with the Volvo China Open for the next three years. We have significant and invaluable experience in staging international tournaments."

The total prize fund of the 26th Volvo China Open is 20 million yuan ($2.8 million).

"There will be a strong field next April. We welcome golf enthusiasts to come to Shenzhen and to watch this high-profile international competition, and we also welcome Shenzhen citizens to come to Genzon Golf Club for an entertaining weekend," said Zhao Qin, chairman of the Volvo China Open Board and vice-president of corporate communications at Volvo Car Asia Pacific.

The Volvo China Open has been an important platform for domestic talent, with Cheng Jun (1997), Zhang Lianwei (2003), Wu Ashun (2015) and Li Haotong (2016) all past champions.

Wu and Li have gone on to establish themselves among the world's elite by playing regularly on the European Tour.

"The 25-year history of the Volvo China Open is a testament to the collaboration between Volvo and the China Open," said Yuan Xiaolin, senior vice-president of Volvo Car Group, and president and CEO of Volvo Car Asia Pacific.

"Over the years, a growing number of Chinese players have competed and excelled on this international stage. Meanwhile, the tournament and the sport itself have become more popular and gained a strong fanbase locally.

"As the Volvo China Open grows year after year, the collaboration between Volvo and the China Open has also continued to deepen."

The Swedish auto giant is also supporting a plethora of other golf tournaments next year, including the Volvo China Junior Challenge at Mission Hills in Hainan province (Feb 12-14), the Volvo China Open Amateur Qualifying Final (Feb 17-19), the international qualifying event (March 9-11) at Nansha in Guangzhou, and the domestic qualifying event (March 23-25) at Qinglong Nanshan in Chongqing.

Located among disused smokestacks at Beijing's regenerated Shougang Industrial Park, the world's first permanent construction of its kind will make its competitive debut at the FIS Snowboard and Freeski World Cup meet, which runs from Thursday to Saturday at the former steel-mill site.

The annual event is welcoming a total of 146 athletes from 25 countries and regions, including some of the sport's brightest stars, such as Olympic champions Sarah Hoefflin of Switzerland and Anna Gasser of Austria.

"It's totally cool," enthused freestyle skier Hoefflin at the venue on Tuesday.

"This is really a good jump and it's quite different because it's a permanent structure. Everyone who's been up there loved the jump. It's awesome and I really like it."

Rising young local talents are naturally thrilled to have such a stunning facility on their doorstep.

"The new venue is an amazing building for me," said 15-year-old snowboarder Su Yiming. "And as a Chinese athlete, I'm so proud to see that we can have such an incredible venue in Beijing. Because it's also a 2022 venue, it makes me even more excited. I spend a lot time training and competing in foreign countries, so it's great to be able to come back home.

"My goal this weekend is to qualify for the final and then I hope to produce my best performance.

"When I'd just started out in the sport, I used to go Beijing to watch this event years ago. At that time, my dream was to compete in the World Cup one day. And that dream is now coming true. I'm finally here and I'm so excited."

The new ramp will be used for the Big Air disciplines of snowboarding and freeski at the Olympics. It will be the only 2022 snow sports venue located in Beijing's downtown area, with the other snow events to be staged at co-host Zhangjiakou in nearby Hebei province.

"This World Cup meet is the high-end level and you have the best riders and skiers in the world here," said FIS contest director Roberto Moresi on Tuesday.

"What's been amazing to see actually is what organizers have delivered in such a short period of time.

"I have heard so many good words from the athletes so far about what they've seen and how they've been riding on the new venue.

"I'd really like to thank the Beijing Sports Bureau, Shougang Industrial Park and the Chinese Ski Association to be putting on this massive event and giving the riders and skiers the chance to show their skills."

Founded in Innsbruck, Austria, in 1993, the Air and Style global series first arrived in Beijing in 2010, with the stop upgraded to a World Cup meet in 2017. It was previously staged on detachable ramps at Beijing's Bird's Nest and Workers' Stadium.

"Seeing the progression of the event over the past decade is really amazing," said Saskia Schnorrenberger, the director of global operations for event co-organizer Air and Style Company. "We've chosen the best location for its 10th anniversary... and for sure we want to stay in China."

The new venue can seat up to 6,000 spectators, with a rock concert featuring local bands on the final day expected to create a festival atmosphere this weekend.

Big Air, which made its Olympic debut at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, involves athletes hurling down a snow-covered ramp to perform aerial tricks off a massive kicker before landing.

Chinese athletes are working hard to close the gap to the sport's elite and are hopeful of making a breakthrough in 2022.

"I've just been doing Big Air for about two years, but I believe we will catch up with the best athletes in the world," said hotly tipped 15-year-old skier Yang Shuorui, who is competing this week.

"It's very comfortable to jump on the new ramp. Each venue is different, but this one feels very good to me, especially on landing.

"I hope I can make it into the final, but it's not an easy task. In the longer term, I hope I can develop quickly enough to have good performances at the 2022 Winter Olympics to win honor for our country."

After the World Cup, the new slope will be used as a professional training base and to host other events. In the meantime, it will also be open to the public, tying in with the national fitness campaign.

When he was a child in the modest neighborhood of La Bajada in his Argentine hometown of Rosario, he spent his time cycling with friends, building forts out of branches and stones, playing hide and seek－and occasionally stealing lemons from a neighbor to make juice.

Those stories and others are the focus of a new tour being offered by Rosario to celebrate their 32-year-old hometown hero, an international sports superstar who this month won an unprecedented sixth Ballon d'Or as world soccer's player of the year.

The tour, put together by Rosario's city hall, is free of charge and available via an app translated into several languages, guiding fans through 10 stops.

Few houses are higher than two stories in La Bajada, a middle-class neighborhood in the city that is located 300 kilometers northwest of Buenos Aires.

Halfway down Israel Street stands a gray house, closed off by shut curtains and protected by railings. There is no sign outside indicating it was Messi's home, and no one lives there now, though it still belongs to his family.

The neighbors aren't so shy about the Messi connection, however. Colorful paintings dedicated to the soccer star stand in front of houses and there are sidewalks colored in the blue and white of Argentina's national team with Messi's jersey number, 10, painted in black.

Messi's neighbors and friends are often willing to share stories with visitors.

"Leo was normal and ordinary like other people here," Diego Vallejos, one of Messi's childhood friends, told Associated Press on a sandy soccer pitch of the El Campito club as three youngsters enjoyed a kick-about. "We fell, we scratched ourselves riding bikes. We went to the street with water bombs and threw them at buses," said Vallejos, who is one year older than Messi.

Also on the tour is the school Messi attended and the Abanderado Grandoli club, where he learned his first soccer moves.

The city long had a somewhat distant relationship with Messi, and officials say the tour seeks to change that. Rosario's city hall said Messi's family did not take part in the creation of the tour.

"What we want to emphasize is that Leo is a product of his city, and that there is a life and many stories behind the superstar," said Santiago Valenti, who works for Rosario's tourism agency.

Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario's Hospital Italiano Garibaldi. He lived in the city until 2000, when he moved to Barcelona.

A recently opened sports museum, a few blocks from Messi's old home, offers an interactive tour of the lives of local stars in racing, boxing, basketball and soccer.

Messi's section of the museum is introduced by a painting that mixes monuments from Rosario and Barcelona, and the sentence: "All that I did, I did for soccer."

Two giant screens display classic Messi goals and testimonials from teammates.

"The idea is not to pay a tribute to his sporting success," said museum coordinator Juan Echeverria. "It is to value the path he walked, everything that an athlete has to go through to get to the tip of the iceberg that we see when he is on the podium."

The museum has contacted Messi's family and the player's father said he would donate more memorabilia.

One of the items on display is a small red coat with a white collar. Below it is Messi's official register as a Newell's Old Boys academy player and a picture of him smiling.

Downtown is the Malvinas compound where Newell's has its soccer academy. It was there the young Messi was filmed out-dribbling much bigger opponents.

"This is where it all started," said Lisandro Conte, an employee at the academy.

Messi did not play for Newell's. "At that time there were players who looked more promising, and the bet was placed on them," Conte said.

Still, Messi has said he wants to finish his career at Newell's, playing for his hometown club in his own country after a professional career in Barcelona's storied Spanish league team.

Fans visiting Rosario might even be able to catch a match between teams like the recent clash between Newell's and arch-rival Rosario Central. Among the 14 youngsters chasing the ball might be Rosario's next star.

Developmental public-private partnership, according to the book, is a long-term partnership between the government and private companies, to provide infrastructure and city operation services. Enterprises take the responsibility of management and obvious risks. The return on investment will come from the fiscal revenue newly created by the partnership and will be linked to performance assessment and incentive compatibility.

The book was released at the second Developmental PPP Model Forum co-organized by the Society of Public Finance of China and Chinese Academy of Fiscal Sciences in late November. More than 200 experts and company executives shared their insights about theoretical research and application of PPP models.

Meng Chun, director of the China PPP research center of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and a researcher of the Development Research Center of the State Council, said the book provides good advice for policy-making such as budget management that can help boost high-quality development of PPP models.

Zhang Shufeng, executive president of major property operator China Fortune Land Development, or CFLD, said at the forum that the book is a theoretical summery based on successful experiences and a milestone for the promotion and application of developmental PPP.

CFLD has invested and operated in 77 regions, 30 of which are enrolled in PPP projects of the Ministry of Finance. Its five projects were titled demonstration projects of PPP by the ministry: Gu'an county of Hebei province; Lishui district of Nanjing, Jiangsu province; Nanxun district of Huzhou, Zhejiang province; Tuanfeng county of Hubei province and Xinzheng city of Henan province.

CFLD's developmental PPP model has operated in those regions and achieved spectacular achievements. In Huzhou's Nanxun district, Zhejiang province, CFLD helped Shenzhen Efonlong Optronics Display to initiate its ultra-thin glass substrate deep processing project, with an investment of more than 10 billion yuan ($142 million). The aim is to develop advanced industries and promote industrial reformation and upgrading in Nanxun, the company said.

Lishui district of Nanjing is another region codeveloped by the local government and CFLD. CFLD helped Sunwoda Electric Vehicle Battery build its large-scale power battery base in the district this year, which helped boost the local new energy vehicles industry. The project brought an investment of 12 billion yuan. In Lishui, CFLD is working on constructing the NEV industry and related battery, electrical machinery, electronic control and auto parts industries.

Gu'an county of Hebei province was another major developmental PPP project of CFLD, which kicked off in 2002. The partnership has helped promote sustainable and high-quality development of the local economy. In May 2018, the Gu'an project was named one of 60 typical cases for people-oriented sustainable development worldwide by the United Nations.

Wang Hai, Party secretary of Gu'an county, said at a forum in Zhengzhou, Henan province, in October that its partnership with private enterprises under the developmental PPP model since 2002 has contributed to the leapfrogging economic and social development of the county.

Wang added Gu'an has developed from a poor county that relied on agriculture into an economically strong county in Hebei province.

"In the new round of high-quality development of regional economy, Gu'an county will further promote and apply the developmental PPP model," he said.

Chinese county economies face a lack of capital, talent, technologies and industries. In those cases, CFLD provides planning and design consultancy, land resources management, infrastructural construction, public facilities construction, industrial development and city operation services, to build specific competitiveness of each region and help it attract high-level industries, techniques and talent, to boost high-quality development of regions, according to Zhang.

Zhang said CFLD has formed a mechanism featuring self-support, incentive compatibility and incremental reward. Under this mechanism, the government does not need to spend money, provide guarantees and financing, or undertake any debts.

All investments in regions involved in developmental PPP model come from private enterprises that demonstrate high-quality development performance. This guarantees that the government can realize the ultimate goal of high-quality development of the regions, he added.

In other words, in such a model, the government authorizes private enterprise to invest in and develop regional economy and assess its performance from the aspects of fiscal revenue, GDP, people's livelihood, employment and ecology. It would only have to pay for the public-private partnership services if private enterprise meets the requirement of each category. The payment would come from the new fiscal revenue created from the partnership. If private enterprise fails to bring in new fiscal revenue, the government doesn't have to pay for it, according to CFLD.

The model solves the problem of insufficient financial investment in underdeveloped regions, spares the government risk and realizes win-win results, according to the company.

Yang Yingming, executive director for China at the World Bank Group, said that CFLD's developmental PPP model has changed the traditional investment model of local governments in China in civic construction. It also gives inspiration to the World Bank to provide financial support for China's urbanization and infrastructure construction in developing regions.

The hotly touted Chinese mainland pair won their singles matches on Monday but couldn't prevent their International Team losing 11-13 to the United States in a prelude to this week's main event.

Xu, who lost his first two matches on Sunday, bounced back to edge this year's Rolex Junior Player of the Year, Maxwell Moldovon, 1-up, while Jin secured his second win in the tournament by beating Benjamin James, 3&2.

"It's really special to play in an event which mirrors the Presidents Cup. This is the best event by far that I've played in and it's something I'll never forget," said the 17-year-old Xu, who hails from Guangzhou.

"The first day was pretty tough as our long game wasn't good and we struggled. It's really about learning how to manage on this golf course, your distance control and where to hit it. I made some mistakes which I think can help me in the future as I'll know how to perform better."

Xu will remain in Australia over the next few days to watch Tiger Woods' American team defend its Presidents Cup title against Ernie Els' Internationals, which features Chinese No 1 Li Haotong.

Next year, Xu will attend the University of San Diego, where he hopes to sharpen his game in preparation for turning professional.

"I'm going to watch the practice round here and the first round of the Presidents Cup. Before going back to the US I hope to learn from the guys. It's my hope to get to the PGA Tour some day. If I play well in college, I definitely want to turn professional and get to the Presidents Cup will be a good goal to aim for," he said.

Jin, whose brother Jin Cheng won the 2015 Asia Pacific Amateur Championship, was delighted with his performances in Melbourne. He will attend Oklahoma State University next year.

"It's my first time to Australia and it feels so good. The whole setup in this tournament astonished me … the grandstands, the course setup were really impressive," said Jin.

"I am glad I won today as I played quite good. It's such a great experience being here. Stuart (Appleby) is a great captain, and he gave us a lot of advice."

Chinese Taipei's Lin Chuan-tai lost 7&6 to Ian Siebers but had good reason to hold his head high.

A product of the CT Pan junior golf program, he will head to the University of Washington next year. "I actually played pretty good overall, but today I kind of misread the wind direction. It's a special week to play in the Junior Presidents and it will help my career."

 

 

 

After initially steering Dalian away from the CSL relegation zone upon his arrival from Newcastle United in July, Benitez struggled to stir his team in the second half of the campaign, with the Liaoning province club eventually finishing a disappointing ninth.

The slump led to rumors that Benitez could be on his way back to the English Premier League. The firings of Unai Emery at Arsenal and Marco Silva at Everton, as well as Manuel Pellegrini's tenuous position at West Ham, have added fuel to the speculation.

But speaking in London, where he was working as an analyst for Sky Sports' live broadcast of Arsenal's 3-1 win at West Ham, Benitez reaffirmed his commitment to Dalian and said he was enjoying masterminding its Wanda-backed rebuilding project.

"I can be very clear－there is no chance I will come back now because I'm really happy," said the 59-year-old Benitez.

"I'm really pleased Dalian Yifang trusts me. We have a lot of staff working on a big, big project. We want to leave a legacy and it's a challenge for me. I'm quite happy at the moment.

"In the future I would like to come back to the Premier League because I like the league."

Benitez is held in high esteem in English soccer, having steered Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2005.

His wife and daughters still live in the Merseyside area, and he admitted that, in the future, he could be tempted to work nearer to his family home if Everton came calling.

"Obviously I have Liverpool connections, that is very clear. But at the same time we are involved in the city, we have a lot of friends in the city, Evertonians and Liverpudlians," he said.

"So I don't have any problem with the fans, with the people there. Obviously we are closer to Liverpool but in the future... I am a professional... so in the future, you never know.

"Imagine I want to stay in England, I want to stay close to my family, I cannot get a job, then you have a job there close to you."

The former Real Madrid boss has also been strongly linked with West Ham, where Chilean manager Pellegrini appears to be on the brink after second-half goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Nicolas Pepe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at London Stadium on Monday left the free-falling Hammers just a point above the drop zone.

However, although he almost joined the Hammers four years ago before heading to Madrid, Benitez said there was no chance of the east London club tempting him away from China.

"It was in the past, it's true that I was nearly there (at West Ham)," he said. "Then Real Madrid came, and I needed a couple of days to know exactly what was going on.

"Obviously I couldn't say no to Real Madrid, but it was a good time and it's a massive club. Everybody can see both teams (West Ham and Arsenal) have problems, but both are massive clubs and they will do well at the end."

Bankrolled by construction giant Wanda Group, Benitez has been tasked with restoring the glory days at Dalian, which in its previous incarnation dominated Chinese soccer in the 1990s.

However, despite the expensive acquisitions of Slovakian playmaker Marek Hamsik from Napoli and Belgium's ex-Atletico Madrid winger Yannick Carrasco, Dalian remains a long way off the CSL's elite, finishing a sizable 32 points outside the automatic qualification places for the Asian Champions League.

Pinning his hopes on strong financial backing in the winter transfer window, Benitez is hopeful of a better finish next term and has been effusive in his praise of Dalian's overall development strategy.

"Wanda is behind the team and they will have a new training ground in December with 14 pitches, two indoor pitches, and everything is top class," Benitez told BBC's Football Daily podcast last month.

"We have another project in which we are bringing 10 coaches from Spain for the schools and we have around 10 more coaches from Spain to make sure we have the methodology and the way that we coach and do things in Spain. They want to replicate all these things in the academy, in the schools, reserve team and first team.

"Dalian Yifang is a new club in name only but the reality is that they won seven or eight trophies in the past... and they want to go back to the same level. The fans are very passionate and they love football. Dalian is maybe the biggest city for football in China."

Pereira in demand

Meanwhile, Everton is reportedly targeting another top CSL coach－Shanghai SIPG's Vitor Pereira.

After firing Silva last Friday, the Toffees have appointed club legend Duncan Ferguson on a caretaker basis, with the Scot delivering some much-needed cheer to Goodison Park with a 3-1 win over Chelsea on Saturday.

However, Sky Sports claims the Toffees want Pereira installed as Silva's permanent successor before Sunday's Premier League trip to Manchester United.

Negotiations are reportedly underway with Pereira, who is also on Arsenal's radar. However, SIPG is determined to hang on to the Portuguese and could easily trump Everton in the financial stakes. Sky Sports reports the 2018 CSL champion is offering Pereira a new contract worth 25 million pound ($33 million) per year.

The British broadcaster also claims the 51-year-old former Porto and Olympiacos coach has received the backing of his family to remain in China for another year.

AFP contributed to this story

The veteran middle blocker has been troubled by nagging shoulder and waist injuries in recent years, leading to persistent rumors that she is poised to call time on her career.

However, the 32-year-old is adamant she has no plans to quit just yet and says she is more determined than ever to answer the nation's call.

"I've been suffering a lot with pain and injuries recently. Sometimes, when it has hurt badly, I've thought about giving up, but then I felt it was my responsibility to hold on and fight hard because the team and the coach need me," she said.

"The feeling of being needed makes me happy."

Yan also finds the strength to carry on from the example of coach Lang Ping, who endured dozens of surgeries both during and after her illustrious playing career as a star of the all-conquering Chinese teams of the 1980s.

"It's not easy for her," Yan said. "Once I told her I needed to take painkillers every day to keep on training, and she said, 'I also need to take a lot of medicine every day'. When she is on the training court, I am motivated and encouraged to keep going."

Yan's stunning form helped China to glory at September's World Cup. Averaging 0.94 stuff blocks per set, she won the tournament's Best Middle Blocker award and joined teammate and captain Zhu Ting in the Dream Team.

Yan was also named Best Middle Blocker at last year's world championship, when China finished third behind Italy and winner Serbia.

"It was so exciting to win the World Cup again, it was a great team effort," Yan said. "We fought hard on the way to victory, but we will face a tougher challenge at the Olympic Games next year.

"I did not expect to be named Best Middle Blocker again. Actually, I did not realize it was me when the announcer said my name at the ceremony. Then Zhu told me: 'It's you!' That was really a sweet surprise.

"My statistics at the World Cup were encouraging, but I am not totally satisfied with my blocking skills. I have a lot to learn from other top middle blockers around the world."

Standing 192cm (6-foot-3) tall, Yan, who plays her club volleyball for Liaoning, was first selected to the national team in 2009. However, it wasn't until the appointment of Lang as head coach four years later that Yan began to fulfill her potential on the international stage.

"When I was a kid, I dreamed of joining the national team. My mother was a huge fan of volleyball with Lang Ping as her idol," she said.

"But it was a tough road. I was selected and dropped out a few times. I think I had not been able to impress because I was not good enough. I told myself to train harder, and I believed I would have my chance one day."

Yan truly blossomed at the 2015 World Cup, where she starred in a decisive victory over Russia with 14 points and six stuffs.

"I was so nervous, because the 2015 World Cup was my first major international tournament. I had dreamed of playing Russia twice during the tournament," Yan recalled.

"When coach Lang asked me to prepare myself to start against Russia the day before the match, I was nervous and excited and looking forward to playing. When the match finally began, I was still very nervous. Fortunately, we had an incredible start and I was able to cool off."

China went on to beat Japan in the final round to win the title, and Yan's fine form continued at the 2016 Rio Olympics where the team bagged gold.

Yan and Lang will continue to work side by side as China prepares to defend its title at next year's Tokyo Games. Yan is under no illusions just how tough that will be.

"For sure the Olympics will be more difficult than the World Cup," she said.

"All the best teams will be there and will be trying their best. It is important for us to improve ourselves and get ready for any challenges we will be facing. I will get myself ready too."

In a statement posted on Twitter and the team website, the Patriots said that a three-person crew for a web series, titled Do Your Job, "inappropriately filmed the field from the press box" as part of a feature on the scouting department.

The filming took place "without specific knowledge of league rules," the statement said.

The team also said that while it was granted credentials for the crew from the Browns, the home team, "our failure to inform the Bengals and the League was an unintended oversight". When confronted, the team said the crew "immediately turned over all footage to the league and cooperated fully".

"The sole purpose of the filming was to provide an illustration of an advance scout at work on the road. There was no intention of using the footage for any other purpose," the statement said. "We accept full responsibility for the actions of our production crew at the Browns-Bengals game."

The Patriots were fined $250,000 and docked a first-round draft pick in 2007 for violating NFL rules against using video to steal signals. Coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000.

The scandal, dubbed Spygate, helped fuel a widespread distrust of the team that reverberated a decade later when the team was accused of illegally deflating the footballs used in the 2015 AFC championship game. Quarterback Tom Brady was suspended four games, and the team was fined $1 million and docked another first-round draft pick.

The latest allegations came to light when Bengals coach Zac Taylor, whose team plays New England on Sunday, confirmed that the league was investigating the crew's activities. An NFL spokesman did not immediately respond to a request from Associated Press seeking comment.

Asked about the reports during his WEEI radio show on Monday, Belichick said that the video crew was completely separate from the football staff.

"We have absolutely nothing to do with anything that they produce or direct or shoot," said Belichick, who did appear on camera in an earlier episode of the series.

"I have never seen any of their tapes or anything else. This is something that we 100 percent have zero involvement with."

The Chinese No 1, who became a father for the first time in August last year, won the prestigious UK Championship for a third time with a 10-6 victory over Scotland's Stephen Maguire in York.

Winning his first ranking event since 2017 propels Ding back into the world's top 10 (No 9), secures his place at January's Masters and raises expectations that the 32-year-old could finally end his wait for a maiden world title at the Crucible next year.

However, family was first and foremost in Ding's thoughts after pocketing a winner's check of 200,000 pounds ($263,000).

"My family give me support and take the pressure," said Ding, who lost his mother to cancer in 2017.

"I want to do my best for my daughter so that when she grows up she thinks that she has the best daddy.

"I was full of confidence the whole week, I had a very clear mind and I've also been in a very happy mood. I still want to win the world championship but this is also a big one.

"For the last two years people have doubted me, asking whether I would win again. Now I believe I can win more, and this is a good start."

Ding's previous UK triumphs came in 2005 and 2009, when as a youngster many had tipped him to go on and dominate the game.

However, that scenario failed to materialize and although the soft-spoken Sheffield-based player, who was born in Yixing, Jiangsu province, has won 14th ranking titles, just four of those were so-called Triple Crown events and the last before Sunday's win was at the 2011 Masters.

There had been little to cheer in 2019 for Ding either, with the Chinese potter suffering three first-round defeats this season.

However, he looked a different player in York and was cueing brilliantly as he accounted for defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan and rising Chinese star Yan Bingtao on his way to the final.

In Sunday's decider, Ding led 5-3 after the first session and won the first two frames of the evening session. A break of 103 earned Maguire frame 11, but Ding countered to make it 8-4 at the interval.

Maguire fought back with 103 and 124 to close to 8-6, but missed a tough red to a center pocket in the next frame. Ding punished the Scot with 131 to go three up with four to play before completing his victory to a standing ovation with his fourth ton (103) of the final.

"I have had to wait a long time to lift a trophy again, and this is a big one," said Ding.

"It has been an amazing week and I have played fantastic snooker. It means everything to me. When Stephen came back to 8-6 he looked strong, but I stayed calm and waited for my chances."

Ding becomes the fifth player to win the UK Championship on three or more occasions, joining O'Sullivan (seven), Steve Davis (six), Stephen Hendry (five) and John Higgins (three).

Maguire paid tribute to Ding's superb break building, saying: "Every time you let him in he scores 100. I told him a couple of frames ago, 'It's not darts we're playing, it's snooker'."

Retired six-time world champion Davis, the man Ding beat to lift his first UK title 14 years ago, reckons the Chinese star could be celebrating Crucible glory next year.

"A lot of people had written Ding off for the world championship but that has been blown right open now," Davis told the BBC.

"I think Ding on his best form is a match for anybody in the world. He's a real headache for the top players."

Over 3,000 amateur riders of all ages took part in competitive races and fun rides over the weekend at the National Convention and Exhibition Center in Shanghai's Qingpu district, while a "Legends Race" on Sunday featured the likes of Alberto Contador, Alessandro Ballan, Andy Schleck and Oscar Freire.

"Many of the riders we spoke to today said this is the first time they've seen road closures for such a cycling event in China. No major city in China has ever closed its roads for a 70-kilometer cycling circuit," said Greg Hooton, the event director and vice president of race organizer IMG.

"The roads are not closed completely for some of these events in Italy. To do so is a huge logistical undertaking and the Qingpu government has just been fantastic. We couldn't have done this without them."

Hailing the efforts of the local authorities as "perfect", Enrico Fili, the chief executive officer of RCS Sports－the owner of the Giro d'Italia brand－said that Ride Like A Pro is aimed at promoting not just cycling but also Italian culture to the Chinese market.

A host of Italian brands, including coffee giant Lavazza, added a festival feel to the event, with organizers keen to expand future editions to include more race categories, lifestyle offerings and entertainment options.

"China for us is a very important market because there are many amateur riders and cycling enthusiasts," said Fili.

"During the Giro d'Italia, cyclists travel through Italy and get to see many different traditions, products and ways of life. We want to bring this experience abroad and create a little village in which people can taste Italian coffee and other products. We are trying to put together the best of Italy and showcase this through cycling."

Noting that the growing popularity of cycling in China, Fili added that future editions could even accommodate up to 10,000 riders, while Hooton reckons a Chinese cycling boom is in the making.

"Not many people ran marathons in 2011. Now, you can't even get a spot in the marathon," Hooton said.

"The same is happening here with cycling. The demand is already there. For instance, we had to cap the participation numbers at 3,000 for this first edition and we were completely sold out."

According to Hooton, organizers have an agreement with the local government to host Ride Like A Pro for another four years.

Contador, one of the most successful cyclists of his generation and a two-time Giro d'Italia and Tour de France champion, won the Legends Race on Sunday.

The Spaniard, though, insisted that he hasn't missed the thrills of professional racing since he retired in 2017.

"Whenever I'm at a competition I always try to win. But I'm happy to have ended my competitive career. I gave cycling my all for 15 years and now it's time for other things in life. I still train three days a week but only because this is my passion," he said.

Contador said that he has been kept busy since his retirement－commentating for Eurosport, fulfilling commercial commitments for several brands, as well as working on various projects for his Alberto Contador Foundation.

The non-profit organization currently works with three cycling teams, and the 37-year-old suggested there could be scope to work with Chinese sports bodies in the future.

"The highest level of competition is in Europe. My foundation would be able to help aspiring Chinese riders achieve that level. China needs to have a good strategy to build its talent and we're open to opportunities," he said.

Ballan, who finished second in the Legends Race, also reckons China has the potential to compete on the sport's biggest stages.

"I think China has a big opportunity to put its riders on the world stage－it is a really big country," said the Italian. "It's possible to have an all-Chinese team at the UCI World Tour or Tour de France, but they need get their steps right."

After five consecutive years of being No 1 in the Western Conference－and ending up as NBA champions in three of those seasons－the Warriors are at the bottom of the standings.

Everyone knows why: Kevin Durant left, Stephen Curry got hurt, Klay Thompson got hurt, D'Angelo Russell got hurt, Andre Iguodala got traded, Shaun Livingston retired, DeMarcus Cousins left... it goes on and on.

"You can't have worse luck than they've had," Orlando coach Steve Clifford said.

But to Kerr's credit, the Warriors are desperate to make the best of their situation.

This will be a losing season for Kerr, his first in more than a quarter-century. He was a winner almost every year as a player, a winner in each of his three seasons as an executive in Phoenix, a huge winner in his first five seasons as coach.

He won five titles as a player, three more as a coach. And next year－with Curry and Thompson back, a top-five lottery pick likely, plus new faces that the Warriors will be able to add when some money frees up－he could be a title contender again.

What he's going through this year will make him ready for next year and beyond.

"I think I've learned how to be a better coach, honestly," Kerr said. "I haven't had to coach a situation like this and it's a good reminder that every circumstance is different, every year is different.

"The last five years, we've been a championship contender, so it meant that I had to manage the team through the season, prepare for the playoffs and try to get guys rest when we could. This is much more about teaching and developing young players."

Kerr lost 15 games in his first regular season with the Warriors, 15 more in his third season. The Warriors won the NBA title in each of those years.

With about a quarter of this season gone, they've already amassed 19 losses, with just five wins. Golden State wasn't planning to push the reset button this term but found itself with no choice.

"It's the way of life in pro sports, unless you're the Patriots," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Everybody else, you have to, at some point, recalibrate, retool and reinvent, get back at it－which they will. Even right now, even though they've been decimated by injuries, the tenets and standards that they have had, you can see those habits being built."

Spoelstra and the Heat beat Golden State last week. Spoelstra knows a thing or two about seeing a perennial title contender head in a different direction, after Miami was forced to rebuild things once LeBron James left in 2014 and Chris Bosh's career came to a premature end a couple years later because of blood clots. After the win over the Warriors, he pulled Kerr aside and offered some words of encouragement.

"I've admired Steve just because he's been around winning teams basically his entire career as a player, as an executive and as a head coach," Spoelstra said.

"It's extremely hard to do what they did, even with talent. It's really hard to accumulate that talent but then to get the talent to play together the way they did, it was exquisite basketball that changed the league in many ways."

The basketball isn't exquisite right now.

But when the Warriors are truly back, Kerr will be even better prepared for whatever challenges they face.

"I'm lucky. I've got a great staff," Kerr said. "Mike Brown and Ron Adams have really helped me this year because they've both been through this before, coaching really young teams that have struggled. And I'm learning a lot myself. It's a good dynamic for my own career, to go through this and to feel it."

Last week's Women's China Open, which concluded on Sunday in Xiamen, Fujian province, attracted 29 partners, with household furniture giant Red Star Macalline Group installed as the title sponsor for the first time.

"In 2019, we welcomed a new partner as the tournament's title sponsor, and Red Star Macalline is the first domestic title sponsor of the championship," said Tseng-Kwan Pen, the honorary vice-president of the China Golf Association and chairman of the China LPGA Tour.

"Just as the Women's China Open is a national brand, the tournament in turn needs support from the country's national enterprises. The social responsibility and dedication of these enterprises will make Chinese sports stronger."

Macalline's participation was also welcomed by Chinese No 1 Feng Shanshan.

"This is the first time that the tournament's title sponsor is a Chinese domestic brand, so I really want to thank Red Star Macalline for creating the opportunity for me to join the tournament again," said former world No 1 Feng.

Macalline hopes its association with Chinese golf proves to be a lasting one.

"This year, Red Star Macalline stands along with the country's top women golfers to present the best tournament to all the fans," said the group's president, Li Jianhong.

"We hope that our participation will contribute to Chinese women's golf and our golfers' preparations for next year's Tokyo Olympics."

Song Dan, the deputy general manager of marketing for Red Star Macalline Group, said: "About 70 percent of customers in our membership schemes are female, and that proportion is growing.

"So, through the Women's China Open, we hope to improve our relationship with our female consumers.

"We can see the improving development of Chinese women's golf, and that's been proven by the growth of top Chinese golfers such as Feng Shanshan and Zhang Weiwei, who now consistently produce impressive performances at high-level tournaments.

"We will continue to follow the development of Chinese women's golf, hoping that Chinese golfers have a brighter future."

The LPGA Tour regular closed with a round of even-par 72 for a four-under 284 score and a two-stroke win. The victory for the 23-year-old, her seventh China LPGA title and first win since 2015.

Similar to the history of the US Open where it took 17 years for an Americanborn player to win the tournament, Lin became the first Chinese mainland winner of her country's national championship since it debuted in 2006.

Players from South Korea dominated the Women's China Open for the first 11 years, while Lee Min (75) of Chinese Taipei won last year.

"I am so proud that I can win my national Open in my home country, especially as I am only playing a couple of tournaments (in China) a year," said Lin, who is coming off a personal-best season in the US where she made 19 of 23 cuts.

"More importantly to myself, the last two years I have been through a really tough time. I lost my LPGA Tour card and my world ranking was probably the lowest ever.

"This has been a good year but I couldn't think of a better result than winning a tournament to finish my season."

Xiamen native Liu Yan finished runner-up for the second consecutive year when she closed with a 71. Feng Shanshan, the world No 22 and top-ranked player in the field, was two shots further back after shooting 71 and finishing even-par for the tournament.

Guangdong teenager Ren Yue (72) and Thai Kanphanitnan Muangkhumsakul (75) were equal fourth at five strokes back.

Lin, who goes by the name of 'Janet', started the day with a two-shot lead and closed with a round that featured four birdies and four bogeys, including one at the last.

"All week, if I put my real Janet hat on, I will say today I am not doing my best and I have so many things to be improving," said Lin, who struggled with her putting throughout the championship.

"My weakness is still pretty obvious, but it's winning the tournament that counts. It means I can handle it the best on the course no matter what happens. Overall, this is a really big week for me in the way I handle everything."

Determined not to finish "runner-up again", Liu came out strong in front of her home crowd with consecutive birdies starting at the 364-yard first to get to three-under.

The 21-year-old then went bogey-double bogey-bogey over the next three holes to drop to one-over. Four more birdies and a bogey at the last hole followed.

"I had a great start and made two birdies in a row, but that double bogey was bad. It showed that I was inexperienced," she said.

"Without that double I could have contended with Lin Xiyu. Those two dropped shots gave me a lesson, which might be a great thing for the future."

Chinese No 1 Feng Shanshan credits the tournament for playing a pivotal role in her early development, helping her gain valuable experience before she eventually went on to top the world rankings.

After staging its latest edition last week at Orient Xiamen Golf& Country Club in Fujian province, where local star Lin Xiyu ran out a winner on Sunday to pocket a check for 315,000 yuan ($44,790), organizers have big ambitions for the event. They hope that one day it will be held in the same regard as majors such as the US Women's Open and Women's British Open.

"Many people consider the tournament as the cradle for young talent because the Women's China Open is our flagship event," Tseng-Kwan Pen, the honorary vice-president of the China Golf Association and chairman of the China LPGA Tour, told China Daily.

"With a big purse and 50 world ranking points up for grabs, all the best players try to come back for this particular tournament.

"But the LPGA has the highest world ranking points because it has the best players. So how do we break that monopoly? There's a vacuum in Asia. What we want to do is to create a new market in Asia where all the best players can come during their offseason."

Pen reckons southern China's favorable climate for golf is a major reason his organization's ambitious plans for the Women's China Open could ultimately be realized.

"During December, January and February, you have no tournaments in the US, Europe, Japan and Korea because it's too cold. But in southern China, the weather is still fine. So the strategy is to use the offseason time.

"The top Asian players who play the LPGA Tour all return home, so they have the time to play here. We can also attract players from the US and Europe if our purse is high enough. If we can get enough sponsors, we can contact all the best players in the world and invite them to come here.

"The world ranking points available are based on who is playing at your tournament. If we can invite all the world's top players, then we'll have high world ranking points."

However, considering that Chinese golf remains in the infancy of its development, Pen believes that the sport must look beyond traditional methods of promotion to broaden its appeal in the world's most populous nation.

Attracting more sponsors and opening more golf courses would help, but embracing the digital world, he contends, could be a real game-changer.

"It's not just about golf video games, you want something real. So, that's why we should introduce and promote golf simulators," explained Pen.

"You can't simulate basketball or soccer, but golf is different because you don't have to run. You stand there and you hit the ball.

"Nowadays, simulators are very advanced. They can break down your swing, speed and power. They offer analysis and statistics so you can learn how to be a better player. Simulators are not just for education and entertainment, they will eventually evolve into a new type of tournament.

"On a real-life golf course, you can only have about 150 players maximum competing on a single day. On a simulator, you could have 10,000 competing at the same time."

Before that future arrives, however, playing on foreign tours in a bid to emulate Feng's feats remains the best option for China's up-and-coming talent.

Rio Olympics bronze-medalist Feng was the main attraction last weekend in Xiamen, where she finished four shots off Lin's total in third. LPGA Tour star Feng said she was delighted to return to the tournament that has aided so much.

"The Women's China Open was the highest level of tournament I had ever played years ago," said Feng. "For me at that time, I learnt a lot in the tournament. Now I have to make more contributions to Chinese golf."

The 30-year-old reckons it's time for a new generation of Chinese golfers to make a name for themselves on the world stage.

"I've actually witnessed the growth of many young sisters who competed at the Women's China Open. When I played the Women's China Open for the first time, many of them hadn't even started to play golf," she said.

"We need more Chinese players who can shine on the international stage and win honors for our country. That will prove Chinese golf is as good as any country in the world.

"We need more new faces. After all, people must be tired of just hearing the names of our generation of players.

"Every time, there is a discussion about Chinese golf, there are just one or two names."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 39-year-old Austrian ski racer counts that as a big victory in itself. One of the oldest competitors on the World Cup scene this season, he's hardly feeling his age－for now.

His goal? Race against these youngsters until the 2021 world championships in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.

His provision to that goal? Only if he remains competitive. Any signs of slowing down will force Reichelt to reconsider that decision.

To be back in Beaver Creek, makes him feel young again. This was the spot where he won his first World Cup race, a super-G, in 2005. In all, he's had three super-G victories at the venue and captured his only world championship title on the hill in 2015. Indeed, the slope provides a little fountain of youth for him.

"He looks really young－for his age," teammate Vincent Kriechmayr cracked after a downhill training run on Wednesday where American Ryan Cochran-Siegle turned in the fastest time.

"I can learn many things from this old guy. He's one of the best. He's an idol for many kids."

Through all the bumps, crashes and spills, Reichelt still feels remarkably good. Maybe even the best he's felt in a while. There are no nagging injuries－he broke his toe before last season－and he's coming off a quality prep period. Plus, that cloud hanging over his head has faded.

Reichelt was recently questioned by authorities investigating a blood doping ring in sports. Reichelt denied wrongdoing in the case known as Operation Aderlass. It was reported that Reichelt was questioned over contacting cross-country ski coach Gerald Heigl about training programs.

Heigl has been implicated by cross-country skier Johannes Duerr, whose interview with German broadcaster ARD in January fueled the investigation.

In an Instagram post on Oct 16, Reichelt wrote "the false allegations are officially off the table today".

Reichelt said last week in an interview at the team hotel that authorities combed through his phone records for nearly five months before he was cleared.

It was a weight off his shoulders.

"I can focus," said Reichelt, who finished 1.93 seconds behind Cochran-Siegle's top time on Wednesday. "Sometimes you get the questions and then you're thinking about that. It's a little bit always in your head. But it's away, and it's much better."

Missing from the team this season is Marcel Hirscher, who retired after winning eight straight World Cup overall titles.

No Hirscher means more media coverage for the rest of the team.

"Marcel was taking a lot of pressure off our team," Reichelt said. "But I think the team is good enough to work with the pressure and it's good for our team that we also have more visibility now."

These younger racers keep getting faster and making it harder to keep up. Case in point: Reichelt finished 1.94 seconds behind downhill winner Thomas Dressen of Germany in Lake Louise, Alberta, last weekend, and 1.61 seconds slower than super-G winner and teammate Matthias Mayer.

"It's still fun," Reichelt said. "This summer was pretty good for me. Hopefully that helps me so that I can compete against the young guys."

Since making his World Cup debut in 2001, Reichelt has been on the podium 44 times, including 13 wins. The one prize that's eluded him, though, is an Olympic medal. His best finish was 10th at the 2006 Turin Games.

Things remaining on his World Cup wish list include: A downhill victory at Beaver Creek and a win in Val Gardena, Italy.

Reichelt will get another shot at Val Gardena later this month. Over the weekend, he finished fourth at Beaver Creek, with Switzerland's Beat Feuz first and Johan Clarey of France and Vincent Kriechmayr of Austria tying for second.

"It's bad that I didn't reach the podium here, because maybe it's the last time here," said Reichelt, who was 0.02 seconds away from a podium position.

As for his long-term plans, that's easy－slow down and enjoy family life. He and his wife welcomed a son in April.

"When you come home, skiing is not the important thing," Reichelt said. "It's only family and that's very nice."

At the 2016 Rio Games, Feng Shanshan pocketed China's first Olympic medal in the sport－a bronze－and now a new generation of golfers are being inspired to follow Feng onto the podium.

However, Liu's Olympic ambition burns brighter than most because of her family upbringing. Liu's mother, Cui Yongmei, was a star player on the great Chinese volleyball teams that competed at the 1988 Seoul and 1996 Atlanta Games, while her father, Liu Feng, is a former professional handball player.

"My mom participated in two Olympic Games and she came back with a silver and a bronze, so I dream one day I can win an Olympic gold and achieve what my mom did not. It would complete both our dreams," Liu told China Daily on Thursday at Orient Xiamen Golf & Country Club, where she is competing at the Macalline Women's China Open.

"Although I might not be able to play at the Tokyo Olympics next year, I'm still young and I will have many chances to fulfill that dream.

"For me, winning an Olympic gold is the most important goal of my professional career. Of course, I want to win as many championships as I can. But if I had to choose one, my dream has always been the Olympic gold."

Liu, who is a member of China's reserve Olympic squad, is already accustomed to doing her country proud, winning an individual silver and a team bronze at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.

Cui is proud of her daughter's lofty ambitions, but also realizes they will not be easily achieved.

"Because of her living environment with us, she has always thought highly of Olympic gold," said Cui. "We did not win gold because our generation faced a very strong Cuban team, but our country has a strong tradition in women's volleyball. Golf, however, is still in its infancy in China, and it's not easy to win.

"The journey of being a professional golfer is also very different from being a volleyball player. In volleyball, the coach, team leader and supporting teams take care of everything, but many golfers must make those arrangement all by themselves."

Liu turned professional in September 2018 and admits that adapting to the pro ranks has been tough. A tie for second at last year's Buick LPGA Shanghai has been a rare highlight of the youngster's fledgling career, but, typical of her fighting spirit, the hard slog is making her even more determined.

"My mentality has changed since I turned pro," said Liu. "Playing golf has become a serious career for me, and I take the results of each tournament very seriously. So I feel a lot more pressure. I overthink sometimes, which has affected my performances this year.

"I need to improve both my skills and mentality, and I think to have a more stable mentality is more important for me now. During the first half of this season, I always thought too much about my ranking points and other issues, but I feel like I've been better in the second half."

Liu has now set her sights on joining the Symetra Tour in the United States－a possible pathway to the LPGA Tour.

It's a plan that has got mom's seal of approval.

"Golf is not my profession so I cannot give her too many suggestions on how to play the sport," said Cui. "Also, it's very hard to coach your own daughter. She always just considers you as her mom instead of a coach.

"But I think the experience in the US will be very valuable for her growth. Since she turned pro, her mentality has changed, wanting to win too much. She is facing difficulties now and the pro career is much tougher than she expected, but I believe she will make it through."

The teenage duo are among five Asian junior golfers, including India's Kartik Sharma, Chinese Taipei's Lin Chuan-tai and South Korea's Lee Jang-hyun, selected to compete in the two-day competition against the United States Team in what is the prelude to the Presidents Cup, which takes place at the same iconic venue from Dec 9-15.

While Li Haotong, China's No 1, will feature in the showpiece event, all eyes will be on Jin and Xu, both 17, who are touted as rising stars in the game.

Jin, who comes from Beijing, was a finalist at the US Junior Amateur this year and also finished third at the Junior Players Championship. He has verbally committed to Oklahoma State University, which counts PGA Tour stars Rickie Fowler, Charles Howell III and Viktor Hovland among its alumni.

"It's definitely a great honor. It's always been one of my goals to play in the Junior Presidents Cup and it's great to have the opportunity to represent my home country and the International Team," said Jin.

He hails from a family with significant golf pedigree. His brother Jin Cheng won the 2015 Asia Pacific Amateur Championship to earn a start at the 2016 Masters, and was also victorious on the PGA Tour Series-China in 2014 as an amateur.

Jin is excited at the opportunity to play under the captaincy of Australian Stuart Appleby, a nine-time PGA Tour winner and five-time International Team member in the Presidents Cup.

He is also keen to tackle the challenging Alister MacKenzie-designed Royal Melbourne masterpiece.

"It'll be an honor being part of Stuart's team. I'm sure he'll share his experiences with us and show what it's like to play alternate shot and the strategies required for match play," said Jin, who considers Tiger Woods as his hero.

"My brother has been down there previously and says the golf course plays completely differently and I'm interested to see how it'll work out."

Ultimately, Jin hopes to find his way to the PGA Tour.

"The goal is to make the PGA Tour and another goal is to play in the Masters, which will be awesome. My brother competed in the Masters after he won the Asia Pacific and I've set it as one of my goals to get there as well," he said.

Xu, who has verbally committed to the University of San Diego, is equally excited at the opportunity to feature in the Junior Presidents Cup.

"To represent the International Team is truly awesome. I've not been to Australia previously and I'm looking forward to the whole atmosphere and experiencing the culture," said Xu.

"I will ask Stuart how to play well under pressure and how to manage it and turning that into something positive."

Like Jin, Woods is also Xu's idol. Fifteen-time major winner Woods will become only the second playing captain in the Presidents Cup when he leads the US Team against an Ernie Els-led International Team next week.

"He's a legend, he's just incredible," said Xu. "He's dominated for so many years and he's my favorite player."

Xu hopes to also feature on the PGA Tour in a few years' time. "I feel that if I keep grinding and work hard every day, I feel that it's definitely possible. I feel you can't force it and you just have to trust the process. It'll eventually come," said Xu, who hails from Guangzhou.

"I want to improve my overall health and fitness level. I didn't work out previously and now I realize how important it is to get fitter and to be able to hit it far is very important. I've been working on my overall physical health and minding my nutrition as well."

Ding rattles Ronnie to reach UK quarterfinals

China's Ding Junhui ousted defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-4 to book a quarterfinal berth at the UK Championship in York on Thursday.

England's world No 2 O'Sullivan failed to pot a single ball as the 32-year-old Ding raced into a 3-0 lead with breaks of 81, 52 and 110.

O'Sullivan, who turned 44 on Thursday, fought back to level at 4-4 but could not halt a reinvigorated Ding closing out victory in the next two frames.

Ding, who entered the tournament in terrible form, will next face compatriot Liang Wenbo, while China's 19-year-old Yan Bingtao was due to take to on Scottish veteran John Higgins after stunning two-time champion Neil Robertson of Australia 6-1 on Wednesday.

FIGURE SKATING

Sui, Han take early lead at Grand Prix Final

World champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong took the lead in the pairs competition after Thursday's short program at the ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix Final in Turin.

The Chinese duo scored 77.50 points despite an error on their throw triple flip when Sui put her hand down on the landing.

They are seeking to end their wait for a pairs gold at the Final, having won silver two seasons ago in Nagoya, Japan.

Sui and Han were being chased by three Russian pairs, with Alexandra Boikova and Dmitry Kozlovsky second on 76.65, Daria Pavliuchenko and Denis Khodykin third, and Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Galliamov fourth.

BASKETBALL

Aviators ascend with backcourt buzzer beater

He Xining's backcourt buzzer beater earned the Shenzhen Aviators a 98-95 victory over the Sichuan Blue Whales on Thursday.

With the game tied at 95-all with seven seconds on the clock, Courtney Fortson missed a layup for the Whales before He gathered the rebound and launched his amazing long-range winner for the host with one second left.

He Xining finished with 17 points, with Shen Zijie contributing 23 points and 17 rebounds for Shenzhen. Fortson had a game-high 26 points while Mo Mengchen added 17 from the bench for Sichuan.

The Aviators led 27-14 after the first quarter and, despite eight straight points from Mo in the second, were 46-34 up at halftime.

SOCCER

Brighton piles misery on abysmal Arsenal

Free-falling Arsenal slumped to a 2-1 home loss to Brighton in the Premier League on Thursday, extending the Gunners' winless streak to nine games in all competitions－their worst run since 1977.

Interim coach Freddie Ljungberg clearly hasn't found a quick fix to all the problems that plagued the team under Unai Emery－who was fired last week－and the Gunners looked completely shorn of confidence against the Seagulls, who dominated large parts of the game.

"I don't know what to say. I have the feeling that whatever we do it doesn't come out right," Arsenal rightback Hector Bellerin said. "I am lost for words a little bit."

The loss leaves Arsenal in 10th place after 15 games, 10 points outside the top four and just five points above the relegation places.

OLYMPICS

Infantino nominated to IOC, but Coe must wait

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been proposed as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), but World Athletics boss Sebastian Coe will have to wait, IOC chief Thomas Bach announced on Thursday.

Bach said Infantino will be officially put forward as a candidate in January, when he will face a vote from IOC members.

Bach added that Coe has not been proposed for the next session after worries over "the risk of conflict of interest", adding the "door is still open" for the Englishman at the IOC session before next year's Tokyo Olympics.

Infantino's FIFA predecessor Sepp Blatter, who resigned from the governing body amid a major corruption scandal, was an IOC member, but since succeeding the Swiss in 2015, Infantino has yet to follow suit.

"Our players need to build confidence. I feel the team didn't show it enough during the recent Asia-Oceania Olympic prequalifying tournament. We need to build it through training and daily work," Xu told Xinhua.

China will take on Spain, Britain and South Korea in Foshan, with the top three teams earning Olympic berths.

With third-ranked Spain big favorites to top the group, Xu is targeting victories over the Brits and Koreans.

"I wouldn't call it a 'group of death' exactly, but indeed it's difficult, as everyone is strong," he said.

"We will mainly set our sights on Britain and South Korea, but it doesn't mean that we will give up against Spain.

"We can expect an intense matchup in this competition, and anything is possible."

Xu is particularly relishing renewing China's rivalry with South Korea. During prequalifying, China lost its opener against its Asian arch-rival before gaining revenge with two victories to advance as the top finisher.

"The loss (to South Korea) was not beyond my expectations," said Xu. "Our young group was not quite used to their style. We were prepared but failed to reproduce our preparatory work on the day.

"We will meet again in the qualifiers. We need to prepare better for the difficulties ahead.

"Every coin has two sides. We didn't perform to our level because we were overly concerned about South Korea's game. Then we simplified things and played our own game against New Zealand."

For Xu, bouncing back from adversity is an important part of the team's development.

He also hopes that his players can harness the fans' energy in Foshan, but cautioned: "The home advantage is a double-edged sword.

"Everything should go our way if we deal with it properly, but it could pose us huge pressure in the opposite scenario. We have to consider how to motivate our potential at home."

On Saturday, Joshua will seek to win back the IBF, WBA and WBO titles that he lost to Ruiz Jr. in a shock June defeat in New York.

The British boxer, 30, said he was "hungry, determined and focused" as he appeared alongside Ruiz Jr. at a news conference in Diriyah, close to the Saudi capital Riyadh.

"I am not here to put on a show, I am here to win," he said.

"When I regain those belts... I am going to keep calm, stay focused. It's not a time to celebrate. It's a time to keep that challenger mindset and move on to the next target."

But Ruiz Jr. insisted he would stay unbeaten.

"There's no way that I'm going to let these belts go," he said.

"I am going to die trying and do anything that's possible. It's been a long journey and a long roller coaster in my life, and now that my dream has come true I will never let this go."

Ruiz Jr. said all the pressure was on Joshua ahead of the rematch.

"I know (Joshua) is going to come with a different game plan, I know he's prepared and I know he's motivated," he said.

"I know he's lost weight and will try to box me around, but it's just my job to prevent that. I'm ready for whatever comes my way."

The rematch will take place in Diriyah, home to a UNESCO World Heritage site and a dramatic contrast to the iconic Madison Square Garden which hosted the first fight, which ended in a seventh-round stoppage.

The former world No 1 is the main attraction at this week's $290,000 Macalline Women's China Open, which teed off on Thursday at Orient Xiamen Golf & Country Club in Fujian province.

This week, the 30-year-old again found herself fielding questions about her possible successor as China's No 1.

And while she's not quite ready to relinquish that mantel yet, Feng has urged China's young pretenders, many of whom are gunning for glory in Xiamen this weekend, to take the next step to greatness.

"I've actually witnessed the growth of many young sisters who are competing here. When I played the Women's China Open for the first time, many of them hadn't even started to play golf," Feng told media on Wednesday.

"It'd be great if the young players could produce great performances and one of them win the tournament, because China needs more Feng Shanshans and more Li Haotongs (China's No 1 men's golfer).

"We need more Chinese players who can shine on the international stage and win honors for our country. That will prove Chinese golf is as good as any country in the world.

"We need more new faces. After all, people must be tired of just hearing the names of our generation of players. Every time, there is a discussion about Chinese golf, there are just one or two names.

"There are many young players who are very beautiful and talented, and they will become the idols and stars of our sport and help to level up the overall development of golf in China."

CLPGA order of merit leader Zhang Weiwei is one of the most likely future idols. The 22-year-old has won four CLPGA titles this season, including the back-to-back victories on the tour's two previous stops. Victory at the season-ending tournament in Xiamen would make Zhang the first player in the Chinese circuit's history to claim three titles in a row.

"I would use three words to describe my performances this season: calm, confident and unyielding," said Zhang. "I'm actually not very satisfied with my performances this season, but I've never given up during any tournament.

"I want to win the Women's China Open the most. Also, I have never finished a season as the order of merit leader before. If I can win both this season that would be a great result, which just makes me want it more."

Despite her decades of experience in golf, Feng is uncomfortable with being referred to as a veteran of the sport and still feels she has yet to fully realize her potential.

"I always remember the years when people introduced me as a young player, and suddenly one year people started calling me a veteran," Feng added. "Then people started to call me 'big sister Shanshan' or 'China's No 1 women's golfer'.

"I thank everyone who supported me like that but, honestly speaking, as a professional athlete, I still have not reached the peak of my career. I always believe, to the end, golf is a sport that you have to challenge yourself. I believe I can still improve."

Feng's next major goal is returning to the Olympic podium in Tokyo next year, having bagged a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Games.

However, asked if winning Olympic gold is the biggest ambition of her career, Feng was clear where her main priority lies.

"For me the most significant goal has always been becoming the world No 1 player," Feng told China Daily. "Because, there can be only one world No 1 player at any time, which means at that time you are the best in the world.

"I was the world No 1 player, which has been great recognition for my professional career. It was also a huge confidence booster and encourages me to improve and compete with younger players."

Now ranked 22nd, reclaiming top spot would be a monumental feat for Feng. Her triumph at July's Thornberry Creek Classic in Oneida, Wisconsin, was her first victory on the LPGA Tour since 2017.

However, while admitting that she has struggled for consistency of late, Feng also points out that embarking on a winning streak is more difficult than most people probably imagine.

"If golf was an animal, it would be a chameleon to some degree," said Feng. "Just like a chameleon that changes its color all the time, each golf course is unique with different grass and terrain.

"The weather is also different at each tournament, so we constantly have to adjust our tactics to cope with different weather, grass and temperatures."

Although Espanyol has breezed through its Europa League group, playing in two competitions appears to have taken its toll on a thin squad. The Barcelona-based outfit finds itself second from bottom in La Liga, with just nine points from 15 matches and five points from safety.

Last weekend, Espanyol plumbed new depths when, after surrendering a 1-0 lead at home to Osasuna, it went on to lose 4-2, despite the visitor playing the final 40 minutes with 10 men.

That prompted coach Pablo Machin to publicly cast doubt on his players, but ahead of Saturday's intimidating trip to Real Madrid, Wu is staying optimistic.

"It's a delicate moment for the team. We never imagined we would be in this situation, but I am confident and we all should be confident, because the squad is good enough," Wu said during an online questions-and-answers session to promote a video game this week.

"We really need a win and I'm sure that when we win a game everything will change."

Wu arrived at Espanyol from Shanghai SIPG in January, and says the only difference between his life in Spain and in China is that "here I go to Spanish class once a week".

Despite Team China's struggles in World Cup qualifying, the 27-year-old has been a rare shining light for the national side and remains hopeful it can turn its campaign around and reach the 2022 Qatar finals.

"It would be a dream come true for me and for all of our fans," said Wu, who also had praise for Lionel Messi after the Barcelona superstar won his sixth Ballon d'Or trophy on Monday.

"When you play against him on the pitch, it's not like seeing him on the television," said Wu. "When you face him you can feel his talent and his strength."

The England forward put United in front early in the first half and converted a second-half penalty to restore its lead after Dele Alli's exquisite equalizer as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side leapfrogged Spurs, climbing to sixth in the Premier League standings.

Spurs had won its first three games under Mourinho, who replaced the fired Mauricio Pochettino last month.

Struggling United had made its worst start to a season in 31 years but played with energy and adventure and deserved its win.

Smiling manager Solskjaer hailed his youthful side.

"The three points are massive for us," he told the BBC. "We've had too many draws this season and given too many points away from winning positions. It's a great lesson the last two games (Sheffield United and Aston Villa) and we came back in a great manner.

"We've started the rebuilding. We've made decisions that we had to and we're looking to build this club to be better again and I can't think short-term when I'm trying to do that."

The home side deservedly took the lead when Rashford beat Spurs goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga at his near post in the sixth minute－the forward's 11th goal in his past 13 games for United and England.

United could easily have stretched its lead but Gazzaniga made amends by touching a thunderous Rashford shot onto the crossbar.

Tottenham was on level terms six minutes before halftime when Alli pounced on a Serge Aurier rebound to apply a clever finish for his fourth goal in three games.

United was back in front in the 49th minute when Rashford sent Gazzaniga the wrong way from the spot after being brought down by Moussa Sissoko.

United surged forward in search of the winner, with Rashford a constant threat down the left and Daniel James also looking dangerous.

Mourinho threw on unsettled midfielder Christian Eriksen in search of an equalizer as the game remained in the balance, but despite some late pressure against a nervy United, Spurs left Old Trafford empty-handed.

The new Spurs boss, fired by United last December, described his reception at Old Trafford as "nice and polite".

"It's a step back against a team that is playing with the same objective as us, trying to get up the table and reach the top six," he said. "We need to keep going. We made mistakes but it's not good to be crying about them now."

Mourinho won his first three matches in charge of Spurs, with his team scoring 10 goals in the process but he has problems to sort out at the back as he targets a Champions League spot.

United is also eyeing the top four despite a big gap to close. It remains eight points behind fourth-place Chelsea and just seven points above the relegation zone.

So Joshua has had to reinvent himself, strip everything back and, in a sense, start all over.

That began by going back to his roots in Nigeria.

"Because of boxing, I've never had time to go there," Joshua told Associated Press of his first return in 17 years to the homeland of his parents and where he briefly went to boarding school at the age of 11. "In Nigeria, the people love you for you, not for what you have."

At the lowest point of his professional career and with people starting to question him for the first time, Joshua needed time to reflect and to have a dose of reality. He visited Makoko, a slum just off mainland Lagos that is largely a floating community of wooden homes on swampland.

Joshua is adored there, and they mobbed their icon.

"It was good to see hope," Joshua recalled. "Anyone that can bring hope to you, they appreciate it and they appreciate my journey so far. That's what I liked. We are on a journey."

Joshua's journey took an unexpected detour with that loss to Ruiz Jr. in June. But it may well be the making of him.

The Briton heads into the rematch in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday as something of a changed man. More humble, more accepting of vicissitudes of his sport, and eager to learn from his mistakes.

Joshua accepts there were plenty of them before the first fight in Madison Square Garden.

He still won't say exactly what went wrong that night in New York, but acknowledges he "wasn't prepared" for the challenge of Ruiz Jr.－a portly Mexican with a big heart, fast hands and unexpected power.

Ruiz Jr., who stood in as a late replacement after Jarrell Miller failed multiple doping tests, knocked down Joshua four times before the fight was stopped in the seventh round, leaving the defeated champion somewhat dazed and disheveled.

Joshua has ignored some calls to dispense with his long-time trainer, Rob McCracken－the pair go way back, to before Joshua won an Olympic gold medal at the 2012 London Games－but has changed his sparring partners, his routines and his mentality.

"Last time when I lost, I understood why," Joshua told AP in a phone interview after arriving in Riyadh. "I took it like a man, I'd say. I took it like a champion should. Because I understood my mistakes. And I've changed them, I've rectified them.

"If anything wasn't to go my way this time, I just have to say the man is better than me. He is a tricky customer but I think I'm a better fighter than him, even though I didn't get the decision last time. I went straight back in. I didn't say, 'Ah, I need a warm-up fight.' I knew where I went wrong. I know how to improve it, and I've done that."

Time will tell, but there's a sense Joshua is more comfortable in Saudi Arabia than he was in the bright lights of New York five months ago, when he was making his US debut and, maybe, took his eye off the ball.

While retaining that chiseled physique that could not contrast more with Ruiz Jr.'s, Joshua looked slimmer and lighter during his public workouts in Riyadh this week.

And because he is having to prove himself all over again, Joshua said he compares this fight with the first of the 23 in his pro career.

"I have erased the old fight from my memory and I'm approaching it like I'm fighting for the heavyweight championship of the world, which I am. I'm not looking at it as a rematch," Joshua said.

"Even though I've had a belt around my waist, I've always had that challenger mindset because even in my 15th fight, I challenged for the British title. The 16th was for the world title－defend, defend, challenge again－so it's part and parcel of the game now. I'm used to the tough challenges."

Another loss to Ruiz Jr.－in a fight with a reported $70 million purse and being televised by the DAZN streaming service－and there would be serious questions about Joshua, one of Britain's most celebrated sportsmen and someone whose career trajectory was only heading one way until last summer. Fights with the likes of Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury would be further away then ever.

But he's not thinking that way. He's embracing taking boxing to a relatively new audience in Saudi Arabia, which in July staged a WBC international welterweight title fight between Britain's Amir Khan and Australian Billy Dib, which was won by Khan.

"Of course people doubt me," Joshua said. "But the main thing is I'm still here. I'm not discouraged. That's all I can say."

CBA champion Ji Zhe dies of cancer at 33

Former Beijing Ducks player Ji Zhe died of lung cancer early on Thursday.

"2:14 am, Dec 5, 2019, after fighting against lung cancer for over a year, Ji Zhe left us," the Ducks said in a statement on social media.

Ji, a three-time CBA champion, was diagnosed with the disease last August, before going to the United States for treatment.

"Ji has gone. He will love basketball as always, like he's never gone. His No 51 jersey will stay here forever," added the statement.

Ji joined the Ducks in 2007. The 6-foot-7 power forward was regarded as a brilliant rim protector, contributing at both ends of the court with his jumpers, 3-pointers and rebounds, and always impressing with his passion and spirit.

He claimed the CBA championship title with the Ducks in 2012, 2014 and 2015 along with Stephon Marbury, now the head coach of the Beijing Royal Fighters.

"This moment I feel saddened for your family members who love you. My bro, my teammate, my companion, my captain, I hope everything is smooth in the other world," Marbury wrote in a touching tribute on social media. "I pray that your family members can bear the pain of loss, and hope they can stand in braveness. They can feel the energy by people who love you everywhere in the world. R.I.P."

SNOOKER

Chinese teenager Yan stuns Robertson

Chinese teenager Yan Bingtao stunned world No 4 Neil Robertson 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals of the UK Championships in York on Wednesday.

Yan raced into a 5-0 lead against Australia's 2010 world champion before Robertson finally opened his account in the sixth frame.

Rising star Yan, who won his first ranking title at the Riga Masters earlier this season, snubbed out Robertson's hopes of a comeback by closing out victory in the seventh.

The 19-year-old, a native of Zibo in Shandong province, will face Scotland's four-time world champion and three-time UK champion John Higgins in the last eight.

China's Liang Wenbo also booked a place in the quarterfinals by beating compatriot Li Hang 6-4. He will next take on either Chinese No 1 Ding Junhui or defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan.

VOLLEYBALL

Guangdong loses but semi hopes still alive

Guangdong Evergrande lost its second group game at the FIVB Women's Club World Championship on Wednesday night, going down in straight sets (25-16, 25-22, 25-21) to Imoco Volley Conegliano of Italy.

The victory sealed Conegliano's semifinal spot at the eight-team week-long tournament in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province.

Paola Ogechi Egonu had a matchhigh 19 points for Conegliano, with Kimberly Hill adding 15.

Eczacibasi Vitra Istanbul of Turkey blanked Itambe Minas of Brazil 3-0(25-17, 25-23, 25-16).

Eczacibasi lost its first match to Conegliano, so Friday's match against Guangdong, which beat Minas in its opener, will decide the second team to advance from Pool A.

SOCCER

Too late for Madrid move, says Lewan

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski has ruled out playing for Real Madrid in the future, saying "it is too late" to join the Spanish giant.

Lewandowski has long been linked with a move to Los Blancos, but with Bayern unwilling to let its top marksman leave, the Pole now finds himself contracted with the Bundesliga club until June 2023.

"It's too late for me to play at Real Madrid. I'm 31. I will be playing for a few years and I'm focused on winning trophies for Bayern," Lewandowski said on Wednesday.

"Five years ago something was up between me and Real, but now I'm happy in Munich. I play for one of the greatest clubs in Europe, so there is no need for me to change the team. Here I have everything I need."

Lewandowski has rediscovered his best form this season, scoring 27 goals in 21 games for Bayern and helping Poland qualify for the European Championship finals.

NFL

Announcer suspended for 'dark skin' comment

The San Francisco 49ers have suspended radio analyst Tim Ryan for one game for saying Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson was adept at carrying out fakes because of his "dark skin color with a dark football".

Ryan made the comments on Monday in an interview on the 49ers' flagship radio station KNBR when describing Jackson's ability to fake handoffs and keep the ball on runs that hurt San Francisco in a 20-17 loss to the Ravens last week.

"He's really good at that fake, Lamar Jackson, but when you consider his dark skin color with a dark football with a dark uniform, you could not see that thing," Ryan said on air. "I mean you literally could not see when he was in and out of the mesh point."

Ryan issued a statement of apology through the team on Wednesday

The 49ers said in a statement that they are "disappointed" in Ryan and that he won't broadcast Sunday's game at New Orleans.

Dutchman van Dijk finished second behind Lionel Messi in Monday's ceremony in Paris, with Ronaldo third.

Juventus forward Ronaldo was absent from the presentation for the prize he has won five times, preferring to go to Milan where he was voted Serie A's Player of the Year.

Asked by a Dutch reporter about Ronaldo's absence, van Dijk replied: "Why, was he a candidate?", provoking an Instagram tirade from Ronaldo's sister, Katia Aveiro.

"Dear Virgil, from where you are now, Ronaldo has come and gone one thousand times," she said.

"Cristiano was three-times league champion in that country where you have played for years and still haven't put your hands on 'the tin'," she said, referring to her brother's Premier League titles with Manchester United.

After listing more Ronaldo achievements with Real Madrid, she said: "Now, Virgil, go and win some of those titles that really matter and we will talk again. When you have a hand full of them, maybe you can sit at the same table as Cristiano."

Ronaldo netted 21 Serie A goals last season to help Juve win an eighth successive Italian top-flight title.

'Pretty close'

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes van Dijk would have been a worthy winner of the Ballon d'Or but understands why Messi lifted it for a sixth time.

"I see it slightly different and a lot of people see it slightly different but that's absolutely no problem," said Klopp. "Lionel Messi, I've said probably 500,000 times in my life already, is probably the best player I saw in my lifetime.

"But I cannot remember a more impressive season from a defender ever. Honestly. So it would have been right if Virg won it. I heard it was pretty close."

Klopp's men are likely to be in contention for awards again next year should they finally end a 30-year wait to win an English topflight league title. Before Wednesday night's visit of Everton, Liverpool led the Premier League standings by eight points.

Messi playing at 37?

Meanwhile, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni on Tuesday said that he hopes the 2020 Copa America won't be Messi's last appearance at the tournament.

The Barcelona forward will turn 33 during the Copa's 47th edition next year but Scaloni suggested that Argentina's record scorer could still be around in 2024.

"I don't know if it will be his last Copa America, hopefully not," the Albiceleste boss told reporters after the group stage draw ceremony in Cartagena, Colombia.

Messi is still aiming for his first major trophy with Argentina, having been a part of Albiceleste teams that finished as runners-up at the 2014 World Cup and the 2015 and 2016 Copa America tournaments.

"Argentina－not just Lionel Messi－needs the title," Scaloni said.

After receiving his sixth Ballon d'Or award on Monday, Messi admitted that retirement was "getting closer", though he also said that he intends to keep playing for "many more years".

Olympic champion short-track speed skater Csaba Burjan is facing disciplinary action for the offending social media post, the Hungarian governing body said on Tuesday.

Burjan, a member of Hungary's men's 5,000m relay gold-winning team at the 2018 Winter Olympics, is alleged to have used foul language to curse China in an Instagram post that featured a picture of people waiting to pass through a passport check at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

The short-track team's Chinese coach, Zhang Jing, was so incensed by the comment that she immediately offered her resignation.

Burjan, who later deleted the post, had traveled with teammates from Japan to the Chinese city to compete at this week's Shanghai leg of the International Skating Union World Cup series.

"As a result of Burjan's insulting behavior to China, Zhang, head coach of the Hungarian national short-track team submitted her resignation," read a statement from the Hungarian federation's website on Tuesday.

"The council of the federation apologizes for the attitude, which is completely unacceptable from a national athlete.

"The council decided that, as per the request of the team manager, a disciplinary proceeding will start against Burjan. The result of the proceeding will be communicated to the public."

However, Zhang, known as Lina in Hungary, is not likely to leave the post she took over in 2012 anytime soon after the Hungarian federation said her resignation was not accepted.

The statement added that team manager Akos Banhidi has dropped Burjan from the team for the Shanghai meet, which runs from Friday to Sunday.

Burjan also offered his apologies in a Tuesday social media post, which read: "Deeply sorry for yesterday's post. Was tired after a long trip ... didn't mean it. Hope everybody understands. Sorry again".

Zhang initially announced her resignation on her WeChat account, stating that she was astounded and outraged by Burjan's inappropriate comments.

"I can't tolerate a Hungarian skater, especially a Hungarian Olympic champion making such offensive comments against China," Zhang told Shanghai-based news outlet The Paper on Tuesday.

When asked if she might reverse her resignation decision, Zhang replied: "There is no doubt that they won't let me leave, but my future will depend on their attitude on how to resolve the incident."

A former Chinese national team skater who represented her country at the 1994 Winter Olympics (Lillehammer, Norway), Zhang has seen her coaching career flourish after moving to Hungary.

She has helped the European nation win over 150 short-track medals, including its first Winter Games gold (5,000m relay) claimed by Burjan, Viktor Knoch and Chinese-Hungarian brothers Sandor Liu Shaolin and Liu Shao'ang.

In recognition of her efforts at the 2018 Winter Olympics, Hungarian President Janos Ader invited Zhang and the team to the presidential palace in Budapest for a celebration banquet.

Tianjin chucks away lead to drop opener

Chinese and Asian champion Tianjin Bohai squandered a two-set lead to crash to defeat in its opening match at the FIVB Women's Club World Championship in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, on Tuesday.

Tianjin, captained by Team China superstar Zhu Ting, appeared to be cruising to victory when it claimed the first two sets, 25-17 and 25-15, against Italy's Igor Gorgonzola Novara.

However, the Italians dragged themselves back from the brink, thanks mainly to a drastically improved service performance, as they reeled off the next three sets (18-25, 15-25, 11-15) for victory.

Zhu and Li Yingying scored 20 points apiece for Tianjin, with Yuan Xinyue adding 16.

Guangdong Evergrande gave the home fans something to cheer when they defeated Brazil's Itambe Minas 3-1 (25-22, 28-26, 23-25, 25-22).

SNOOKER

Ding to face O'Sullivan at UK Championship

Ding Junhui set up a last-16 encounter with defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan by beating Ali Carter 6-4 at the UK Championships in York on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old Chinese No 1, a two-time UK champion, raced into a 4-0 lead with a top break of 104. Carter, though, wasn't going down without a fight and battled bravely to trail 4-5 before Ding closed out victory with a break of 116.

"I'm looking forward to it. I like playing Ding," said world No 2 O'Sullivan, who beat Thailand's Noppon Saengkham 6-2. "He looked like he was playing good. It should be fun."

China's Liang Wenbo and Yan Bingtao also advanced, with victories over Eden Sharav (6-4) and Jack Lisowski (6-3), respectively.

NFL

Soaring Ravens rated top team in media poll

Lamar Jackson and the surging Baltimore Ravens passed their latest test.

The Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 on Sunday for their eighth consecutive victory and, as one of five teams with a 10-2 record, are the unanimous choice as the top team in the latest Associated Press Pro32 poll.

The Ravens earned all 12 first-place votes for 384 points in balloting on Tuesday by media members who regularly cover the NFL.

Despite the loss, the 49ers remained third in the poll.

The Seattle Seahawks climbed two spots to No 2 after a 37-30 win on Monday night over the Minnesota Vikings, who dropped four spots to No 10.

The New Orleans Saints remained at No 4. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots dropped three places to No 5.

BASKETBALL

Free-falling Warriors axed from TV schedule

The Golden State Warriors are no longer must-see TV.

The NBA is taking two upcoming Golden State games off the North American TV schedule, with the injury-riddled former dynasty owning the worst record in the league.

Golden State was scheduled to play on ESPN against Utah on Dec 13 and against Portland on Dec 18. The league announced on Tuesday that both games would be replaced.

The Warriors are playing without the injured Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, while Kevin Durant departed for Brooklyn in the summer. All that upheaval means they have been forced to use a number of unfamiliar players.

Golden State was one of the league's biggest draws during its run to five straight NBA Finals but is currently 4-18.

The 28-year-old dual citizen, who was born to a British mother and American father, won a silver medal in slopestyle at Sochi in 2014 for Team USA but said he would make the switch for the Beijing Olympics.

"This is definitely going to be my last－my swansong if you will－and I just want to do it for my mum," he told Sky Sports News.

"She has been my number one supporter. She learned how to ski when I learned how to ski. She was 40 and I was three, and it was this thing that we fell in love with together."

Kenworthy said he would be in better shape for the Games thanks to Britain's less-demanding qualifying process.

"I compete in multiple disciplines, and for the US our qualifying process is right up until the Games. It is rigorous and my body was basically destroyed right up until the last Olympic Games," he added.

Kenworthy, who came out as gay in 2015, said he hoped to be an inspiration to the next generation of LGBTQ athletes with dreams of Olympic glory.

"It's not easy to come out－it's quite scary－and I think, because there is a lack of people that have done it, that makes it even more scary," he said.

"There certainly is a stigma that surrounds it and, if you're in a team sport, then there's a fear that you are going to mess up the team dynamic, and that things are going to change or shift, and you don't want to be responsible for that.

"If you're in an individual sport, you're worried about losing endorsement deals or being judged poorly, so all those fears are valid unfortunately.

"But once you do come out and take that leap of faith, people will tell you that it's very liberating, that it's very freeing and usually you perform better."

To meet the soaring demand for the 24-hour team test, which staged its third edition in Hebei province in July, organizers have this year added a second race, which takes place on the island province of Hainan this weekend.

Starting from Saturday midnight, a total of 400 teams comprised of 2,000 domestic and international runners will take on the grueling challenge in the picturesque Yanoda Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone.

A grand party awaits those who manage to reach the finish line at Yalong Bay Central Square Beach.

"For runners from all the different countries, it's a wonderful experience to come to a warm coastal city during winter time," said Felicia Hubber, the chairwoman and race director of Hood To Coast Relay and Race Series.

"I checked the track in Hainan with our partner Starz Sports in late 2016, and I was impressed by the scenic view and distinctive natural beauty－from the mountains to the coastline. I'm looking forward to standing with the runners at the start line on Saturday and I hope all the participants have a great experience in Hainan."

The original Hood to Coast Relay, founded in 1982, takes place in the US state of Oregon every August. The series debuted in China in 2017 when 805 runners participated; a year later the field grew to 1,280.

Completing the race requires a cohesive effort from the five-member teams. Each of the Hainan course's 15 sections must be completed by one team member while the other four travel by car and interchange at the end of every leg.

The BMW Hood to Coast China Relay staged its third edition at 2022 Winter Olympics co-host city Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, in July.

The race attracted 1,800 runners, making up 360 teams. Starting at Thaiwoo Ski Resort, the field traversed tough mountain terrain and bucolic grasslands before finishing at Senado Field.

Hainan will be quite a different racing environment, with its route through rainforest and coastline likely to be a new experience for the majority of the field.

It is the first time Hainan is hosting such a long-distance relay, with local organizers seeing it as a great opportunity to boost the island's tourism industry.

"The combination of sports and tourism also means the combination of sports and the city's local economy, culture and geographic features," said Li Lu, the general manager of Starz Sports Running Culture.

"As an international event, Hood to Coast has a long history and the relay has reached runners from over 40 countries and regions in the world.

"With the relay's steady development and growth in China, we believe the race in Hainan will be attractive to runners from all over the world. It will not only help to build a new sports brand in Hainan, but will also benefit the local economy."

For those not quite ready to take on the 150.4-km challenge, organizers are also staging an easier run which is open to teams of three who are tasked with completing just three of the main event's 15 legs.

After an impressive season on the circuit, the two-time world champions are tipped to top the podium in Italy but can expect tough competition from compatriots Peng Cheng and Jin Yang, who were runners-up last year in Vancouver. Canada's Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro, as well as emerging Russian duo Aleksandra Boikova and Dmitrii Kozlovskii, are also expected to challenge for medals.

Sui and Han, who won silver at last year's Olympics, have triumphed this year at the Cup of China and NHK Trophy in Sapporo, Japan, and arrive in Italy with a season's best of 228.37 points.

However, despite their favorites tag, they are taking nothing for granted in Turin.

"Even though we won two trophies in a row at home and in Sapporo, we feel we still have room to improve," Sui told China Sports Daily.

"We mad some tiny errors during our Sapporo routine which helped expose a technical issue which was hampering the consistency of our execution.

"Our goal is to perform to the best of our ability in Turin and, from there, to go for the best possible result at the world championships (in Montreal in March)."

Hanyu's history bid

In the men's competition, Japan's Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu will bid to become the first skater to win five golds at the GP final.

Hanyu returns to the elite six-skater event after a two-year absence looking to topple US rival Nathan Chen.

Hanyu, who turns 25 this week, won four consecutive Grand Prix Final titles between 2013 and 2016, and a fifth would see him overtake Russian great Yvegeny Plushenko and Irina Slutskaya.

The two-time Olympic champion has been in fine form with two of the highest scores this season and wins at Skate Canada and the NHK Trophy.

Two-time world champion Chen, 20, also has two victories－at Skate America and the French Grand Prix－as he targets back-to-back titles in the Final.

Chinese champion Jin Boyang, a two-time world bronze medalist, s also expected to be in contention for a podium place, but Hanyu has no doubt who is main rival will be.

"I know it will be a fight between Nathan and me," he said.

Chen toppled Hanyu at last year's worlds and has been on a winning streak since finishing fifth at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

'Quad Queen'

In the women's event, Japan's Rika Kihira and US newcomer Bradie Tennell will bid to thwart Russia's Olympic and world champion Alina Zagitova, who wants to reclaim the title she lost last year to 17-year-old Kihira in Vancouver.

Russia's Alena Kostornaia, Alexandra Trusova and Anna Shcherbakova are also a threat in their first senior season, with two wins each in the Grand Prix series.

Trusova－dubbed the "Quad Queen"－has been attempting four quad jumps in her program on her way to wins at Skate Canada and the Cup of Russia.

In ice dancing, four-time world champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France, are on course to reclaim the title after record scores this year.

They missed last year's final through injury, with Americans Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue the defending champs

AFP contributed to this story.

Xu, known as "the Monster", successfully defended his WBA featherweight title for the second time with a unanimous decision against American Manny Robles III last month in California.

The 25-year-old threw an astounding 1,562 punches in the fight－a new featherweight record and the sixth-highest total in all divisions, according to CompuBox stats. His blitz was even more impressive given he didn't seem to tire as the fight went on, throwing (125) and landing (46) the most punches in the 12th and final round.

"I didn't know that I did that. My eyes were hit in round eight, so from then on I could barely see him or focus on anything," said Xu at his M23 Boxing Club in Beijing on Monday.

"I got lost in the panic for about 10 seconds. Then I came back."

Xu did indeed regain his composure, steadily wearing down Robles with quick-fire combinations that invariably ended with sharp hooks to Robles' body－a technique he has learned from famed Cuban coach Pedro Diaz.

"I can feel that Pedro has very strong power inside him," said Xu. "He helped me to become a more confident man, to show who I am in the ring."

This new-found confidence is also aiding Xu's preparations. In the past, he was prone to pushing himself too far in training but now tries to limit the self-torture as much as possible.

Xu called out Britain's IBF titleholder Josh Warrington after the Robles victory as the Chinese brawler looks to level up to the more prestigious 'Super' champion category.

2019 has been a whirlwind year for Xu. He became China's first WBA champion by dethroning Jesus Rojas of Puerto Rico by unanimous decision in Houston, Texas.

In May, Xu retained his belt in his hometown of Fuzhou, Jiangxi province, by seeing off Japan's Shun Kubo via technical knockout. November's defense further enhanced Xu's credentials, with his promoter claiming the boxing world has now really taken notice.

"Xu Can is a real man of steel. He has many valuable qualities that you can find in every top professional athlete," said Lu Xiaolong, CEO of Max Power Promotions.

"Maybe it's how the Chinese professional market runs: you need to prove yourself constantly, then the market will eventually admit you and accept you."

An online application system will be available from Thursday, which coincides with the United Nations' annual International Volunteer Day, and will be open to both domestic and overseas applicants.

Successful candidates will be trained to assist organizers in 12 job categories specifically during the 17-day Olympics as opposed to the build-up to the Games, including international liaison, competition organization, media operation and venue service, in Beijing and co-host Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, according to the organizing committee's human resource department.

It's envisaged that many of the volunteers will also serve at the 10-day Winter Paralympic Games.

Drawing on its experience of hosting the 2008 Summer Games, the 2022 recruitment push will further promote the country's volunteering spirit, said Yan Cheng, human resource director of the 2022 organizing committee.

"With stories of the 2008 Games' volunteers still warming our hearts, we are embracing yet another opportunity with the 2022 Winter Olympics to raise greater awareness of volunteering service in society, which is no doubt inherited from the Olympic legacy," said Yan, who also oversaw work on the 2008 volunteer program.

In 2008, a total of 100,000 volunteers served at competition venues, while an additional 400,000 city volunteers were stationed at major transport hubs, hotels, malls and scenic spots across the capital.

The 2022 volunteers are expected to be mostly comprised of domestic college and high school students, overseas Chinese and international applicants. The entire recruitment process will last one and a half years, with the deadline set for June 30, 2021.

Offline applications will be possible via the organizing committee's partner agencies worldwide, while basic tests and background checks will be conducted before quality assessment and professional training.

The 2022 organizing committee is encouraging retired winter sports athletes to apply for positions involving professional and technical skills at competition venues.

"We welcome anyone who respects and obeys Chinese laws, is enthusiastic about volunteering, and is physically and mentally capable of working in a team to join us for the 2022 Games," said Yan.

A special logo and theme song for will be launched for the volunteer program on Thursday at a grand ceremony staged at western Beijing's Shougang Industrial Park, one of the 2022 venues.

As part of the overall 2022 volunteer program, which was initiated at the 1,000-day countdown to the Games in May, the organizing committee has already recruited 130 people to work at its Shougang headquarters and since October 2018 has assembled 300 amateur skiers to service the slopes at mountain resorts during the Games.

"Hopefully, what we are doing today will leave a great human-resource legacy for urban development, social service and the winter sports sectors in our country beyond 2022 just like the 2008 Games did," said Yan.

Rapinoe was not at the Chatelet Theatre in the French capital, unable to make the trip back to the country where she led the USA to victory in July.

However, Messi was there with his wife, Antonella Roccuzzo, and two of their children. It is Messi's first Ballon d'Or since 2015 and his sixth overall as he moves one ahead of old rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

"It is 10 years since I won my first Ballon d'Or here in Paris and I remember coming here with my three brothers. I was 22 and it was all unthinkable for me what I was going through," Messi said on stage after receiving the award from last year's winner Luka Modric.

"I hope I have several years left to keep enjoying my football. I am aware of the age I have and these moments are all the more enjoyable because the moment when I have to retire is getting closer and that is difficult.

"All going well, I'll have several years left but at the moment time seems to be flying and everything is happening very quickly.

"I hope to keep enjoying my football, my family, facing my rivals and all of this life that I have."

The Barcelona No 10 won this year's prize－organized by France Football magazine and voted for by a panel of journalists from around the world－ahead of Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, with Ronaldo third.

It is the first time since 2010 that Ronaldo has failed to rank in the top two.

Having starred in the Liverpool team that won the Champions League, van Dijk finished second to Messi just as he did in the voting for FIFA's equivalent prize, The Best, in September.

"Unfortunately there are a couple of players like him who are a bit unnatural. Six times Ballon d'Or－you need to respect greatness as well," said van Dijk.

Van Dijk was one of four Liverpool players in the top 10, with Sadio Mane fourth, Mo Salah fifth and Alisson seventh. The latter won a new prize for the goalkeeper of the year, named after former Soviet Union icon Lev Yashin.

Messi has scored 46 goals in 54 matches so far in 2019, and netted 36 times in 34 La Liga matches last season as Barcelona won the Spanish title.

He did not enjoy a successful Copa America with Argentina but was also the top scorer in last season's Champions League with 12 goals.

As if any reminder of his brilliance was required, on Sunday he scored a wonderful late winner for Barcelona against Atletico Madrid.

'Incredible year'

This is just the second year that a women's Ballon d'Or－voted for by 48 journalists－has been awarded, with Rapinoe succeeding Norway's Ada Hegerberg.

Rapinoe was the star of the Women's World Cup both on and off the field, winning the Golden Boot for top scorer, with six goals, and Golden Ball for best player.

She scored the opening goal as the USA beat the Netherlands 2-0 in the final.

But the 34-year-old feminist icon made headlines with her outspoken criticism of US President Donald Trump during the tournament and has led calls for her team to be paid the same as their male counterparts.

"It's been an incredible year," said Rapinoe in a video message.

"I want to say a huge thank-you to my teammates, the coaches, the US Soccer Federation, for all of the support to allow me to be who I am and do what I do on the field but also be the person who I am off the field."

Rapinoe was one of four members of the US side that lifted the World Cup to be nominated for the prize, along with Tobin Heath, Rose Lavelle and Alex Morgan, who finished third on Monday. England's Lucy Bronze came second.

Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt, the ex-Ajax star now at Juventus, succeeded Kylian Mbappe as the winner of the Kopa Trophy for the best player aged under 21.

Zhou, Franklin scoop November CBA awards

Zhou Qi and Jamaal Franklin have been named the CBA's players of the month for November.

Zhou was honored among domestic players with an average of 22.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.5 blocks as the Team China international led the Xinjiang Flying Tigers to a 10-2 record, the second-best in the league.

Franklin scooped the best foreign player prize after averaging 31.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 10 assists and 2.1 steals with the Shanxi Brave Dragons.

"I'm excited about winning the player of the month, but I'm more excited about our team playing well right now. We've got to be a team taking one game at a time and staying together. We are nobody from nowhere. Just stay together," Franklin said in a video message.

SNOOKER

Trump toppled by Bond at UK Championship

World No 1 Judd Trump crashed out of the UK Championship in York on Monday, losing 6-3 to fellow Englishman Nigel Bond in the last 16.

It looked like Trump would cruise to victory after easing into a 3-1 lead, however the reigning world champion suddenly lost momentum as veteran Bond reeled off the next five frames for victory.

"I "m really happy with the way I played. It was great to score well today," said the 54-year-old Bond, who spends more time coaching than competing nowadays.

"Coaching is a good distraction for me. I cannot practice seven or eight hours a day. I'm too old for that," said Bond, who is ranked 98th in the world.

China's Li Hang was in hot potting form, racking up two breaks of 131 en route to a 6-4 triumph over Marco Fu. Stuart Bingham ousted China's Zhao Xintong 6-1 while John Higgins saw off Ian Burns with the same scoreline.

BADMINTON

Momota, Chen the top seeds at Tour Finals

Kento Momota of Japan and Chen Yufei of China will be the top seeds at this month's BWF World Tour Finals in Guangzhou.

The top eight-ranked players in each category, will do battle at the $1.5 million season-ending tournament, which begins on Dec 11.

Reigning world champion Momota will be seeking his second Finals title after lifting the trophy in Dubai four years ago, with China's Chen Long seeded fourth.

World No 1 Chen is the player to beat in the women's draw, which features defending champion PV Sindhu of India.

China's Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen will defend their men's doubles crown as fifth seeds, while their teammates Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping will go for mixed doubles glory. In the women's doubles, China's Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan will defend their newly gained world No 1 ranking in front of the home fans.

SOCCER

Spurs star Son wins third Asian accolade

South Korean Son Heung-min was named the AFC's Asian International Player of the Year for the third time in Hong Kong on Monday.

The Tottenham striker, who was also awarded the accolade in 2015 and 2017, has been a shining light for his club again this year.

The 27-year-old scored 12 goals and provided six assists as Tottenham finished fourth in the Premier League last term and reached the Champions League final in Madrid, where Spurs lost to Liverpool.

Qatari forward Akram Hassan Afif, who plays for Al Sadd on loan from Spanish club Villarreal, and Lyon's Japanese midfielder Saki Kumagai, who fended off competition form China's Li Ying, won the AFC men's and women's Player of the Year awards, respectively.

TENNIS

Federer on the money with Swiss coin honor

Roger Federer is to become the first living Swiss to have a coin minted in their honor, with a commemorative 20 franc ($20.02) silver piece bearing his image being issued in January.

Swissmint confirmed that 55,000 of the coins, featuring Federer delivering a backhand, will be produced and are now available for pre-order until Dec 19.

"Roger Federer's sporting achievements, his charitable commitments, his easygoing nature and his accessibility to his fans have prompted Swissmint to dedicate this 20-franc silver coin to him－the first time it has done so with a living person," said a Swissmint spokesperson.

"Thank you Switzerland and Swissmint for this incredible honor and privilege," Federer wrote on Twitter.

Ex-Olympic champion jailed for sexual abuse

Austrian judoka and two-time Olympic champion Peter Seisenbacher was sentenced to five years in prison for the sexual abuse of minors and the abuse of his authority in Vienna on Monday.

Seisenbacher, 59, showed no reaction to the ruling, although his fans and associates from the Austrian judo scene were visibly stunned by the verdict. In his ruling, judge Christoph Bauer explained that the witnesses for the prosecution had all made "a very credible impression".

The abuse took place in Vienna between 1999 and 2004. The women filed charges in 2013 but Seisenbacher had fled the country before the first trial date on Dec 19, 2016. He was captured on the Ukrainian-Polish border earlier this year.

The two-time Olympic champion had written Austrian sports history by winning consecutive gold medals at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and in Seoul in 1988.

The 24-year-old is part of the Ernie Els-captained International Team bidding to interrupt American dominance of the biennial event by beating the Tiger Woods-led United States Team in Australia from Dec 9-15.

Li is raring to showcase Chinese golf to the world at Royal Melbourne－the scene of the Internationals' solitary Presidents Cup victory in 1998－and is also dreaming of the day his own country might be host. Since the event began in 1994, South Korea remains the only Asian nation to stage the tournament, in 2015.

"As Chinese golfers, it is our responsibility and obligation to promote Chinese golf to the world and I'm proud to be one of them. I think we should try hard with better performances to show Chinese golf," said Li.

"I think such events will help promote Chinese golf a lot. I'm looking forward to having the Presidents Cup in China one day. Chinese golf should be impacted positively."

A two-time European Tour winner, Li qualified automatically as one of the top eight players for Els' 12-man squad and is determined to produce a memorable debut.

"Everyone in the team must play as best as we can. Then we may have a chance to win. It definitely means a lot to me to be on this team," said Li.

"I was quite close to being on the team in the last edition. I feel I put in a lot of effort to get into this team. I just want to go there and show my golf to the world."

Li initially shot to prominence by winning the inaugural PGA Tour Series-China order of merit title in 2014 and has since blossomed into a leading international star, ranked 64th in the world.

One of his most memorable triumphs came at the 2018 Dubai Desert Classic, where he defeated four-time major champion Rory McIlroy with a final-hole birdie after battling head-to-head in the closing round.

The Presidents Cup is a matchplay event, and Li is certainly no slouch in that format either.

Earlier this year, the tenacious Chinese overcame Ryder Cup star Alex Noren and world No 1 Brooks Koepka to reach the knockout phase of the World Golf Championships Match Play in Austin, Texas. Representing Asia at the 2018 Eur-Asia Cup in Malaysia, Li was unbeaten in three matches, owning a 2-0-1 record.

Li has forged a close friendship with South African legend Els, whom he played with in the final round of the 2017 British Open at Royal Birkdale, where the then-unheralded Chinese announced himself to the world by closing with a final-round 63 to finish third－his best result to date in a major.

"Ernie is a very special person to me personally. He has a lot of experience and I can learn a lot of great things from him. It's my honor to be part of his team," said Li.

"Hopefully I can get some points, especially against Tiger and the best golfers in the world. I'm very excited to get there. To be fair, our team is not as strong as the US Team. So we just want to play our best and hopefully beat them."

With CT Pan of Chinese Taipei also making his debut for the Internationals, there is every likelihood that Li and Pan will be paired by Els in either the four-ball or foursome sessions.

Li is looking forward to returning to Melbourne where he received plenty of local support when China finished joint second at the ISPS Handa World Cup of Golf in 2016.

"I have talked a lot with CT during tournaments. It would be great (to play together)," he said. "I've been there a couple of times and I just want to be back again. It will be incredible for sure and the people will support us."

Charity

The Presidents Cup is a unique golf event in that there is no purse or prize money. Players are not paid for their participation, but each competitor allocates an equal portion of the funds generated to charities of his choice.

Since the event's inception, more than $49.1 million has been raised for charity from event proceeds, as well as contributions made on behalf of the tournament, including a record donation of $10.7 million from the 2017 event alone.

To purchase tickets to the Presidents Cup or learn more about travel packages, please visit PresidentsCup.com.

Ronaldo was at the Gran Gala del Calcio in Milan to collect his prize, instead of attending the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris where he was third in the voting for best player in the world.

The Juventus forward turned up about an hour before the main award was announced, arriving more than two hours after the other guests, and waited outside in the car until the moment came for him to go on stage to pick up the prize for his place in the team of the season.

"It's an honor to hold this award," Ronaldo said in Italian. "I thank my Juventus teammates.

"I'm very happy to play in Italy, it's a very difficult league. Thanks to everyone for having voted for me. I want to do as well this year, too."

For the first time at the Italian ceremony there were also awards for female players. Roma and Italy forward Manuela Giugliano won the top prize.

All the awards are voted for by a mix of players, coaches, referees and journalists.

Ronaldo signed for Juventus from Real Madrid in July 2018 and helped the Bianconeri to their eighth successive Serie A title.

The 34-year-old scored 28 goals in all competitions for Juve, including 21 in the league.

Gian Piero Gasperini won the award for best coach after leading Atalanta to third place and a Champions League berth.

Bergamo-based Atalanta was the team of the season, ahead of Juventus and Italian Cup winner Lazio.

"This award I share with the whole club, all the players, the whole of Bergamo because we did something really amazing, all of us together," Gasperini said.

Gasperini beat former Juventus coach Max Allegri and Bologna boss Sinisa Mihajlovic.

The Swiss attorney general's office (OAG) described the interrogations as "final examination hearings" in the criminal investigations opened in March 2017.

Al-Khelaifi, who is also the boss of Qatari television channel BeIN Sports, is suspected of giving inappropriate gifts to Valcke－including rent-free access to a luxury property－in order to secure broadcast rights to prestigious events, including the World Cup.

Valcke, formerly ex-FIFA boss Sepp Blatter's right-hand man, is suspected of awarding those rights in exchange for bribes.

A third, unnamed suspect in the case－described by Swiss prosecutors as "a businessman in the sports rights sector"－is also accused of paying bribes to secure broadcast rights.

"All three suspects complied with the OAG's invitation to appear in person," the statement said.

It added that it was not yet clear whether formal indictments would be filed against any of the suspects or whether the cases would be abandoned.

In a statement, BeIN said the accusation that Al-Khelaifi had secured a favorable deal for the TV rights in the Middle East and North Africa for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups "has no single basis in law or fact".

"For this reason a motion to dismiss proceedings will be filed by Mr Al-Khelaifi's lawyers this week," the statement added.

Valcke's lawyer said the former FIFA official denies the accusations.

Al-Khelaifi was separately charged in May by French prosecutors in connection with Doha's candidacy to stage the World Athletics Championships.

French prosecutors are looking specifically at two payments of $3.5 million (3.18 million euros) in 2011 by Oryx Qatar Sports Investment, a company run by Nasser's brother Khalid Al-Khelaifi, to a sports marketing firm run by Papa Massata Diack.

Diack's father, Lamine, was president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (now known as World Athletics) from 1999 to 2015 and a member of the International Olympic Committee.

Valcke, who worked with Blatter from 2003-2015, has been banned from soccer for 10 years for failing to cooperate with investigators, the resale of World Cup tickets and inflated expenses.

In just two months' time, the resort, nestling in forest at over 1,200 meters above sea level, will make its debut by hosting an International Ski Federation (FIS) Alpine Ski World Cup meet from Feb 15-16. Crucially, the event will serve as an early test run for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

The venue, China's first Olympic-standard Alpine resort boasting a vertical drop of 900 meters, will have seven ski runs measuring 10 kilometers in total by 2022, providing tracks for 11 disciplines－including downhill, giant slalom and Super G－which have never before been staged in China.

A massive development operation, which has mobilized 117 snow-making machines and 19 snowcats (or snow groomers), progresses day and night. Organizers estimate that 260,000 cubic meters of man-made snow will have been produced by the end of this month, with track grooming to commence early next year.

"The preparatory work for the World Cup event is well underway and will be completed ahead of time for pre-race tests and installation of ancillary facilities in January," said Liu Qianxun, secretary-general of venue operation of the World Cup event's local organizing committee.

"To prepare for an Alpine ski race at World Cup level, which has never been done before in our country, provides a steep learning curve for all of us to understand the complexity of work organizing such a highly technical event," said Liu, who is also an official with the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics organizing committee.

The Yanqing leg of the FIS World Cup series, the first of 15 official test events for the 2022 Games, has attracted 111 skiers from 19 countries to compete in men's downhill and Super G.

One of the fastest Winter Olympic events, Alpine skiers can reach speeds of up to 140 kph on hair-raising courses with gradients as steep as 70 degrees.

Still a novice in the Western-dominated event, no Chinese skiers have qualified for the World Cup meet, but the host is hopeful the new Yanqing center can be a breeding ground for new talent.

"After the Cup meet, the center will help our own athletes improve their skills and boost their resolve through training runs on the Olympic slopes," said Liu.

As one of three venue zones for the 2022 Games, the mountain cluster in Yanqing will be linked to downtown Beijing and co-host city Zhangjiakou in Hebei province via a new high-speed railway, which is scheduled to open in a month.

Generally speaking, progress has been smooth in Yanqing, but the sophisticated nature of Alpine course preparation has meant organizers have had to lean on an experienced team of 85 foreign experts, led by Russian Nikolay Belokrinkin, who are working on site in areas ranging from snow-making to in-competition course maintenance.

Li Junjie, a local snowcat operator who participated in a 15-day training program in New Zealand in August, said the foreign expertise is invaluable.

"They helped shed light on the complexity of the job," said the 35-year-old, who has previously worked at Thaiwoo Ski Resort in Zhangjiakou.

"Despite the lack of natural snowfall in Yanqing, the Alpine courses require the use of densely packed artificial snow that can generate equal levels of speed and consistency for each skier. We had no clue about this before."

The 2022 organizing committee is also testing new cableways, training 286 domestic technical officials and installing ancillary facilities such as hillside medical stations, broadcasting blocks and mixed interview zones.

Owner Beijing Enterprises Group (BG) envisages that the new Alpine center will develop into a major sports and tourism hub beyond 2022.

According to the district government, 49 start-up companies operating in sectors such as winter sports training, equipment manufacturing and tourism had moved into a new industrial park in Yanqing by early November, while over 10,000 beds at hotels and homestays will accommodate visitors leading up to 2022.

The district now has six primary and middle schools recognized as "national level" pilot institutions offering compulsory physical education classes in winter sports, and since 2014 has organized a junior skiing program that trains up to 3,000 students annually at two resorts.

Fan fends off teen Tomokazu for treble

World No 1 Fan Zhendong is relishing being the man to beat in table tennis after snubbing out the challenge of Japanese upstart Harimoto Tomokazu to win his third ITTF World Cup title in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on Sunday.

Fan prevailed 4-2 (9-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-8, 11-2, 11-7) against the 16-year-old and admitted roles had been reversed since he first won the prestigious tournament－considered one of the sport's top three events along with the Olympics and world championships－in 2016.

"It has been quite different from my first World Cup victory," said Fan, who was also crowned champion in 2018.

"I realize that the situation has changed in the past three years. I'm no longer the surprise figure for the world's veterans but the one to target for the younger generation.

"With more eyes on me, I must be humble, stay focused and play more impressive table tennis."

GYMNASTICS

Gao bounces into the trampoline record book

China's Gao Lei claimed a historic fourth straight men's individual title at the FIG Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in Tokyo on Sunday.

The 27-year-old Rio Olympic bronze medalist defended his title with a high-difficulty routine, scoring 61.705 points to edge Belarusian 18-year-old Ivan Litvinovich by 0.185.

The victory means Gao is the first man to win four men's trampoline world titles in succession.

"When I climb on a trampoline I feel very calm. I didn't used to but now I feel very confident," he said.

China also pocketed a bronze medal in the team all-around final with a total of 24 points, with Russia grabbing gold and the United States claiming silver.

SPEED SKATING

China bags World Cup relay gold in Japan

China had to wait until the final medal race of the weekend to win gold at the ISU World Cup Short-Track Speed Skating meet in Nagoya, Japan.

China finally clinched victory in the 5,000m relay, with South Korea second and Russia third.

Earlier, Han Yutong won bronze in the women's 1,500m (division 2), with Dutch star Suzanne Schulting topping the podium and Canadian Lee Sarault taking silver.

A winner of the men's 1,000m on Saturday, South Korea's Park Ji-won earned another gold by winning the men's 1,500m (division 2) on Sunday ahead of second-place compatriot Lee June-seo and Japan's Ibuki Hayashi in third.

Canada's Kim Boutin led from start to finish in the women's 500m final to win her third straight World Cup title over the distance this season.

Italy's Arianna Fontana was second, with South Korea's Kim Ji-yoo third.

NFL

Watson wows as Texans trump Brady's Patriots

Deshaun Watson has long admired Tom Brady for his talent and resilience.

Watson beat Brady on Sunday night by not only throwing touchdown passes, but by catching one, too. "I told them I'm an athlete... the more you can do, the longer you play in this league," Watson said. "So I can do it all."

Watson threw three touchdown passes and had the first TD reception of his career as the Houston Texans frustrated Brady in a 28-22 victory over the New England Patriots.

Texans coach and former Patriots assistant Bill O'Brien got his first win in six tries against New England coach Bill Belichick. It was Houston's second win over the Patriots and first since Jan 3, 2010.

Justin Tucker booted a 49-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Baltimore Ravens to an eighth straight NFL victory on Sunday, 20-17 over the San Francisco 49ers.

The former world No 1 feels a close connection to the tournament, having made a name for herself at the 2006 edition as a precocious 17-year-old amateur, when she stunned the field to tie for 11th.

"Years ago, the Women's China Open was once the highest-level event that I had ever played in. The platform allowed me to play with domestic and international professional players. It was a great chance for me as a teenager to learn from the best," said Feng, who now has 10 LPGA titles, including one major, to her name.

"I'd come back every year to play and support this tournament if I could. In the past, that hasn't been possible due to my tight schedule, but this year I finally got the chance to return and compete."

Feng, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, looks to be enjoying her golf again after claiming her first LPGA Tour victory in nearly two years at July's Thornberry Creek Classic in Oneida, Wisconsin.

Feng admitted that triumph was a much-needed morale booster.

"Last season my ranking went from No 1 to like, I don't know, 30s maybe. Then I just couldn't stop it from going down," said the 30-year-old world No 22.

"I was missing the cuts at the majors, and of course that's going to hurt rankings. But what I was always thinking was I just need to get my ball striking back, because my putting wasn't that bad. My ball striking was just a little bit lost, a little off."

Chinese Olympian Lin Xiyu, who competed at the 2016 Rio Games, will again be hoping to scale the heights on the Oriental Xiamen leaderboard after her third-place finish at last year's tournament on the same course, while CLPGA order of merit leader Zhang Weiwei will bid to add to her impressive list of five victories this season.

And just as a teenage Feng did, plenty of young guns are hoping to upstage the established stars this weekend. One of those is 20-year-old Sui Xiang.

"I feel so lucky to have competed in the Women's China Open at such a young age and I feel lucky to have been able to stick with golf till now," said Sui, who played in the 2014 tournament when she was just 15.

"Every time that I compete I can pinpoint my weaknesses and things that I need to improve upon. I hope that I can develop quicker and win the first championship of my career as soon as possible.

"I didn't understand too much back then when I wasn't as mature. I was so nervous playing with the professionals, but I feel privileged to have had that experience."

One player disappointed not to be on the fairways in Xiamen this week is China's No 2, Liu Yu.

She too has fond memories of the tournament and feels she owes it a debt of gratitude.

"The Women's China Open has always been an important tournament in my professional career and I was so honored to participate in such a high-level event when I was 14 years old," said world No 35 Liu, who along with Feng is only one of two Chinese female golfers ranked in the top 50.

"In 2009, I qualified for the tournament at the first attempt. Although I ultimately finished down the field, the experience of playing in the tournament has always been a great memory for me."

Also absent due to a tight schedule, is rising star Shi Yuting, who amazingly made her China Open debut as an 11-year-old in 2011.

Shi's connection with the Orient Xiamen club goes a lot deeper than merely her past results and performances on the course.

"The experience of competing at the Women's China Open widened my horizon and helped me gain a new and a more comprehensive understanding of golf," said Shi.

"I've competed at the tournament on eight occasions－each year at the same golf club, so I'm familiar with the environment and the people who work there.

"It feels like every time I return there I'm meeting with family. It's so warm!"

One weekend after finishing 1.78 seconds ahead of her opponents in Finland, Shiffrin was a massive 2.29 seconds clear of her biggest rival, Petra Vlhova, in the United States on Sunday.

Shiffrin's success for a fourth straight year at Killington was the 62nd World Cup win of her career, which tied her for second on the all-time women's list.

The 24-year-old American drew level with Annemarie Moser-Proell, the Austrian downhill great of the 1970s, and now trails only Lindsey Vonn's 82 wins.

"The records keep going, don't they?" Shiffrin said, laughing. "We're just doing the best we can every day. When it pays off and it shows in these kinds of records and making history like that, it is special for sure."

Shiffrin took a 1.13-second first-run lead over Vlhova and more than doubled it second time down a windswept Super Star course in temperatures of minus-6 Celsius.

Anna Swenn Larsson was third, trailing 2.73 behind Shiffrin. No other skier was within three seconds of Shiffrin.

The time gap was almost unthinkable for any other modern racer to set but was short of Shiffrin's record World Cup slalom margin.

She won by 3.07 seconds four years ago also on American snow, at Aspen.

For comparison, in the only traditional slalom Shiffrin failed to win last season, she was runner-up to Vlhova by just 0.15 at Flachau, Austria. Vlhova called that "my best day ever."

Shiffrin stood calmly in the Killington finish area to check the leaderboard, waved to a noisy crowd and gestured as though she had been close to the limits of staying on the course.

"I was really fighting," she acknowledged. "I really didn't think it was going to be fast. I do fight because it, I don't know, feels more sweet to come to the finish like that."

Shiffrin's record-extending 42nd win in World Cup slaloms, for men or women, followed a familiar path.

Vlhova was runner-up to Shiffrin in six World Cup events last season, and Swenn Larsson took silver when Shiffrin won her fourth straight slalom title at February's world championships.

Wendy Holdener was the distant runner-up to Shiffrin last weekend at Levi, Finland, and sat third after the morning run on Sunday.

However, the Swiss racer's challenge in the afternoon lasted just seconds before her skis straddled the second gate.

Shiffrin's maximum 200 points from the first two slalom races this season has created a 192-point lead already in the overall standings for the three-time defending champion.

Second place is held by Michele Gisin of Switzerland, who placed ninth on Sunday, 4.28 seconds behind Shiffrin.

The World Cup circuit moves on for three speed races next weekend at Lake Louise in Canada where Shiffrin got her only career downhill win two years ago.

The Italian won the first major honor of his managerial career by leading Guangzhou Evergrande to a record-extending eighth Chinese Super League title, killing off second-place Beijing Guo'an's slim hopes by two points.

A 3-0 victory at home to Shanghai Shenhua got the party started inside a jubilant Tianhe Stadium－scenes which would have been hard to imagine in October when Cannavaro was temporarily relieved of his coaching duties to attend "a corporate culture class" amid an alarming slump in Evergrande's form.

Now, Cannavaro's job is looking a lot more secure, with the 2006 World Cup winner even entertaining the idea of seeing out the remaining three years on his Guangzhou contract.

"Why not? I have a contract till 2022. There are three more seasons to go," Cannavaro was quoted by Tencent Sports.

"I hope others can say, 'Cannavaro is trying hard to improve himself.' This team will always be with me. This year we used four different tactical systems, to handle all sorts of emergencies and we played at a very high intensity.

"In China, I won the second-tier title with Tianjin. In my second year, I steered the team to a place in the AFC Champions League. Now I've won the CSL title with Guangzhou. Basically, I've always been happy. I will stay with Evergrande for three more seasons."

The former Juventus and Real Madrid defender, however, can't have been so pleased when an Evergrande mini-slump almost cost him his job.

Confusion abounded in late October when, after a 2-2 draw with Henan Jianye, club bosses ordered Cannavaro to "attend a study class on Evergrande's corporate culture", with captain Zheng Zhi appointed interim head coach.

Cannavaro was then restored to the job after a period of "deep reflection and profound self-examination", according to an Evergrande statement.

"It sounds a little bit drastic, but in Chinese companies this is a usual management method for high-ranking positions," said Cannavaro. "I talked with the boss and the problems were solved. The players were good, and they had no excuse. They were also not affected by my hiatus and became even more determined. We won the last three games of the season."

Evergrande has dominated Chinese soccer over the last decade, winning eight CSL titles since 2011.

This year's victory, however, is the first major trophy of Cannavaro's coaching career, with his compatriot and former Team China and Evergrande coach Marcello Lippi among the first to congratulate the 46-year-old.

"Although Fabio faced difficulties at the end of the CSL season, I'm still happy for him," said Lippi, according to Tencent Sports. "He brought his value to his team. Praise him!"

Aside from wresting the title back from Shanghai SIPG, one of Cannavaro's biggest tasks this season was to build a younger team as Evergrande looks to lay strong foundations for a more sustainable future.

"Our priority is to help nurture more young Chinese players," said Cannavaro. "When you face difficult situations, you will be questioned. So, for us, the goal is to win whatever we could win.

"You even can't imagine these situations. We have many young players and we also have a veteran (Zheng Zhi) who's nearly 40 years old. At one stage, we had nine players sidelined with injuries, and we can only have two foreign players on the pitch at the same time. But my boys and I made it here. We called it a 'Youth Storm' and we finished the impossible."

Among all Evergrande's young stars, Wei Shihao, who scored the first goal on Sunday, is perhaps the most promising.

"This is my first championship title since joining Evergrande and the first league title of my life, so I'm very happy," said the 24-yearold.

Earlier in his career, Wei had garnered reputation for recklessness and being something of a hot head on the pitch. However, the youngster has matured under Cannavaro's guidance and now looks to have a very bright future ahead of him.

"I really want to thank my head coach," said Wei, who finished the season as the CSL's top domestic scorer with 11 goals.

"He led our young players to achieve what he wanted. I missed some matches this year, so I believe I can play better next season. All my teammates helped me to score."

Wei later wrote on social media: "This was truly a hard year. I was questioned and faced all the pressure. I made it through. Thanks everyone."

Evergrande stalwart Zheng hinted this could be his last season in Guangzhou's red, saying:

"Winning all these titles with a team like Evergrande is a big source of pride for me," said the 39-year-old. "We experienced a lot this year and we have many young players this season. We still need to cooperate better and everyone has to remain united.

"My professional career is nearing its end, so I enjoy the process of each season. It's an honor to help the team win all these trophies."

Chinese boarders dominate in Chongli

China bagged three gold medals at the FIS Snowboard Parallel Asian Cup meet which concluded at Taiwoo Ski Resort in Chongli, Hebei province, on Saturday.

Olympian Gong Naiying defeated her Chinese teammate Zang Ruxin to claim the women's parallel slalom title, while Kan Binbin overcame Yu Yunhan for bronze as the host completed a sweep of the podium places.

Chinese boarders also dominated the men's parallel slalom, with Sun Huan defeating defending champion Bi Ye in the final, and Zhang Xuan coming out on top in the third-place contest.

In Friday's women's parallel giant slalom event, the 25-year-old Zang, who competed at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, held off Jeong Hae-rim of South Korea to grab gold. China's Dong Xue defeated countrywoman Xu Xiaoxiao to take bronze.

The only event the host failed to win was the men's parallel giant slalom, with South Korean Lee Sang-ho overcoming China's Sun Huan for gold. Bronze went to Bi after he out-dueled South Korea's Choi Bo-gun.

Dressen stuns rivals in downhill comeback

In a stunning return from serious injury, Thomas Dressen won a World Cup downhill race in his comeback meet at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada on Saturday.

Dressen returned to action exactly one year to the day after he blew out his right knee and dislocated a shoulder crashing at Beaver Creek, Colorado.

The German was just 0.02 seconds faster than Dominik Paris of Italy, who looked sure to extend his World Cup downhill winning streak to four, stretching back to January.

"It is just crazy," said Dressen, adding he still feels pain walking up and down stairs. "Even top 10, top 15 would have been great for me, a great result."

Paris had earlier denied what shaped as a fairytale win for the Switzerland team, finishing 0.24 faster than Beat Feuz and Carlo Janka. They tied for the early lead and shared third place.

SPORT CLIMBING

China's Song secures Tokyo 2020 ticket

China's Song Yiling narrowly missed out on a place in the women's final at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) Combined Qualifier in Tournefeuille, France, but still secured a ticket to next year's Tokyo Olympics.

Japan's Ai Mori led the overall standings, advancing to the eightwoman final along with compatriot Futaba Ito, who finished fifth.

But the Japanese duo automatically qualify for the 2020 Games as part of the host's team, while second-place Slovenian Lucka Rakovec had earlier sealed his Tokyo ticket at the world championships.

Therefore, as a ninth-place finisher, Song was among the five additional climbers to qualify for Tokyo at the French meet. Russia's Iuliaa Kaplina topped the women's speed qualification, clocking 7.370 seconds, with Song second at 7.421.

BASKETBALL

CBA victories for Shenzhen, Zhejiang

Lester Hudson contributed a game-high 34 points and 12 assists as the Shandong Heroes thrashed the visiting Shanghai Sharks 119-85 on Saturday to snap their two-game CBA skid.

The host led 36-15 in the first quarter before Hudson and Li Jingyu combined for 27 points to put Shandong up 55-41 at halftime.

Six Shandong players registered double-digit tallies, with the Heroes totaling 13 3-pointers compared to Shanghai's five. Lithuanian Donatas Motiejunas registered a team-high 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Sharks.

Elsewhere, the Shenzhen Aviators cruised past the Zhejiang Lions 113-97 thanks to a game-high 26 points from Gu Quan. Shandong was 12-of-28 from the 3-point line.

SOCCER

China's FIFA ranking slides after Syria loss

Team China has dropped six places to 75th in the latest FIFA rankings, which were released on Thursday.

China, whose Italian head coach Marcello Lippi resigned following a 2-1 World Cup qualifying defeat to Syria in Dubai last month, remains the ninth-ranked team in Asia-Oceania.

Japan (28) leapfrogged Iran (33) to become the top-ranked Asia-Oceania team. South Korea is third (41) in the region, followed by Australia (42), Qatar (55) and Saudi Arabia (67).

The top five positions remain unchanged, with Belgium holding onto top spot, followed by France and Brazil. England is fourth, one place ahead of Uruguay.

Southgate: Croatia will not fear Wembley trip

England manager Gareth Southgate scoffed at suggestions Croatia will be afraid of playing his team at Wembley in their opening game at Euro 2020 after they were drawn together in the same group on Saturday.

England and Croatia will face off at Wembley on June 14 in Group D, which will also include the Czech Republic and a playoff winner.

Croatia beat England 2-1 in last year's World Cup semifinal before the Three Lions beat the Balkan side 2-1 at home in the Nations League and drew 0-0 away.

After being told Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic had said he feared opening his side's campaign in London, Southgate responded: "I think he's been tactically economical with the truth there.

"We have had three really good games, really tight games with them, with very little between the teams all three times."

 

 

 

 

]]> 2019-12-02 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-12/02/content_37526979.htm Megan Rapinoe will complete an unprecedented clean sweep of honors on Monday night if the trailblazing World Cup star and feminist icon adds the Women's Ballon d'Or to her collection of accolades.

The 34-year-old striker was the star of this year's Women's World Cup, scoring six goals as the United States successfully defended the title won in 2015.

Rapinoe's tournament goals tally earned her the Golden Boot for top scorer while she was also awarded the Golden Ball for the tournament's best player.

Rapinoe picked up FIFA's Best Women's Player award in September, and is now the favorite for what is only the second edition of the Ballon d'Or Feminin, won by Norway's Ada Hegerberg in 2018.

Victory in Paris would crown a remarkable year for Rapinoe which has seen her enhance her reputation as a warrior both on and off the pitch.

Her performances at the World Cup were a critical part of the United States' title defense, most notably a two-goal display in a 2-1 victory over host France in the quarterfinals.

But Rapinoe has garnered almost as much attention in 2019 for her unflinching advocacy of social justice off the field.

That readiness to speak her mind famously brought her into conflict with US President Donald Trump during the World Cup in June.

Rapinoe had provoked Trump's ire in comments made several months before the tournament when she stated bluntly that she would not attend a White House reception for the US team if it brought home the World Cup.

"I am a big fan of the American Team, and Women's Soccer," Trump wrote on Twitter. "But Megan should WIN first before she TALKS! Finish the job!"

Rapinoe did indeed go on to finish the job several days later, scoring the opening goal in a 2-0 defeat of the Netherlands in the final in Lyon to seal back-to-back World Cup triumphs.

Calls for unity

Since then, Rapinoe has happily kept on talking.

At a victory parade in New York in July, Rapinoe, who is gay, saluted the diversity of the all-conquering US team while calling for unity.

"We have to be better," Rapinoe told a cheering crowd of thousands. "We have to love more, hate less. We got to listen more and talk less.

"We got to know that this is everybody's responsibility. Every single person here, every single person who's not here, every single person who doesn't want to be here. Every single person who agrees and doesn't agree. It's our responsibility to make this world a better place."

Rapinoe returned to that theme at an awards ceremony earlier this month, when she was honored as one of Glamour magazine's "Women of the Year".

Rapinoe used the event to draw attention to the plight of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Kaepernick ignited controversy in 2016 after kneeling during the US national anthem in a protest against racial injustice.

Rapinoe was one of the first athletes to kneel in solidarity with Kaepernick, who has effectively been frozen out of the league since his season of protest.

Rapinoe said Kaepernick's plight made her determined to continue her fight for social justice and equality.

"It would be a slap in the face to Colin, and to so many other faces, not to acknowledge, and for me personally, to work relentlessly to dismantle that system that benefits some over the detriment of others, and frankly is quite literally tearing us apart in this country," she said.

Back in the sporting arena, Rapinoe has eased her way back into the fray.

Exhaustion and a sore Achilles left her sidelined until September, when she returned to play for Seattle's Reign FC in the National Women's Soccer League.

Rapinoe returned to the US team for two October friendlies against South Korea, and is expected to be a key member of the US squad for next year's Olympics, where she will be chasing a second gold medal.

 

 

 

]]> 2019-12-02 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-12/02/content_37526939.htm For a fighter on the comeback trail, going the distance to secure a win is often better than scoring a quick knockout.

Such was the case for Chinese heavyweight Zhang Zhilei on Saturday night in Monaco, where the 6-foot-6 southpaw from Zhoukou, Henan province, took the full 10 rounds to pound out a lopsided unanimous decision over Ukraine's Andriy Rudenko to retain the WBO Oriental title.

The 36-year-old Zhang, aka 'The Big Bang' improved to 21-0 by scores of 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93 against the durable Rudenko (32-5), who has never been stopped.

Fighting for the first time in 14 months, Zhang was cool as a cucumber in the early rounds, adroitly moving in and out of the pocket to repeatedly land left-hand power shots to the body while negating Rudenko's efforts to close the gap.

Zhang's relentless aggression kept Rudenko on his back foot for the first half of the fight, and in the fifth round the Ukrainian was sent reeling into the ropes when Zhang capped a nine-punch flurry with a solid right hook to the temple.

Going into this fight, Zhang, who won the silver medal for China at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and lost a split decision to future world champion Anthony Joshua at the 2012 London Games, had banked just 55 rounds since turning pro in 2014 and had never been past round six in any of his bouts.

He remained out of the ring for so long due in large part to visa issues that kept him from re-entering the US for nearly a year.

Zhang lives in northern New Jersey when he's preparing for fights, and in August he finally reconnected with veteran trainer Shaun George at True Warriors Boxing in Paterson, New Jersey.

"It was awful," Zhang told boxingscene.com of his time out of the ring. "I was frustrated and depressed. There were days I felt like my boxing career would come to an end. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what my goals were. That's how frustrated I was.

"As soon as I got the notification that my US visa was approved, my family told me I looked like a totally different person on that very day. My eyes looked like those of a warrior ready to go into battle. As soon as I returned to the US, I just trained like crazy."

While some degree of ring rust was obvious when Zhang started breathing through his mouth in round seven, he still had enough fuel left in his tank to make Rudenko pay for every mistake.

The Ukrainian was backed up by a straight left to the jaw midway through the ninth, and 70 seconds into the final round Zhang wobbled him again with a crushing right hook but couldn't deliver the finish.

The 36-year-old Rudenko took this fight on barely one week's notice after Russia's Sergey Kuzmin (15-1) was forced to pull out after sustaining a foot injury during training.

While Saturday's result will go a long way toward reestablishing Zhang as a viable challenger for any of the division's multiple champions, it also underlined his need for better conditioning and more willingness to let his hand speed match his fleet feet.

On several occasions, Zhang's quick lateral movement put him in position to blast through Rudenko's lazy counters and do some serious damage, but he just wouldn't let his hands go. Not an insurmountable problem, but one that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

"I don't know what people will say about me after this fight," said Zhang, who is co-promoted by Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports and Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing.

"That's not something I can control. But I would like to have people say, 'Wow! This Chinese dude can really fight!' I want to impress them."

 

 

 

]]> 2019-12-02 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-12/02/content_37526961.htm Coach Cesar Ruperez Garcia insists Shanxi is still "a long way" off becoming a championship team despite the Flame's excellent start to the season.

The Spaniard, who won three WCBA titles with the club from 2012-2015 as assistant coach, has returned for a second stint with the Taiyuan-based team, and results so far have been impressive. Saturday's 94-84 triumph over Zhejiang kept Shanxi perfect after four WCBA games, along with Beijing and Guangdong.

However, in an interview with Xinhua last week, Garcia cautioned that rediscovering Shanxi's glory days will not be straightforward.

"We cannot take shortcuts. We need to go step by step," Garcia said on Wednesday.

"Everybody expects to win the championship, especially after the amazing seasons we had four years ago. But inside the team, we are not very focused on the championship. It's a long way to get there.

"We spent four amazing seasons here, and in three of them we won the WCBA championship. So we have great memories and have kept in touch almost every year with the club's owner. I spent a great time here. It's a great place to be a basketball coach."

Shanxi's current roster is a much younger bunch than the last title-winning squad four years ago.

"We have a young team, especially in the perimeter positions, where almost everybody is young. They need to gain experience and learn how to play tough games," Garcia said.

"We need to keep developing them. We hope that they will get better step by step and gain experience, which is very important if you want to be part of a winning team.

"First of all, we are trying to gel as a team and develop good chemistry between everyone. Then we need to be able to become a winning team, a team able to fight and compete in almost every game."

As for when that might happen, Garcia is reluctant to set a time frame.

"I don't know when we will be able to win a championship," he added. "But if we work hard, the team will get better and have a greater opportunity to get the championship."

Despite his youthful appearance, Garcia is a coaching veteran. He has coached for over two decades after his playing career ended prematurely due to a serious knee injury.

"Basketball is my life, from being a player to assistant coach and now head coach. For me it's not a job, it's my passion. Every time I go to the court to be an assistant coach or head coach, I enjoy myself."

Garcia's on a mission to inject that passion into his charges at Shanxi.

"Everything I'm trying to teach them, I try to do it with passion. If you don't play basketball with enough passion, then technical matters are irrelevant," he explained. "The most important thing is to be able and ready to fight. If you don't play with passion, then you cannot fight and win.

"It's a young team to try to improve. It's a long way from being a winning team. Step by step, I want to develop players and the playing style to become a winning team, then we will be one step closer to getting the championship.

"In the last couple of seasons, especially last season, the team was not a winning team. They won games, but they were not the kind of team that normally won."

After leaving Shanxi in 2015, Garcia was hired by Russia's Dynamo Kursk, which he led to a Euro Women's League crown in 2017.

Adding to his experience of working under Lucas Mondelo at Shanxi, he now feels well equipped to handle whatever the job throws at him.

"The challenge always comes with a lot of pressure. If you are not able to overcome the pressure, you cannot be a head coach," Garcia said.

Despite Garcia's reservations about his young team, Shanxi should not be overlooked as WCBA title contenders this season for one simple reason－6-foot-8(203-centimeter) center Liz Cambage.

"She is a difference-maker," Garcia said of the Australian. "When she's on court, everybody goes around her. Defensively, it's easy with her in the paint because other teams cannot score easily.

"Offensively, it's all going on around her, because when you don't pay attention to her, she can score 40 points."

Garcia sees Cambage as the team's all-round leader, but is also urging his homegrown players to contribute more.

"I expect her to be a kind of leader of our team, and to try to engage everybody to play like a team. I don't want her to be the best scorer every time and everybody else just looks at her," Garcia said.

"The domestic players need to seize their opportunities. They have to know it's not just foreign players scoring or doing everything. Chinese players need to understand that they also can be important players in their teams."

 

 

 

 

 

]]> 2019-12-02 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-12/02/content_37526959.htm  

 

 

]]> 2019-12-02 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-12/02/content_37526976.htm Liz Cambage is determined to make up for lost time by helping the Shanxi Flame end its four-year WCBA title drought.

The Australian signed with the Taiyuan-based franchise last year, but had to wait until this season to make her debut due to an ankle injury.

The 6-foot-8 center has been the star of the show for the Flame this season, helping her team stay perfect so far this term. Cambage again provided the spark on Saturday, contributing 30 points and 13 rebounds as Shanxi defeated Zhejiang 94-84 for the three-time champion's fourth straight win.

Shanxi's domestic players also showed their shooting form, with Guo Zixuan and Liu Jiacen netting 16 points apiece.

"I always want to win a WCBA championship," Cambage told Xinhua on Wednesday.

"Shanxi is a very strong team and I feel lucky to be part of it. But I was very upset that I couldn't play last season. I was injured and didn't play for eight months. It was a very tough year."

Having also plied her trade with Zhejiang, Beijing and Shanghai, Cambage is no stranger to the WCBA, and speaks highly of both the league and China as a whole.

"It's a very strong league. I've loved my time in the WCBA. It has taught me a lot about myself," said the Aussie. "Because there is a rule that there can only be one foreign player in each team, that puts a lot of pressure on me.

"I'm very thankful for my time because it has made me a killer, a strong scorer on the court. And I've got to see so much of this country. If I didn't play basketball here, I wouldn't have gotten the chance to see China, so I'm very grateful."

Cambage has come up against plenty of her WCBA rivals and teammates on international duty, an experience she describes as "like playing against my sisters".

"China's coach (Xu Limin) was my coach in Beijing. It's great to see familiar faces when I go against China. They have very strong girls and a lot of talent," she said.

Cambage has been utterly dominant in the paint this term. Last Thursday against Tianjin, she shot 13 of 19 from the field to score a game-high 31 points in less than 24 minutes, with Tianjin coach Miroslav Popov admitting that his team simply "didn't have the tools" to cope with the towering Aussie. On Saturday, it was Zhejiang's turn to suffer.

"I just focus on my game. I try to rebound, block shots and make my points," said Cambage. "A lot of teams are worried about me. It opens up the court for other girls. It's not just about me. I like to play a team game."

In July last year, Cambage set a WNBA single-game scoring record with 53 points for the Dallas Wings.

However, she has tried to play down expectations that she might repeat the feat in China.

"I don't go out to break records. I go out to win games. If it happens one day, it happens. But right now we just focus on winning as a team," she said.

Cambage's bid for a WCBA title has been made more difficult by a rule that restricts foreign stars to playing three quarters against certain opposition.

"In some games, I'm not allowed to play a quarter. Every game is tough," said Cambage.

"But our team is great and our girls are strong, so we will do well."

 

 

 

]]> 2019-12-02 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/30/content_37526735.htm Golfers were allowed to wear shorts during a European Tour event for the first time on Thursday because of sweltering temperatures.

The decision to relax rules at the 2020 season-opening Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa was made after discussions between players, European Tour CEO Keith Pelley, and tournament host Johann Rupert. It applies for this event only.

Temperatures are predicted to reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) over the next few days at Leopard Creek Country Club, which borders the Kruger Park wildlife reserve in northern South Africa.

"We felt that in this situation it was a good move," said the European Tour's David Williams, the tournament director. "The temperatures will increase as the week goes on, which is uncomfortable and could be a health issue for the players.

"A lot of players were concerned about it. In these temperatures it can be pretty uncomfortable out there in trousers."

In 2016, the European Tour allowed players to wear shorts for practice rounds and pro-ams but not tournament play. The PGA Tour brought in the same policy this year.

Four-time major winner Ernie Els said allowing shorts this week was "common sense" and hoped it wouldn't be the last time in a tournament.

"It's going to get up to 40 degrees here and it's the right thing to do," Els said. "It's been talked about for so long on all of the tours around the world... I think this could be a gamechanger for golf which could end up enhancing the product."

When the PGA Tour announced in February it was allowing shorts for practice and pro-ams, it said it noted the opinions of leading players.

Asked for his view on allowing shorts, Tiger Woods said: "I would love it. We play in some of the hottest climates on the planet."

Rory McIlroy said: "It makes the guys a lot more comfortable. I don't think there's anything wrong with professional golfers showing the lower half of their leg."

]]> 2019-11-30 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/30/content_37526749.htm Korn Ferry Tour players who have qualified for the circuit via the PGA Tour Series-China will now have the chance to enter more tournaments.

As one of three PGA international tours, the Chinese circuit offers Korn Ferry Tour status to the top five finishers on its order of merit.

This week the PGA announced that those qualifiers, as well as those from the PGA Tour Latinoamerica, and the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada, will have "enhanced playing opportunities" on the Korn Ferry Tour "with immediate effect".

"We have done extensive research, and we've looked at the international tour players' performances on the Korn Ferry Tour. It became very clear that these three tours have been producing so many good players that we had to improve their access into Korn Ferry Tour tournaments," said Rob Ohno, the PGA Tour's senior vice-president of international tours.

The PGA Tour's policy board voted in June to adjust playing spots in certain eligibility categories, beginning in 2020, to help facilitate this change. These modifications will improve the prospects of players getting into Korn Ferry Tour tournaments. The board ratified the changes on Nov 18.

"When we looked at the data, the international tour players were having comparable success with players who were earning Korn Ferry Tour membership via the qualifying tournament," Ohno continued.

"With these players coming off the international tours achieving at the next level and then on to the PGA Tour, the policy board approved the changes to reward them and improve their playing possibilities."

This season, alumni of the international tours comprised the majority of both the top 25(14) and the top 75 players (39) on the final points list.

"The international tours are doing exactly what they were intended to do when the PGA Tour created all three in successive years, beginning in 2012," added Ohno.

"These players are coming out of the international tours after playing in PGA Tour-caliber events only staged on a smaller scale, ready to play and ready to win, which we've seen them do.

"We are also watching these players, who just a few years ago were playing in Latin America, Canada and China, playing at the game's highest levels."

Next month's Presidents Cup will feature three players who graduated from the international tours－Li Haotong (PGA Tour Series-China) and CT Pan (Mackenzie Tour) on Ernie Els' International team, and Tony Finau (Mackenzie Tour) on Tiger Woods' United States team.

This year, 14 international tour alums won 16 tournaments on the Korn Ferry Tour, which is the pathway to the PGA Tour proper. In the 2018-19 PGA Tour season, six alums (Adam Long, Martin Trainer, Keith Mitchell, Corey Conners, Pan and Nate Lashley) won six tournaments.

Already in 2019-20, alums Sebastian Munoz, Lanton Griffin and Tyler Duncan have won on the PGA Tour, while Joaquin Niemann, played extensively on PGA Tour Latinoamerica as an amateur, triumphed at The Greenbrier.

The PGA Tour Series-China mainly features Asian players, although members come from all over the world.

It is operated by the PGA Tour in partnership with Shankai Sports, and sanctioned by the General Administration of Sport of China.

]]> 2019-11-30 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/30/content_37526753.htm

]]> 2019-11-30 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/30/content_37526768.htm SOCCER

Hebei bids Lavezzi, Mascherano farewell

Hebei China Fortune has confirmed veteran Argentine duo Ezequiel Lavezzi and Javier Mascherano will leave the club at the end of the season.

The Langfang-based club staged a brief farewell ceremony for the pair before Wednesday night's 3-1 Chinese Super League defeat to Guangzhou Evergrande, featuring video highlights of their time in China on big screens inside the stadium.

Striker Lavezzi added another highlight during the game with a fine long-range header for the host's only goal of the game in the 81st minute.

"I want to thank everybody here, my teammates, coaches, the club staff and all the others I've met here. I have many fond memories of my time here since I joined four years ago," said 34-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain star Lavezzi, who has been linked with a move to Turkey's Fenerbahce but is also reportedly considering retiring.

Former Barcelona and Liverpool midfielder Mascherano, 35, who has been snapped up by Estudiantes in his homeland, said: "I'm grateful for the hospitality shown by all of you over the past two years. I wish the club all the best."

Twelfth-place Hebei concludes its CSL campaign with a trip to Wuhan Zall on Sunday.

Kante sues ex-agent over alleged fraud

The Paris prosecutor's office says France and Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante has filed a lawsuit against his former image agent, citing fraud and breach of trust.

The complaint filed this week by the 28-year-old against Nouari Khiari also includes "attempted fraud" and "illegal exercise of the profession of sports agent".

According to L'Equipe newspaper, which first reported the story, Kante was introduced to Khiari by friends and family members. The pair started their working relationship in July 2016 but tensions soon arose and Kante decided to put an end to their partnership a year later, agreeing to pay 150,000 euros ($165,000) for Khiari to sever their ties.

According to the sports daily, Kante claims that his former associate kept all the copies of their deal and later pressured him for more money.

TRAMPOLINE

China on course for full Olympic quota

China earned full quotas for both the men's and women's individual semifinals at the FIG Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in Tokyo on Thursday, boosting its hopes for next year's Olympic Games.

"Our goal here is to gain the full quotas to Tokyo 2020. Today is a good start for us," said Lu Chunlong, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist who manages the national team.

Established Chinese trampolinists Gao Lei, Dong Dong and Tu Xiao all breezed through qualification for the men's individual competition, just behind reigning Olympic champion Uladzislau Hancharou of Belarus.

Despite Zhu Xueying's error in her second routine, China also filled a three-place quota in the women's individual event. Liu Lingling and teammate Huang Yanfei topped qualification, while Li Dan followed Japan's Mori Hikaru in fourth place. Both semifinals will take place on Saturday.

SWIMMING

Hosszu axes coach, goes solo for Tokyo

Hungary's three-time Olympic champion Katinka Hosszu has split with coach Arpad Petrov and will prepare for next year's Tokyo Games alone, local media reported on Thursday.

"At this year's World Cup, my confidence in my coach was shaken because I felt he didn't want victory as much as I did," Hosszu explained in a statement published by Hungarian news agency MTI.

"I've been trying to overcome this feeling in recent months, but the underlying problem has persisted. During my time with him, it became clear that he can't grow up to the task," she continued.

"I expected more attention from him both professionally and humanly, so there is no going back. In the run-up to the Olympics, I cannot bear the burden of carrying someone on my back again."

Hosszu will compete at next week's European Short-Course Championships in Glasgow without Petrov.

BASKETBALL

CBA wins for Lions and Monkey Kings

The Zhejiang Lions bagged their fifth straight win after overpowering the Shandong Heroes 101-78 while the Nanjing Monkey Kings defeated the Shenzhen Aviators 101-92 in Thursday night's CBA action.

The Lions led by at least 20 points for most of the third quarter and extended the margin to 30 in the fourth. Shandong used a 11-2 run to cut the deficit but it was too little, too late as the Lions comfortably held on for victory.

Kenneth Faried led the Lions with 22 points and nine rebounds, while Aaron Jackson scored 17 points and dished out 11 assists; Liu Zheng added 13 points. James Mays scored a team-high 18 points for Shandong, while Jia Cheng and Tao Hanlin contributed 14 points each.

In Nanjing, Shenzhen's Dwight Buycks scored a game-high 39 points but could not save his team as the host prevailed. Joseph Young notched 31 points (shooting 11 for 18), six rebounds and eight assists for the Monkey Kings.

Elsewhere, Marcus Denmon scored a career-high 54 points to help the Zhejiang Golden Bulls to a 123-118 triumph over the Qingdao Eagles.

]]> 2019-11-30 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/29/content_37526548.htm Undefeated Chinese heavyweight Zhang Zhilei will roll the dice on the biggest fight of his career at Casino de Monte Carlo in Monaco on Saturday night.

After a 14-month hiatus, Zhang－aka "Big Bang"－is putting his 20-0 record (16 KOs) on the line against Ukraine's Andriy Rudenko (32-4, 20 KOs) in a clash for the WBO Oriental championship that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.

"This is my time－I'm thrilled to be fighting in Monaco on the Matchroom Boxing card on Nov 30," Zhang this week told worldboxingnews.com.

"It's always been a dream of mine to chase greatness and make the world aware that the Chinese heavyweight is coming to do damage. I have been preparing and training hard for whoever they put in front of me. The heavyweight division is wide open now and I'm here to make my presence known."

Heavyweight boxing has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, with Americans Deontay Wilder and Andy Ruiz Jr and Britain's Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury grabbing the imagination of fight fans and living up to the hype by delivering drama in the ring.

Last Saturday, Wilder produced a devastating seventh-round stoppage of Cuba-born American Luis Ortiz to retain his WBC title and set up a February rematch with the unpredictable Fury. On Dec 7, the division will be further clarified when Ruiz defends his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO titles against Joshua in another eagerly awaited rematch in Saudi Arabia.

Roc Nation Sports promoter Dino Duva is already anticipating Zhang going toe to toe with the division's big guns next year.

"This is Zhang's time and opportunity to shine and convince everyone that he's ready to become China's first world heavyweight champion," said Duva.

"The heavyweight division is rocking right now. It's perfect timing for him, with this bout sandwiched between the Wilder-Ortiz and Joshua-Ruiz title fights.

"We all know what Zhang is capable of and have always believed in him, but now it's time for him to step up and show the world what he can do. And if he performs on Saturday like I know he can, 2020 will be a historic year for him because he'll be right at the top of the list of worthy challengers."

The 6-foot-6, 260-pound southpaw from Zhoukou, Henan province, won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and dropped a close split decision to gold medalist and future world champion Joshua at the 2012 London Games.

The 36-year-old Zhang was ranked in the world's top 10 early last year. He was in ruthless mood in his last bout in September in Changsha, Hunan province, where he knocked out American Don Haynesworth in the third round to retain the WBO Oriental title. Rudenko's last fight was a narrow points defeat to Germany's Agit Kabayel in Magdeburg, Germany.

A victory over the veteran Rudenko, who has scored as many knockouts as Zhang has wins, would put the Chinese brawler right back in the mix.

"I can't wait to get back in the ring," Zhang told boxingscene.com this week. "I've had an excellent training camp and I am ready. I'm very confident. I want to make ring history as China's first world heavyweight champion, so every bout is crucial."

Zhang's adviser, Tommy Lane, said Saturday's result will impact the entire heavyweight division.

"Boxing fans will pay attention to this fight because they know it has enormous implications," said Lane.

"Zhang is one big win from returning to the top tier of title challengers, which means monster fights for him in the coming months."

]]> 2019-11-29 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/29/content_37526609.htm Mikaela Shiffrin doesn't lose often. Rarer still, she doesn't lose to the same person over and over.

Growing up, the two-time Olympic gold medalist just couldn't beat a certain someone in Scrabble, Boggle or the card game UNO.

Grandma always won. She even playfully kept the scorecards around as proof.

It's a warm memory Shiffrin has of the person she affectionately called "Nana", who died Oct 22 at 98.

Along with this one: Her grandmother watching her race at a World Cup event in person for the first time at Killington, Vermont, three years ago. Shiffrin won that day and tears filled her eyes when she hugged Nana.

Her grandmother will be in Shiffrin's thoughts during this weekend's races at Killington. She's always close to Shiffrin's heart.

"I have a million memories," Shiffrin said of her grandmother, Pauline Mary Condron, who played tennis, was an avid bowler and of course always a big fan of skiing. "They are all incredible."

Like her breakfasts ("best in the world," Shiffrin boasted).

Or the time Nana tipped over in a kayak years ago and lost her glasses. Shiffrin's mom/coach, Eileen, frequently recounts that story ("I was so young but it's so cute when my mom tells the story!")

Or how Nana always won at board games.

"She loved to keep track of the score and save them with the games," Shiffrin said. "If we left the game out on the table when we weren't playing she would randomly open it up and look over the scores－and remind everyone how often she won."

These days, Shiffrin wins about that often on the slopes.

Last weekend in Levi, Finland, she set the World Cup record for most slalom wins by any ski racer. The 24-year-old from Colorado earned her 41st career slalom victory to top Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark, who won 40 slaloms between 1974 and 1987. Shiffrin amassed her total in just seven years.

With her victory in Levi came another prize－a reindeer to add to her growing herd. She named the previous ones Rudolph (2013), Sven (2016) and Mr. Gru (2018).

The name of the newest member? Ingemar, naturally－a tribute to Stenmark.

All these records she's breaking still catch her a little off guard. More could possibly be attained at Killington.

With 61 career World Cup wins, she's one away from tying Austrian great Annemarie Moser-Proell for second on the all-time women's list. The women's record of 82 is held by the retired Lindsey Vonn. The overall mark of 86 belongs to Stenmark.

"I still find it a little insane that I'm at the point in my career to be surpassing any of these records," Shiffrin said. "More than anything it just makes me smile to know I'm living my dream as a little girl of being one of the best in the world."

Shiffrin can't help but marvel at being one of the "veterans" on the circuit these days. It's hard for her to compute.

"I'm not old, but I am still considered a veteran even though sometimes I still feel like a rookie," said Shiffrin, who's aiming for her fourth straight World Cup overall title this season. "Every time I see a new young athlete have a breakthrough performance I think, 'Hmmmm, what am I going to do to have another 'breakthrough' performance?'"

Know this about Shiffrin: She doesn't reflect on past accomplishments. She's looking forward to stay a step ahead of the competition.

"I still haven't been able to process my first podium, or my first win, or my first world champs or Olympic gold," said Shiffrin, who's slated to compete in Saturday's giant slalom and Sunday's slalom. "These milestones seem to just melt together into more things that I can't seem to process so I've sort of stopped trying.

"But I'm also OK with that because I'd rather enjoy the moments that I'm living now or look to the future instead of dwell on the past."

Being back at Killington rekindles so many powerful emotions. It's a place where she's won slalom races in 2016,'17 and'18.

It's hard to top that first time Nana was able to attend. Her grandmother had a warm seat to watch her win.

After the race, Nana was taken outside to congratulate her granddaughter.

Nana's smile. Their embrace. It's a moment Shiffrin will always cherish.

"It was so fun. Such a nice celebration to have all the people that I love the most right there," Shiffrin recounted. "Seeing my Nana's face right after my race, getting to hug her, hearing her voice, it just put everything in perspective and that made the whole day so, so much sweeter. It was so incredible to have her there."

]]> 2019-11-29 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/29/content_37526549.htm Dalian Yifang's 5-1 thrashing at Tianjin Tianhai on Wednesday has fueled mounting speculation that Rafa Benitez's days at the northeastern club could be numbered.

Having successfully steered Dalian away from the relegation zone since arriving from Newcastle United in July, Benitez has seen his side struggle to make further inroads in the latter stages of the campaign.

The team's expensively assembled foreign front three－Marek Hamsik, Salomon Rondon and Yannick Carrasco－again failed to fire on Wednesday as struggling Tianhai ran riot.

Incredibly, the host found itself 4-0 up by halftime, with the introduction of Emmanuel Boateng for the ineffective Carrasco after the break failing to inspire a Dalian comeback. Indeed, things went from bad to worse for the visitor when midfielder Cui Ming'an saw red with 14 minutes remaining.

The defeat leaves Dalian in 10th spot in the Chinese Super League, with just one game remaining, against already-relegated Beijing Renhe on Sunday.

The combination of Dalian's shocking capitulation and British reports that Benitez is being lined up to replace under-fire West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini have left many fans believing Sunday's game could be the Spaniard's last in China.

Earlier this month, Benitez told BBC podcast Football Daily that he was looking forward to his second season in the CSL, although admitted that adjusting to the language had proved a challenge both on and off the pitch. He also voiced concerns that Wanda-funded Dalian would have to perform well in the next transfer market in order to boost the squad's quota of homegrown talent.

"The foreign players can make a difference but it depends on the others.... If you don't have very good Chinese players it's very difficult to compete," Benitez told the BBC.

According to dongqiudi.com, Benitez was furious in the dressing-room after the Tianhai defeat, blasting his players for lacking fighting spirit.

The 59-year-old was at a loss to explain the limp performance in his post-match news conference, adding that he hoped to see a drastic improvement next term.

Benitez refrained from singling out specific players for criticism, but added that the very least he demands from his team is effort and a positive attitude, before hinting that some members of his squad could be headed for the exit door in the offseason.

Star playmaker Hamsik described his team's display as "unacceptable".

"We cannot lose a match in this way. For the fans, this is not acceptable. We have to react in the right way in Sunday match's and produce a good performance!" said the former Napoli conjurer.

However, the result of a match kicking off hours earlier in London may well have a bigger bearing on Benitez's future.

Defeat for struggling West Ham at Chelsea on Saturday could see the Hammers board finally lose patience with Pellegrini, with British media widely reporting that Benitez could be the man to succeed the Chilean.

Benitez is still held in high esteem in England, having famously led Liverpool to the 2005 Champions League trophy and performed admirably with a limited budget in his last Premier League job at Newcastle.

Benitez's family still lives in England, and the Daily Mirror has reported that he is ready to take the West Ham hot seat, having turned it down in 2015 when Real Madrid came calling.

However, all Benitez's recent utterances on his future indicate he will resist any offers from England.

"Patience is the key word in China," Benitez wrote in his blog last month.

"You have to adapt to another way of doing things. There are obvious improvements already but we are still adjusting to the organization's structure, bringing in new people without forgetting the Chinese staff who will be crucial for the success of the project in the future."

In stark contrast to the glum mood in the Dalian dressing room, Wednesday's result sparked scenes of jubilation for Tianhai, with the three points saving it from the drop following a tumultuous season for the club.

"Thank you, Dalian", Tianjin fans were heard to roar from the stands, compounding the visitor's humiliation.

"Before the match, our coach told us this is a life-or-death moment, and we have to come back alive," said Tianjin striker Yang Xu. "We scored quickly after the game started and everything went smoothly from there.

"I want to thank all my brothers in the team and all the brothers who are on loan at our team. Thank you all. Since the start of this season, we have changed four head coaches. Now, we are still together and we did not give up."

Tianjin coach Li Weifeng, who only took the reins in October, said: "I told all the players that this match is a do-or-die moment. We don't have to save anything for any other match. We should only try our best and play like a team."

]]> 2019-11-29 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/29/content_37526553.htm China faces a "mission impossible" in its bid to reach next year's Tokyo Olympics, according to the national team's head coach, Du Feng.

Team China failed to directly qualify for next year's Games following a disappointing performance at the 2019 FIBA World Cup. Despite hosting the tournament, China only ranked 24th out of the 32 teams, with two wins and three defeats.

Now, Team China faces the daunting task of trying to qualify via the FIBA Olympic qualifying tournaments, which will see 24 teams vying for just four Tokyo 2020 spots. Together with host Japan, a total of 12 teams will play at the Games.

The tournaments will take place from June 23-28 next year in Canada, Croatia, Lithuania and Serbia. China will face Greece and Canada in the first group stage in Victoria, Canada.

"After the end of next year's CBA league, the training period for the national team will be very short. It's much more difficult than the World Cup," said Du, before describing his team's task as "a mission impossible", according to Xinhua.

Du was appointed as Team China coach in late October following the World Cup debacle. Announcing his appointment, the Chinese Basketball Association thanked Du for "daring to take this responsibility at a very difficult time for Team China".

The 38-year-old is juggling the national team job with his role as head coach of CBA side the Guangdong Southern Tigers.

China has never missed an Olympic Games since 1984, however most fans acknowledge that Du will need to perform miracles in order to avoid a change to that statistic, given the current gap in quality between his charges and the world's powerhouses.

Merely overseeing an improvement in performances at the qualifying tournament would likely keep the critics at bay for Du, who has urged fans to be patient.

"The team is going through a very difficult time. Our basketball players and fans could see the gap between us and the leading teams at the World Cup. Closing that gap should be our number one priority," Du told Xinhua.

"Chinese basketball needs to continue with its reforms and has a long way to go. This project may require generations of effort, and more understanding and tolerance from all walks of life."

Du also told Xinhua that the CBA should resist the urge to hire foreign coaches because he believes their homegrown counterparts have a better understanding of Chinese players' mentality.

Whatever their views on the coach may be, the general consensus among fans is that Team China needs to rely less on veterans like former NBA player Yi Jianlian and focus more on nurturing a new generation to form the core of the national squad. However, the lackluster performances of young stars like Zhou Qi and Guo Ailun at the World Cup showed there's still a lot of work to be done on that front.

"Considering Team China's current situation and the strength of our two group rivals, it's very likely that the Chinese squad's journey in the qualifiers will end after two games," basketball commentator Yang Yi wrote on Weibo.

"With barely no chance to advance, Team China's priority is to use the platform to produce their best possible performance.

"Team China should consider more young players. Four years later, many of the veterans who cannot plat the next World Cup will retire from the national team. However, I'm still confident that Team China's performance will exceed our expectation."

]]> 2019-11-29 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/29/content_37526554.htm Zlatan Ibrahimovic's legacy at Malmo, the Swedish team where he started his illustrious career, looks to be in tatters after he bought a stake of nearly 25 percent in one of its biggest rivals.

Sweden's biggest sports star outlined his desire to make Hammarby the "best in Scandinavia" after becoming a part-owner of the Stockholm-based club in his first move into soccer ownership.

"There are no limits to how big Hammarby can be," Ibrahimovic told Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet in its Wednesday edition after the deal was announced.

His decision to invest in Hammarby has gone down badly at Malmo, where a golden statue of Ibrahimovic was unveiled outside its stadium last month.

A toilet seat was placed around one of Ibrahimovic's arms on the statue and his name was covered up, leading to the monument requiring police protection on Wednesday afternoon. Later that night, footage on social media appeared to show fans attempting to set it alight.

Malmo fans are angry not just that Ibrahimovic wants to make another club better than his boyhood team, but that he also said he didn't think Malmo supporters would be disappointed at his choice.

"A betrayal became a betrayal and a provocation," Kaveh Hosseinpour, vice-chairman of Malmo's official supporters' group, told The Associated Press.

"So he basically stuck a knife in our backs, and then he came along with a sword and chopped off our heads."

Hosseinpour blasted Ibrahimovic for thinking he was "above criticism, that he is above Malmo FF and our feelings just because he is Zlatan".

"The statue is completely worthless now, just a piece of junk," Hosseinpour said. "The best way to solve that was if it was removed and put somewhere in Stockholm or something.

"Every game we go to, we are going to pass Zlatan knowing that there is a statue of an investor in Hammarby, not the statue of the football player Zlatan Ibrahimovic anymore."

The 38-year-old Ibrahimovic has acquired half of the 47 percent stake in Hammarby owned by Anschutz Entertainment Group, the US-based company whose portfolio of sports teams it owns or has investments in includes the Los Angeles Galaxy－the Major League Soccer team where Ibrahimovic played for the past 18 months.

By buying 50 percent of AEG Sweden, Ibrahimovic owns nearly a quarter of Hammarby, which finished third behind champion Djurgardens and Malmo in Sweden's top-flight Allsvenskan league this year to earn qualification for next season's Europa League.

"Spontaneously, the timing feels good," Hammarby chairman Richard von Yxkull said. "We have had a strong development in recent years and next year we play in Europe.

"To then get a person like Zlatan Ibrahimovic into the club, with the passion and winning mentality he stands for, feels right."

Ibrahimovic, who retired from international duty in 2016 and is regarded as one of Sweden's greatest ever players, had in recent days posted a photo of Hammarby's green-and-white jersey on his social media accounts, sparking speculation in his native country that he may join the club as a player having recently left LA Galaxy.

However, he said he will not play in Sweden again－he started his career at Malmo, where he was born, in 1999－and is still weighing up where to play next. Ibrahimovic has also played for Ajax, Barcelona, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.

At the Galaxy, he scored 56 goals in 52 games in MLS－and he is still not done yet.

Except maybe in Malmo.

"What I have done for Malmo will be there forever," Ibrahimovic said, when asked if he was concerned about the reaction of Malmo fans. "This is a completely different situation. It has nothing to do with where my career began."

For Hosseinpour, that is an "absurd, completely mad" point of view.

"Of course we would be offended and angry," he said. "I don't know which dimension he lives in where we wouldn't be hurt by this."

]]> 2019-11-29 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/28/content_37526205.htm PRAGUE－World No 2 Karolina Pliskova said on Monday she had hired Venezuelan coach Daniel Vallverdu to replace Spaniard Conchita Martinez whom she fired earlier this month.

"He was one of my priorities from the start," Pliskova said of Vallverdu on her website.

The 33-year-old Vallverdu worked with Andy Murray from 2010 to 2014 and was part of the Ivan Lendl-led team that helped the Scot win Olympic gold and the US Open in 2012, as well as Wimbledon in 2013.

Vallverdu has also worked with Thomas Berdych and Grigor Dimitrov and this year joined Magnus Norman's team coaching Stan Wawrinka.

"He's had fantastic results, he understands tennis like few others and I am convinced he has a lot to offer to me," added the 27-year-old Czech, who is still seeking her maiden Grand Slam title.

Pliskova said former Ukraine Fed Cup player Olga Savchuk had also joined her team ahead of a training camp in Tenerife and her first 2020 tournament in Brisbane, where she will defend the title.

Pliskova, the 2016 US Open finalist, parted ways with 1994 Wimbledon champion Martinez after a season that saw her win four WTA tournaments and reach the semifinals at the Australian Open and the WTA Finals.

Players suspended

Meanwhile, the Tennis Integrity Unit has revealed that two female players, from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, have been provisionally suspended while under investigation for unspecified offenses.

The TIU said Ksenia Palkina and Albina Khabibulina cannot compete in or attend WTA events during the probe.

The 29-year-old Palkina is ranked No 693 in singles and No 496 in doubles, while the 27-year-old Khabibulina is ranked No 294 in doubles.

]]> 2019-11-28 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/28/content_37526248.htm The world's elite snowboarders and skiers are raring to give Beijing's stunning new Big Air slope a debut to remember next month.

Ready for liftoff three years ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, the world's first permanent Big Air ramp will host the FIS Freeski and Snowboard World Cup's annual stop in the capital from Dec 12-14.

The event promises to be a true treat for fans of extreme winter sports, with a rock concert featuring local bands on the final day set to enhance the festival atmosphere at western Beijing's regenerated Shougang Industrial Park, the venue for the Big Air disciplines of freeski and snowboarding at the 2022 Games.

"We keep sharing the pictures of the slope with the athletes, and everyone gets really excited to be here. This is a unique venue which will help take the sport to the next level," Saskia Schnorrenberger, the director of global operations for event co-organizer Air and Style Company, told China Daily at Shougang on Tuesday.

"For the athletes it's always good to get a feeling and to practice to know the venue even though they can't get any points for the Olympics yet."

Big Air, which made its Olympic debut at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, involves athletes hurling down a snow-covered ramp to perform aerial tricks off a massive kicker before landing.

Four World Cup gold medals (male and female for both freeski and snowboarding) will be up for grabs at Shougang, the only snow sports venue for 2022 in Beijing's downtown area.

All the other snow events will be held at co-host Zhangjiakou in surrounding Hebei province.

"There is no better way to unveil an Olympic venue like this than by hosting a high-profile World Cup event for its debut," said Chen Jie, a deputy director of Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau.

"I believe it will be a great test for the facility, our services and our operational team to make necessary remedies and gain experience for staging the Olympic competitions successfully and many other events to come in the future."

The final installation of the slope's ancillary facilities, including spectator stands, broadcasting blocks and media areas, will be completed by Dec 1 followed by a 10-day snow-making and course-grooming process, according to the bureau.

Elite field

Over 160 skiers and boarders from 30 countries and regions, including Canadian greats Mack McMorris and Max Parrot and Austria's Olympic champion Anna Gasser, will show off their daredevil moves and compete for FIS ranking points at the World Cup meet. After two days of preliminary rounds for freeski and snowboarding respectively, the finalists will each perform three runs on Dec 14 to decide the medals.

Towering over disused smokestacks at the former steel-mill site, the 164-meter-long, 64-meter-high slope is the world's first permanent construction of its kind. Big Air events elsewhere in the world have always used temporary facilities.

"The permanent venue here provides a year-round training facility," said Schnorrenberger. "For me, being an old-school snowboarder, it's so crazy to see that we have this landmark. And then you can actually see the opportunity for more events to happen here after the Olympics, which is so important for the sport to grow."

Founded in Innsbruck, Austria, in 1993, the Air and Style global series first arrived in Beijing in 2010, with the stop upgraded to a World Cup event in 2017. It was previously staged on detachable ramps at Beijing's Bird's Nest and Workers' Stadium.

"To see how the sport has grown in the last 10 years is just so exciting. It always fills my heart with pleasure to see the spark is coming to China," said Schnorrenberger. Now with such a unique facility on their doorsteps, China's young snowboarding and freeski teams are more determined than ever to close the gap to the world's best.

"With the Shougang slope available, our athletes can stay at home to train systematically instead of traveling around, which wastes time," said Yang Dong, a deputy director of the National Winter Sports Administrative Center.

"The ramp will significantly help them increase their jump volume as well as improving their routine consistency."

]]> 2019-11-28 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/28/content_37526207.htm The Alpine Ski Orienteering Open is going the extra mile for the nation's winter sports push by expanding to new destinations in its sixth season.

The innovative amateur series, which is staged within a smaller area compared to its larger cross-country version, sees three-member teams navigate through a dense network of snow trails on skis to make it to various control points (or checkpoints) in a certain order. The fastest team along the best route choice wins.

After progressing from a single-resort race to a three-destination series last season, the competition has added two more stops to its 2019-20 season, which kicks off on Dec 21 at Beidahu Ski Resort in Jilin province.

That will be followed by the Yabuli leg in Heilongjiang (Jan 11), its first overseas event at Suomutunturi Resort in Finland (Jan 25), and the Aoshan race in Shaanxi (Feb 8), before the March 7 national final jointly held by Genting and Wanlong resorts in Zhangjiakou, Beijing's co-host for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Hebei.

Co-organized by the Chinese Ski Association and China Sports Venue Association (CSVA), the series has developed into one of the most participated mass skiing events in China, with over 10,000 skiers of all ages signing up last season.

"The event has helped a lot in lowering the threshold for more of the public to try and experience skiing and orienteering as a healthy and fun lifestyle choice," said Zhang Dong, a deputy director of the CSVA's council.

Zhang was speaking at the launch of the series' new season at Beijing's Olympic Park on Wednesday to mark the 800-day countdown to the start of the 2022 Olympics.

"This event suits our country's conditions. It doesn't require terrain as large as the overseas cross-country version. And the downgraded difficulty level will help attract more beginners," he said.

Operated and promoted by Sportvane, this year's open series has received strong financial and logistical backing from three 2022 Games partners－Bank of China, dairy giant Yili Group and sportswear manufacturer Anta.

The assistance from Bank of China will significantly lower participation expenses to make the event more accessible for the public, said organizers.

]]> 2019-11-28 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/28/content_37526245.htm In years to come, linguists could well choose to reword the old adage "Rising from the ashes like a phoenix", replacing the name of the mythological bird with a certain legendary golfer. That will be especially valid if Tiger Woods puts an exclamation point to his amazing 2019 by leading the United States to victory at next month's Presidents Cup.

Woods plans to head into the holiday season on another high note by becoming only the second playing captain to triumph in the biennial competition, which tees off in Melbourne on Dec 9, against the International Team, led by Ernie Els.

Over the past 12 months, Woods, who turns 44 at the end of the year, has continued to defy the doubters in his battle with career-threatening injuries, producing two remarkable wins for the ages. First, there was a 15th major victory at the Masters in April, and then a record-tying 82nd PGA Tour triumph at the ZoZo Championship in Japan in late October.

After unsurprisingly picking himself for the Presidents Cup, Woods now has a golden opportunity to put the cherry on the cake and conclude a stirring 2019.

It was at the 2017 Presidents Cup that a downcast Woods, then a captain's assistant, admitted that he might never play competitive golf again following a fourth back surgery.

"I don't know what my future holds for me," he said at Liberty National in New Jersey.

But like all great sporting comebacks, Woods climbed and conquered his mountain, winning the 2018 Tour Championship before producing an improbable triumph at Augusta National seven months later.

"I had serious doubts after what transpired a couple years ago. I could barely walk. I couldn't sit. Couldn't lay down. Luckily I had the procedure on my back, which gave me a chance at having a normal life," he said.

"But then all of a sudden, I realized I could actually swing a golf club again, I felt if I could somehow piece this together that I still had the hands to do it. The body's not the same as it was a long time ago, but I still have good hands."

He limited himself to six more tournaments after his Masters coronation and when he failed to progress into the FedExCup season-finale at August's Tour Championship, he revealed that he had undergone more surgery to repair cartilage damage in his left knee.

Some wondered if this was yet another major setback, but in his return to tournament play some two months later in Japan, Woods was back to his best, rewriting history along the way at the ZoZo Championship where he won by three strokes ahead of Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama.

"It's a big number," said Woods after recording his 82nd win. "I've been very fortunate to have had the career I've had so far. To have won this tournament in Japan, it's just so fitting because I've always been a global player.

"I didn't really know that I would come back and play at this level. Swing-wise, my speed started coming back. Ironically, my back has been less sore because of it. I've been able to rotate better, but still, it's always going to be sore but it's just less sore."

US Open champion Gary Woodland, who had a front-row seat playing alongside Woods in the final two rounds in Japan, tipped his cap to the icon and predicted the world will see more amazing feats from Woods.

"Eight-two's just a crazy number. You look at the guys who have won 10 times and it's pretty special, let alone to come out here and win 82 times," said Woodland, who will make his debut in the Presidents Cup as one of Woods' picks.

"To battle through the injuries he's dealt with, gosh, he's young and he's playing unbelievable. The ball-striking exhibition I've seen the last two days is a joke. I don't see him stopping anytime soon. I think there's a lot more in store."

Next up for Woods is attempting to extend US dominance in the Presidents Cup, which the Americans have won for the last seven editions. At Royal Melbourne, site of the US Team's lone defeat in 1998, Woods will be assisted by Fred Couples, Zach Johnson and Steve Stricker.

The current world No 7 acknowledged that leading as a playing captain will present different challenges, but he is confident of emulating Hale Irwin's victorious feat in 1994.

"It's an honor and a tremendous responsibility to be able to be captain and represent our country. We're going to have a pretty solid team going down there against the Internationals," said Woods.

"On paper, we certainly have the advantage in the world rankings. When it comes right down to it, like I told the guys, when you start out on Thursday, it's 0-0. We have to go out and win this cup. Doesn't matter what the world ranking is. You have to go and beat the other guys, and that's what we're going to try and do."

]]> 2019-11-28 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/28/content_37526246.htm LONDON－Former world No 1 Andy Murray reveals for the first time in a new documentary that he suffered from breathing problems and anxiety following the Dunblane School massacre.

The 32-year-old and his older brother Jamie were pupils at the school in Scotland where, on March 13, 1996, Thomas Hamilton shot dead 16 children, aged between 5 and 6, and a teacher in the gym before turning the gun on himself.

Andy Murray, then 8 years old, had been on his way to the gym with his classmates when the 44-year-old Hamilton－armed with four handguns and 700 rounds of ammunition－opened fire.

He was ushered away and told to hide under the windows of the school principal's office while Jamie, who is 15 months older, was in another classroom.

Murray has rarely spoken about the massacre and did not want to be filmed talking about it.

But the documentary Andy Murray: Resurfacing includes a voice recording that the 2012 Olympic champion sent to director Olivia Cappuccini, who is the fiancee of Murray's brother-in-law, Scott Sears.

"You asked me a while ago why tennis was important to me," says Murray in the documentary, due to be released on Amazon on Friday.

"Obviously I had the thing that happened at Dunblane. I am sure for all the kids there it would be difficult for different reasons.

"The fact that we knew the guy (Hamilton), we went to his kids' club, he had been in our car, we had driven and dropped him off at train stations and things."

Family upheaval

Murray, who bursts into tears halfway through the recording, says the massacre precipitated a further traumatic sequence of events in his family.

"Within 12 months of that happening, our parents got divorced," he says.

"It was a difficult time that, for kids, to see that and not quite understand what is going on.

"And then six to 12 months after that, my brother (Jamie) moved away from home.

"He went away to train, to play tennis. We obviously used to do everything together. When he moved away that was also quite hard for me."

Murray admits that is when he began to suffer from anxiety but tennis has provided an escape for him.

"Around that time and after that, for a year or so, I had lots of anxiety but that came out when I was playing tennis," said Murray.

"When I was competing I would get really bad breathing problems.

"My feeling towards tennis is that it's an escape for me in some ways, because all of these things are stuff that I have bottled up. We don't talk about these things. They are not things that are discussed.

"The way that I am, on the tennis court, I show some positive things about my personality and I also show the bad things and things I really hate.

"Tennis allows me to be that child, that has all of these questions. That's why tennis is important to me."

The documentary follows the twotime Wimbledon champion as he attempts to recover from a hip injury that threatened to end his career.

Following surgery earlier in the year, he has rejoined the ATP singles circuit.

He won the European Open in Antwerp in October, his first title since 2017, and helped Britain reach the semifinals of last week's Davis Cup in Madrid.

Major test

Murray said he can finally play without worrying about his hip following career-saving surgery in January, but expects next year's Australian Open to be the biggest test of his progress.

The 32-year-old looked on the verge of ending his career at the start of the year but returned to singles action on the ATP Tour in August following resurfacing surgery, and won his first trophy since 2017 beating Stan Wawrinka in Antwerp last month.

Having played only one match in Britain's run to the last four of the Davis Cup Finals in Spain last week due to a groin issue, Murray is hoping to build up his fitness ahead of the first Grand Slam of 2020.

"I know I'll be able to compete in major tournaments without having to worry about it," said Murray, who competed at three tournaments in China over the fall as part of his singles comeback.

"I've played three-set matches and some long ones recently, but the best of five is an extra hour, hour and a half on top of that so I'll find out in Australia.

"At the beginning, you're thinking about it (hip) after every movement you make and that's not a good way to go into competing but now I'm not thinking about it when I'm playing."

The three-time major champion is also scheduled to play in the inaugural ATP Cup in Australia, starting Jan 3.

"I was asked what would be success in Australia and I don't know how I'll perform," Murray added.

"I'm not expecting to win the tournament (Australian Open) but if I can play a five-set match and get through and have no ill effects on the hip... that's success."

]]> 2019-11-28 00:00:00 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/27/content_37525765.htm MILAN - Napoli heads for Liverpool on Wednesday for a Champions League game which could prove crucial to coach Carlo Ancelotti's future at the troubled Italian club.

]]> Coach's future at troubled Italian club could hinge on daunting Liverpool trip

MILAN - Napoli heads for Liverpool on Wednesday for a Champions League game which could prove crucial to coach Carlo Ancelotti's future at the troubled Italian club.

The three-time Champions League-winning coach's second season at Stadio San Paolo has proved to be a complicated one, after leading it to second in Serie A in his first year.

His team's fortunes have waned after the high of opening its Champions League campaign with a 2-0 win over reigning champion Liverpool. Dressing-room unrest abounds amid friction between players and the club's board.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis ordered the team to be confined to a week-long training camp earlier this month after a 2-1 league defeat to Roma saw it slip to seventh in Serie A.

But as Ancelotti voiced his disagreement with the lockdown, the players returned home after a 1-1 draw at Red Bull Salzburg three days later, which stalled its bid to reach the Champions League last 16.

"The relationship between the president and I is excellent and nothing changes," Ancelotti, 60, had insisted after saying he disagreed with the training camp.

Movie mogul De Laurentiis threatened to sell the entire squad and take legal action against the players after a dressing-room revolt.

And the sanctions began to fall this week amid reports on Monday the players would receive hefty fines for breaking the lockdown.

Gazzetta Dello Sport reported that players' salaries for November - apart from those out injured at the time - will be cut by a quarter.

Brazilian Allan, who had an argument with Edoardo De Laurentiis, son of the Napoli president, will see his salary slashed by half, or 200,000 euros ($220,000).

In total, players' salaries will be cut by 2.5 million euros ($2.7 million).

Media blackout

The club has also imposed a media silence, with Ancelotti and the players refusing to speak after Saturday's 1-1 draw against AC Milan extended its winless run to six games in all competitions, and left it 15 points behind Serie A leader Juventus and out of the European qualification places.

However, under UEFA rules Ancelotti will be obliged to speak during a news conference at Anfield on the eve of the Liverpool match, with Napoli confirming that he will be present.

"We are not satisfied with the performance and the ranking, but it is also true that we deserved more points and more luck in various games," Ancelotti said earlier this month.

"The situation must be considered with a cool head."

Ex-Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri, meanwhile, was seen in the stands at San Siro on Saturday, fuelling speculation he could be waiting in the wings.

Napoli is still on course to qualify for the Champions League knockout rounds as it currently sits second in Group E behind Liverpool, four points ahead of third-place Salzburg with two games to play.

Ancelotti's side will reach the last 16 if it beats Liverpool or if Salzburg does not defeat Genk, having failed to advance past the group stage last season.

But Napoli comes up against a Liverpool side which has an eightpoint lead at the top of the Premier League and whose only loss this season came at the San Paolo.

To add to its problems, Napoli will be without captain Lorenzo Insigne, who hurt his elbow in Saturday's match.

The Italian forward has scored five times for Napoli this campaign, and also scored the last-gasp winner against Liverpool in last season's 1-0 group-stage victory in Naples.

Polish forward Arkadiusz Milik has an abdominal inflammation, joining an injury list which already includes defensive duo Kevin Malcuit and Faouzi Ghoulam.

But Portuguese fullback Mario Rui and Spanish midfielder Fabian Ruiz, absent against Milan, have been named in the squad.

Ancelotti arrived in Naples boasting three Champions League trophies from his time with Milan and Real Madrid, and a Premier League trophy from his tenure at Chelsea.

But Napoli's chances of ending Juve's domestic domination have faded along with its hopes of a first Serie A title since the days of Diego Maradona, who also helped it win its only European trophy - the 1989 UEFA Cup.

]]> 2019-11-27 07:47:19 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/27/content_37525764.htm Ever since Brazil-born Ai Kesen's groundbreaking debut in the red of Team China, debate has raged on the issue of naturalized players in Chinese soccer.

]]> With Team China's squad featuring two foreign-born stars, new CFA proposals look to strike right balance on imports

Ever since Brazil-born Ai Kesen's groundbreaking debut in the red of Team China, debate has raged on the issue of naturalized players in Chinese soccer.

The Guangzhou Evergrande forward, aka Elkeson, became the first player without Chinese heritage to play for the national team in a September World Cup qualifier in the Maldives. He joined England-born Li Ke, who has a mother of Chinese origin, as the squad's second naturalized player.

The question of just how far the Chinese Football Association might take their naturalization policy has inevitably arisen, with some fans even concerned that homegrown players could one day be in the minority in the domestic game.

According to Beijing Youth Daily, the CFA and representatives of the 16 Chinese Super League clubs met in Shanghai on Monday to address potential rule changes on naturalized players, with a number of eyecatching proposals emerging from the summit that could be enforced next season.

Perhaps the most significant proposal of all is that naturalized players with Chinese ancestry will be classified as homegrown and, as such, will be subject to the same rules, including the salary cap, that domestic players must adhere to.

It is reported that the CFA wants to permit each CSL club to register a maximum of two naturalized players without Chinese heritage, but with only one allowed on the pitch at the same time.

This season, clubs have been permitted four foreigners in match-day squads, with three allowed on the pitch simultaneously.

Current CSL leader Evergrande, which is expected to wrap up a record-extending eighth domestic title on Sunday, would appear to have the most to lose from the would-be policy.

Evergrande striker Ai Kesen has reportedly been assisting the club in efforts to persuade more players to join its naturalized ranks, meaning some could be facing up to loan spells elsewhere.

"Right now only Guangzhou Evergrande and Shandong Luneng have naturalized players without Chinese heritage, and under the new policy, it seems that Evergrande can only keep Ai Kesen and Ricardo Goulart," soccer reporter Zhao Yu wrote on social media.

"In the future, it will be much harder for new naturalized players without Chinese heritage to enter Chinese professional leagues."

While Ai Kesen has helped level up standards at Evergrande and the national team, splashing out on foreigners not as feasible for clubs with lesser financial resources.

That has led to fears that unregulated naturalization could widen the gap between the haves and have-nots as powerhouses like Evergrande could choose to inject more foreign talent into their squads, thereby extending their trophy collections and growing their coffers.

Striking the right balance between upping playing standards and giving young homegrown talent enough minutes on the pitch is also a concern.

Salary cap

Monday's meeting in Shanghai also discussed implementing a stricter salary cap.

Last Wednesday, a CFA statement demanded that all clubs delay the signing of new contracts for domestic players in its top three tiers. The CFA said the move was in the interests of all professional clubs and the healthy development of Chinese soccer.

Beijing Youth Daily reported that CSL players' salaries will remain capped at 10 million yuan ($1.4 million), but it's expected that efforts will be increased to clamp down on clubs that try to exploit loopholes in the rules. Caps of 6 million yuan and 3 million yuan will apply to second - and third-tier teams, respectively.

It is also proposed that any player earning the uppermost level of the cap - 10 million yuan - will require the club's permission if he wants to transfer teams.

Moreover, each club will be permitted one so-called "Super Foreign Player", whose transfer fee should not exceed 25 million euros ($28 million), with no limits on his salary.

This proposal, however, did not go down well with a number of clubs, who argued that the "super" player's unlimited salary may breach existing rules on investment and could potentially be damaging to a squad's overall cohesion.

A final round of talks is scheduled for early December when the CFA will hope to iron out these details.

Ultimately, the CFA hopes any rule changes are fair and to the benefit of the Chinese game, particularly youth development.

Ai Kesen (right) and Li Ke this year became Team China's first ever naturalized players. Brazil-born Ai Kesen's selection garnered extra attention given he has no Chinese heritage, with the CFA now looking to limit clubs to two such players per squad. Xinhua

]]> 2019-11-27 07:47:19 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/26/content_37525496.htm Victory against Olympiacos will seal Tottenham's place in last 16

Jose Mourinho's charm offensive has been in overdrive during his whirlwind first few days at Tottenham Hotspur.

He has lauded Tottenham's training complex as being "second to none" and without comparison across Europe "at any level". He says he has slept in the club's pajamas at its on-site hotel which he rates as "six star," with its "soft pillows" and "amazing duvet".

As far for Spurs' new home, it's "the best stadium in the world", as the former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United boss continued his quest to win over fans who might still be skeptical about his appointment.

Getting the team through to the knockout stage of the Champions League wouldn't do him any harm in the ingratiation process.

Three days after guiding Spurs to a Premier League victory at West Ham in his first match since replacing Mauricio Pochettino, Mourinho will take charge of them in a home match for the first time when Greek side Olympiacos visits on Tuesday in the Champions League.

A victory guarantees progress out of Group B alongside Bayern Munich with a game to spare.

It would complete a decent week's work for Mourinho as he attempts to rebuild his coaching reputation after a fractious, and ultimately disappointing, two-and-a-half-year spell at United that ended almost 12 months ago.

The Portuguese coach hugged his players and kept a respectful distance from the traveling Spurs fans while he celebrated the 3-2 win against West Ham on Saturday. It might take some time for them to accept Mourinho and take him to their hearts, especially considering the work Pochettino did in raising standards at Tottenham - even getting the north Londoners to a Champions League final last season when it lost to Liverpool.

Mourinho has done that with Porto and Inter Milan, winning the title match on both occasions, so is seeking to become the first manager to win European club soccer's biggest prize with three different clubs - all from different countries. None of them could be classed as modern-day heavyweights, making that achievement all the more impressive.

The closest he has come to winning the Champions League since his 2010 triumph with Inter was a trio of semifinal appearances - all with Madrid - in 2011,'12 and '13. He managed to steer United out of its group last season, only to get fired before the knockout stages even began.

If he was happy to be back in the Premier League - his "natural habitat," he called it - at the weekend, imagine how he will feel making a return to the Champions League arena.

Three teams have already qualified after four of the six rounds of games: Bayern, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus.

Ronaldo rested

Seeking a win to advance along with Juventus in Group D, Atletico Madrid is well aware of the dangers of a rested Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo took some time off before the second leg of his team's last-16 tie last season and responded with a hat-trick against his former club as Juve overturned a 2-0 deficit.

Ronaldo was rested again last weekend, for Juve's 3-1 win at Atalanta, as he continues to recover from a knee injury.

The 34-year-old Ronaldo showed little sign of any problem while playing for Portugal in its recent European Championship qualifiers, bagging a hat-trick in one match and also netting in another.

Juventus is looking to secure top spot in the group with a win on Tuesday.

Dortmund's decline

Borussia Dortmund coach Lucien Favre has little room for error ahead of his side's trip to Barcelona on Wednesday.

A win would put the German side, which is a point behind first-place Barca in Group F, through to the knockout stage, but the manner of Dortmund's performance will have a big say in Favre's future.

Dortmund fans reacted with fury after a 3-3 draw with last-place Paderborn in the Bundesliga on Friday, berating the players after their latest lackluster performance in a signal that their patience is wearing thin.

Barcelona can seal first place in the group with a win.

Real revenge

Real Madrid can qualify from Group A - and gain a measure of revenge - by beating Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. PSG overwhelmed Madrid 3-0 in Paris in September, a result that left Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane under some pressure.

"We're in better shape," said Zidane, whose team is only behind Barcelona in the Spanish league on goal difference. "We had a tough game in Paris, but that's in the past."

Group C leader Manchester City will advance by beating Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk at home on Tuesday.

Liverpool has a one-point lead over Napoli heading into their Group E meeting on Wednesday. Red Bull Salzburg is a further four points back before its game against out-of-contention Genk.

In Group H, Ajax, Chelsea and Valencia are all on seven points. Valencia hosts Chelsea on Wednesday, when Ajax travels to Lille.

In Group G, RB Leipzig and Lyon can advance by beating Benfica and Zenit St. Petersburg, respectively, on Wednesday.

]]> 2019-11-26 08:07:05 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/26/content_37525495.htm MADRID - Rafael Nadal gave all he had on the Caja Magica center court in Madrid.

The top-ranked Spanish star even admitted he risked getting injured by playing eight matches - five singles, three doubles - in six days at the Davis Cup Finals, the new World Cup of men's team tennis.

Nadal won all his matches, leading Spain to its sixth Davis Cup with a victory over first-time finalist Canada on Sunday.

But in Nadal's opinion, the only hero for Spain was grieving teammate Roberto Bautista Agut. He sent Spain on its way to victory by winning the first singles match on Sunday, three days after the death of his father.

"I've won the eight matches but the person who was vital in this Davis Cup was Roberto," Nadal said. "For me, what he did was something almost (super) human. I don't know how to explain it. It will be an example for the rest of my life. He had to leave, then his dad died, then he came back and practiced with us yesterday, and today he was ready again to play at a very high level. It was something incredible."

Before Nadal defeated Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 7-6 (7) to clinch the title, Bautista Agut had given Spain a 1-0 lead by beating Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6 (3), 6-3.

Bautista Agut pointed his finger to the sky after winning his match, and was in tears while speaking briefly to the crowd.

"It was an amazing feeling on the court today," said Bautista Agut, whose father died on Thursday - a day after his son had defeated Nikola Mektic of Croatia - with his health deteriorating quickly after an illness that stemmed from a 2016 accident.

It was Nadal who had tears in his eyes when Bautista Agut thanked him for his efforts during the tournament.

"You gave us goosebumps all week, especially today," Bautista Agut said. "Thank you. I'm sure that next year you will do it again."

The 31-year-old Bautista Agut, ranked ninth in the world, played as teammates Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers nursed injuries entering the final.

"I had the opportunity to play today because all the team and all the players did an unbelievable effort since the first day," Bautista Agut said.

Nadal considered himself lucky to be able to play all matches.

"It's true that I held up, but we know that playing so many matches in this (hardcourt) surface is risky for me, something can happen at any time," Nadal said. "That's how it's been in the past, but luckily I held up."

Granollers and Lopez had been scheduled to face Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil in an ultimately canceled doubles rubber, although Nadal was likely to play if the title had been at stake. Nadal played in the decisive doubles on Friday and Saturday.

Voted the tournament's best player, Nadal sealed the title with his 29th straight Davis Cup singles win, igniting the host's celebrations.

Tournament organizer and Barcelona soccer star Gerard Pique, his pop-star wife Shakira - who performed in the closing ceremony - and Spanish King Felipe VI were among those celebrating Spain's triumph.

Spain's other Davis Cup titles were in 2000,'04,'08,'09 and'11.

Canada was seeking its first Davis Cup title since debuting in the competition in 1913.

"I feel like we've really come really far as a team, as a nation," the 20-year-old Shapovalov said. "Definitely we're super proud. Obviously it sucks, sucks losing in the finals. But I'm super proud of everyone. We've put in 120 percent every single day. It's amazing how far we've been able to come."

The Canadians, who were without the injured Milos Raonic, eliminated Italy and the United States in the group stage, and Australia and Russia in the knockout rounds.

]]> 2019-11-26 08:07:05 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/26/content_37525494.htm Chinese paddlers pocket $100K each after taking contrasting routes to glory

China swept the singles crowns at the T2 Diamond Singapore tournament on Sunday as Xu Xin and Sun Yingsha enjoyed bumper pay days of $100,000 apiece.

Xu proved too strong for Lin Yunju of Chinese Taipei to ease to victory 3-0 (11-9, 11-5, 11-8 and 11-6) in the men's final, but compatriot Sun Yingsha needed to dig much deeper to overcome Japan's Mima Ito, eventually prevailing 4-3 (11-7, 11-3, 6-11, 7-11, 5-3, 3-5, 5-4) in another engrossing battle that is now the norm in their burgeoning rivalry.

The prize money was a secondary concern for both China's champions, although afterward Xu admitted he was looking forward to treating his family by dipping into his winner's purse.

China's Xu Xin serves to Lin Yun-ju of Chinese Taipei during their men's singles final at the T2 Diamond tournament in Singapore on Sunday. Xu won in straight games to pocket a $100,000 first prize. Xinhua

"Had I finished second, I was going to use the prize money to buy milk powder for my kids! But now that I've won, I should buy a couple of designer handbags for my wife too!" joked Xu.

Expectations were high that Lin Yun-ju would go the distance against Xu.

The 18-year-old has taken the table tennis world by storm this year, stunning Ma Long and Fan Zhendong on his way to the T2 Diamond Malaysia title four months ago.

It looked as if he might be on his way to a second T2 Diamond triumph on Sunday when he left another Chinese powerhouse, second seed Lin Gaoyuan, in a spin after a straight-games victory (11-6, 11-10, 11-8, 11-8) in their semifinal.

However, Xu proved an entirely different proposition. After a tightly contested first game (11-9), Lin couldn't live with Xu's relentless forehand pressure to easily succumb to a straight-games loss.

"Mentally I felt really good in this tournament and played with a happy heart. It feels like home ground playing in Singapore and I hope fans will continue to turn up and support their favorite players," said Xu, who added that he was inspired by teammates Ma's tough training schedule.

"Chinese Table Tennis Association chairman Liu Guoliang posted a video on social media of Ma Long training," explained Xu. "When you see such a talented player training even on weekends, apart from being a big encouragement for me, it shows me that I have to work harder."

Xu was equally impressive in his semifinal as he made quick work of another rising star - blowing away Japanese 16-year-old Tomokazu Harimoto, seeded third, 4-1 (11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 5-4).

Xu is making habit of schooling both up-and-coming teenagers - winning all six of his encounters with Harimoto and all three against Lin Yun-ju.

"I knew this was going to be a challenging one and he is one player that is tough to work out," said Lin Yun-ju after another humbling defeat to Xu.

"There wasn't any point when I felt comfortable at all and there were very few weaknesses in his game, even when he does make the occasional mistake."

There was some consolation for Tomokazu when he edged Lin Gaoyuan 4-3 (8-11, 3-11, 11-6, 11-10, 5-3, 3-5, 5-3) to claim third place.

T2 Diamond tournaments feature a unique "FAST5" mode, which comes into play if no player has won four games after 24 minutes. After that, all remaining games are played to five points instead of 11.

That was the route that top seed Sun Yingsha needed to take as she renewed her epic rivalry with Ito.

Sunday's Singapore clash was their fifth meeting this year, with Sun now having won four of those. She also beat Ito at the world championships in Budapest, the German stop of the World Tour and at the Team World Cup in Tokyo. Ito's solitary victory came earlier this month in Sweden.

Sun also negotiated tough matches en route to the Sunday's final, beating teammate Wang Manyu, seeded fourth, 4-2(7-11, 11-7, 6-11, 5-1, 5-0, 5-1).

Ito had an easier time in her semi, ousting 15th seed Jeon Ji-hee of South Korea 4-2(11-7, 5-11, 11-10, 11-2, 5-1). Jeon had accounted for China's world No 1 Chen Meng in the quarterfinals.

Afterward Sun said that the $100,000 first prize "was not important", adding: "The more important thing is to gain experience against a player of Ito's caliber.

"Every time I play her, I learn something and I'm expecting to face her more in the future."

Ito is also clearly relishing the rivalry. She said: "Although I lost, I truly enjoyed this match. Sun has plenty of new techniques that I'm able to learn from and continue to improve my game.

"The T2 format really sharpens my mental strength as you can't afford any mistakes in the FAST5 mode."

China's defending champion Zhu Yuling crashed out in the last 16, losing 4-3 to Wang.

]]> 2019-11-26 08:07:05 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/26/content_37525493.htm Wu Lei hopes his first goal of the current Spanish season can kick-start Espanyol's campaign as the Barcelona-based club fights for its La Liga life.

Wu volleyed home from close range from a corner on the stroke of halftime to cancel out Jaime Mata's third-minute opener for visitor Getafe and earn Espanyol its first point in four matches.

The host laid siege to the Getafe goal in the second half but the Madrid-based side survived the onslaught as goalkeeper David Soria denied Wu a winner with a string of superb saves.

The point leaves Espanyol still mired in the relegation zone, three points above basement dweller Leganes, which it faces on Dec 22, three points behind third-from-bottom Celta Vigo, and a daunting five points from safety.

With just two wins on the board after 14 games, Espanyol will need to start notching victories quickly to have any chance of survival in the top flight - a situation of which Wu is acutely aware.

"I'm not satisfied. We all know how important this game was and we were playing in front of our home crowd," said Wu, whose goal was his first in La Liga since netting against Real Sociedad in May.

"I'm very happy to score but unfortunately it's not a perfect result. It would have been perfect if my goal had delivered three points for my team.

"Our team is at a critical stage. We need a key victory to help the team climb out of trouble. I wasted several chances to put the game to bed, so I still have room to improve. Hopefully, though, it will provide a fresh start for us. I want to thank all our fans who are supporting us at such a difficult time."

Wu later posted on Weibo: "I believe things will be better!"

The 27-year-old has endured a difficult second season in Spain after joining Chinese-owned Espanyol from Shanghai SIPG in January for a reported fee of 2 million euros (around $2.25 million).

The deal saw Wu become the first Chinese to sign permanently for a Spanish top-flight club, with some observers suspicious that the move was motivated more by his marketing potential than his ability on the pitch.

However, he proved the doubters wrong, popping up with a number of vital goals and assists to help steer Espanyol out of the relegation mire. The team eventually finished seventh to book a spot in the Europa League qualifying rounds, which Espanyol safely negotiated.

In October, the forward became the first Chinese man to score in a major UEFA club competition, excluding the qualifying rounds, by bagging Espanyol's 64th-minute opener in a 2-0 Europa League victory at CSKA Moscow.

Espanyol's domestic troubles contrast sharply with its form in Europe's second-tier club competition, with the Spanish club sitting top of Group H and on course to reach the knockout stage with two matches remaining.

The team will resume its Europa League adventure against Hungary's Ferencvaros in Budapest on Thursday before hosting 11th-place Osasuna in a crucial La Liga match on Sunday.

"Our home game against Osasuna is really important," Wu said. "We really need a victory to climb up the table. Hopefully we can do it."

Espanyol's precarious situation has not been helped by several changes in coaching personnel since last term.

Rubi, the head coach Wu had thrived under last term, departed for Real Betis to be replaced by David Gallego. However, after just one win in eight matches, Gallego was fired last month and replaced by former Girona and Sevilla boss Pablo Machin.

The appointment initially failed to have the desired effect. However, after Sunday's result, the 44-year-old Machin is hopeful of turning things around.

"The point lets us see that there is light at the end of the tunnel," said the coach.

]]> 2019-11-26 08:07:05 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/25/content_37525200.htm LEVI, Finland - Coming off a record-breaking season with 17 race wins, Mikaela Shiffrin didn't need much time in the new campaign to reach yet another milestone.

]]> American shoots to top of all-time slalom standings

LEVI, Finland - Coming off a record-breaking season with 17 race wins, Mikaela Shiffrin didn't need much time in the new campaign to reach yet another milestone.

The American set the all-time World Cup record for most slalom wins by any skier on Saturday, after earning her 41st career victory in the discipline at the season-opening slalom race.

Shiffrin beat the 32-year-old best mark from Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark, who won 40 slaloms between 1974 and 1987. Shiffrin amassed her total in just seven years, having won her first race in December 2012.

"I don't feel super emotional, I am just happy," said Shiffrin, who usually refrains from focusing on records or statistics. "I am happy with my skiing for the first (slalom) race of the season."

Shiffrin, the 2014 Olympic and four-time world champion, has held the women's record since passing Marlies Raich's tally of 35 slalom wins a year ago.

On Saturday, Shiffrin came from behind to defeat Petra Vlhova, runner-up to the three-time champion in the overall standings last season.

Vlhova, who won this race in 2017, led by 0.13 seconds after the opening run but skied out early in her final run and failed to finish, immediately after the American had posted the fastest run time by far.

"I had a solid first run and in the second run I was really attacking and fighting," Shiffrin said. "I may have been a little bit lucky but we have no idea how (Vlhova) was going to finish."

Even with Vlhova skiing out, the duo looked set to continue dominating the discipline, as all 21 World Cup slaloms since January 2017 have been won by either Shiffrin (17) or Vlhova (4).

On Saturday, Wendy Holdener finished runner-up but trailed Shiffrin by 1.78 seconds, a country mile in a sport mostly decided by hundredths of a second.

The Swiss skier had been nursing an elbow injury in recent weeks but improved from sixth position after the opening run.

"I still can't fully stretch the arm but you don't need that in slalom," Holdener said. "I am just happy that I could start here."

Katharina Truppe of Austria was 1.94 behind in third, while the rest of the field finished more than 2.4 seconds off the pace.

In the opening run, Shiffrin and Vlhova had already created a gap to the rest of the field of almost a full second, with Vlhova leading the American by 0.13.

"It was OK, I felt pretty solid with my skiing," Shiffrin said after the first run. "I think there are some spots where I can be a little bit more relaxed."

Vlhova was 0.32 behind Shiffrin at the second check point but found a smoother line going over a roll into the steep part of the Levi Black course.

"I didn't do a great job on this one. It's pretty sharp. I think Petra did quite a good job there," Shiffrin said. "I like to be in a position where I am kind of coming from behind and chasing."

New Zealand teenager Alice Robinson, who beat Shiffrin in the season-opening giant slalom in Austria last month, was sitting out the race with a knee injury.

It was Shiffrin's fourth career triumph in the race in Finnish Lapland, where winners receive a reindeer.

The win also gave Shiffrin an early lead in the overall standings, going into the World Cup weekend in Killington, Vermont, next week.

"It's a really good start to the season. It's always great to be on the podium, in Soelden and then here," Shiffrin said. "It helps with the confidence in the next races to know my speed is there."

The races in Killington include a GS on Saturday and a slalom the following day.

 

]]> 2019-11-25 08:04:26 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/25/content_37525199.htm The legendary Mark Todd may have swapped eventing for the race track but he's still got one very special reason to keep a close eye on next year's Tokyo Olympics.

The 63-year-old Kiwi, who won two individual golds and three bronzes over the course of seven Olympics, announced his retirement in July after helping New Zealand win the Nations Cup at the Camphire International Horse Trials in Ireland.

He'll be in Tokyo in spirit, however, when, if all goes to plan, one dear old friend of his is negotiating the fences.

"I won't go to Tokyo unless I have a role in the New Zealand team, but I will be watching the competition because my horse McClaren will be there," Todd told Xinhua over the weekend at Equitana Auckland, an equestrian expo event in his homeland.

"It was a fantastic little horse," added Todd of McClaren, who is now with his former teammate Jonelle Price. "I am hoping that they have a good partnership and they can go to the Olympic Games. That will give me added interest in Tokyo. I will be very happy to watch what they will do. Maybe I am a little bit jealous."

Todd, voted Rider of the 20th Century by world governing body the FEI, had originally planned to compete in Tokyo before changing his mind and calling it quits.

"I just did not have the motivation to put that work in. Yes, I can go there and maybe finish top 10. But to win it, you have to put so much effort in. I just don't want to do that every day. It is very time-consuming as well. There are other things I want to do.

"I'd originally planned to go to Tokyo, but at the beginning of this year I had the opportunity to get back to racing again. When this opportunity came up, as soon as that happened, eventing did not have the same appeal."

Since retiring, Todd has been focused on training his 10 racehorses, arising at 6 am each morning to head to the stables.

"Hopefully, I get all the work finished by midday. And then there are always other things to do. Sometimes I still do some teaching for eventing. It seems I never have enough time. In the afternoon, all the horses come back again and I need to make sure they are OK."

Todd is back in New Zealand for the second biennial Equitana Auckland, where his illustrious career was celebrated with a look back on his achievements on Thursday evening.

"It always amazed me how well people received me here," he said. "I haven't spent time in New Zealand in the last 40 years. But I am still a New Zealander. We like our sports heroes."

He said the expo, which mainly focused on education, is a great way to promote equestrianism in his country.

"We don't have a huge history and industry around horses. In Europe they have a long history of breeding sports horses. We don't have that here. So I think the idea is great to create education to try to encourage more people to do it better."

Todd, who also won four Badminton titles and five Burghley crowns, has been always been a hero for Chinese eventer Alex Hua Tian, who became the youngest rider in history to compete at an Olympic Games when he was 18 in 2008.

An image of the two riders sitting together on an oak tree ahead of the Beijing Games garnered plenty of attention in the world's most populous nation at the time.

"That picture was taken at the Badminton horse show," Todd said. "Alex was based in England. I don't know him really well but I see him around a lot."

A fall in the cross-country competition meant Hua Tian's Olympic debut ended in disqualification. After narrowly missing out on the 2012 London Games, he finished eighth in Rio four years later.

"You cannot go and ride every time," Todd said. "It is like life. You have highs and lows. You need to cope with the time when things aren't going right. I have had a lot of that. Give yourself 24 hours, feel sorry for yourself and you just get back on it and keep going again."

Todd has experienced plenty of disappointments himself, and cites losing a horse to a broken leg at Badminton as one of his lowest points.

"That was one of the worst moments. You know that they are your friend, your partner. You are just helpless when something like that happens," he said.

And he also knows the pain of Olympic failure. In Rio, Todd had four fences down to cost New Zealand a medal.

"You feel bad for yourself," he said. "You let the whole country down, you let the owners down, you let the other teammates down. I was the last one to jump. For me, it was really a low point."

Overall, though, he can look back on his career with satisfaction.

"I don't have the desire to do anything more in eventing. I have had an amazing career. I have been very fortunate to win as much as I have won.

"My challenge is in the racing. I'd like to have a good horse to win good races in Europe."

 

]]> 2019-11-25 08:04:26 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/25/content_37525198.htm China's Xu Can lived up to his "Monster" nickname by pummeling the previously unbeaten Manny Robles III in a thrilling encounter to retain his World Boxing Association featherweight title via unanimous decision in Indio, California, on Saturday.

]]> Chinese star puts on superb show in US to retain world featherweight belt

China's Xu Can lived up to his "Monster" nickname by pummeling the previously unbeaten Manny Robles III in a thrilling encounter to retain his World Boxing Association featherweight title via unanimous decision in Indio, California, on Saturday.

Xu threw an incredible 1,562 punches (landing 402 of them) to Robles' 765 (landing 199) to convince the judges, who scored it 120-108, 119-109 and 118-110.

"I kept my promise that I made before the match, which was to keep the golden belt in China." Xu said in a video to fans posted on Weibo after improving to 18-2 (3 KO).

"I hope the victory brings you joy. I presented you an evolved version of Xu Can, who has already become a monster. I hope you can support me as usual, and I will for sure bring more surprises to you."

With Mexican Leo Santa Cruz moving up to super featherweight, Can could find himself in the mix for the WBA's elite "super" world title. American Shakur Stevenson is the division's WBO champion, with Briton Josh Warrington the IBO champ.

The 25-year-old Xu, who hails from Fuzhou in Jiangxi province, has enjoyed a stellar year, claiming the lesser of the WBA's two world featherweight belts by stunning Puerto Rico's Jesus Rojas in Houston in January.

Xu won his first defense by stopping former champion Shun Kubo of Japan in six rounds in Fuzhou in May, with Saturday's bout the first time a Chinese has defended a world title in the United States.

Xu, China's youngest professional world boxing champion, made his debut in November 2013.

He is China's third world champion following former WBO flyweight king Zou Shiming and ex-WBC minimumweight winner Xiong Chaozhong, who were crowned at the ages of 35 and 30, respectively.

Xu fans made their presence felt with Chinese flags and banners at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, and their fighter didn't disappoint.

Despite making a big step up in opposition, Robles held his own admirably early on. The 25-yearold, who resides in Los Angeles, scored heavily by countering with right hands to the head.

However, by the fifth round, the momentum began to swing in Xu's favor, as the Chinese star inflicted damage with quick-fire combinations that invariably ended with left hooks to Robles' body.

Robles regained some composure in the 10th to land some telling blows but it was too little, too late as Xu withstood the barrage to edge an enthralling encounter which the lop-sided scorecards did not properly reflect.

Robles fell to 18-1 with eight wins inside the distance.

Wilder reigns

Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, home favorite Deontay Wilder floored Cuba's Luis Ortiz in the seventh round to retain his WBC world heavyweight title and set up a lucrative rematch with Tyson Fury in February.

The 34-year-old Wilder landed a devastating right hand to end the fight and move a step closer to his goal of unifying all four heavyweight belts with an explosive finish at MGM Grand Hotel.

Unbeaten in 43 fights (42-0-1, 41 KO) and widely regarded as the most destructive puncher in the heavyweight division, the 'Bronze Bomber' recorded his 10th straight title defense, joining Muhammad Ali who did it between 1974 and 1978.

Wilder waited patiently for his big moment and when it came late in the seventh it was stunning. He followed a jab with a crushing straight right that sent Ortiz crashing to the canvas.

Ortiz eventually hauled himself up but clearly could not continue. The fight was officially stopped at 2:51 in the seventh.

This was a rematch of their 2018 fight where Wilder battled through adversity to deliver a 10th-round stoppage.

"My intellect is very high in the ring and no one gives me credit," Wilder said. "I think I buzzed him with a left hook earlier in the round and I took it from there."

Ortiz (31-2) didn't protest the ending, but said he thought he beat the count.

"I was clear-headed when I hit the canvas," he said. "When I heard the referee say seven I was trying to get up but I guess the count went a little quicker than I thought."

Wilder made at least $3 million for the fight, but figures to make much more when he and Fury meet in a Feb 22 rematch of their fight a year ago that ended in a disputed draw.

His win helped clarify the top of the heavyweight division, though, which will be sorted out further when Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr. meet on Dec 7 in their title rematch in Saudi Arabia.

"Next we have Tyson Fury in the rematch," Wilder said. "Then I want unification. I want one champion, one face and one heavyweight champion - Deontay Wilder.

"The heavyweight division is too small to have so many belts lingering around. It should be just be one champion and I think I'm the perfect man for that job."

The last two years in heavyweight boxing have provided plenty of rousing matchups and renewed enthusiasm, in contrast to the previous 15 years or so which were dominated by the Klitschko brothers, Wladimir and Vitali.

The 40-year-old Ortiz, who was coming off three straight wins, was trying to become the first Cuban to win the world heavyweight title. "It was a war," he said. "I told everyone it wasn't going to go 12 rounds."

Xu Can lands a right hook on Manny Robles III during their WBA world featherweight title fight at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California on Saturday. Xu won by unanimous decision (120-108, 119-109, 118-110) to retain his belt. Golden boy promotions Via Getty

]]> 2019-11-25 08:04:26 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/25/content_37525197.htm

International Team star Hideki Matsuyama is gunning for revenge against the United States' playing captain Tiger Woods at next month's Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne in Australia.

Ahead of his fourth appearance in the biennial team competition (Dec 9-15), the 27-year-old Matsuyama finished runner-up to Woods on home turf at October's inaugural ZoZo Championship as the American legend secured a record-tying 82nd PGA Tour victory.

The usually stoic Japanese ace was disappointed he could not to deliver a home victory, saying: "I must exact revenge here next year. He (Woods) is coming back and I will be here."

However, instead of having to wait another 11 months, Matsuyama will have a crack at making immediate amends at Royal Melbourne Golf Club after Woods named himself as one of his four captain's picks for the prestigious match-play tournament.

Woods will become only the second playing captain in Presidents Cup history, emulating Hale Irwin who was on double duty in the inaugural edition in 1994.

A five-time PGA Tour winner, Matsuyama has featured in the last three Presidents tournaments but has yet to taste victory. He holds a 4-6-3 career record, which he hopes to drastically improve under captain Ernie Els' leadership.

"I would really love to contribute to the team. I'm the only Japanese player on the International Team and I will try my best to represent the country of Japan," Matsuyama said. "The US Team is very strong and I think teamwork will be extremely important. For us to do well, I will aim to do my best."

Els, who has followed Matsuyama's progress closely since he burst onto the scene with a maiden PGA Tour victory at the 2014 Memorial Tournament, is counting on the 27-year-old to deliver the goods.

"He's a great, talented player," Els said. "This will be his fourth Presidents Cup and he's not been on a winning team. I can see him being very keen to win. He's had a few close run-ins with the US Team, so he'll be ready to fight."

The South African great, who is leading the International Team for the first time, is undecided on who can partner Matsuyama in the four-balls and foursomes over the first three days of competition.

"He might be a difficult one to get a partner for but I'll make that happen," Els said. "His character is that he's a winner. He takes it very seriously and he's his own man. I respect that."

]]> 2019-11-25 08:04:26 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/23/content_37524983.htm Olympic champ insists documents support his claim amid doping case

China's Olympic champion swimmer Sun Yang has accused a nurse involved in his doping case of not possessing the correct credentials and therefore collecting his blood sample illegally.

"She violated provincial regulations for China's nurses. Worse, she did not have a valid nursing qualification certificate, or a nursing professional certificate, and only showed me an expired certificate," Sun wrote on Weibo.

Sun also criticized what he described as the unfair treatment of Chinese athletes at a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing in Montreux, Switzerland, on Nov 15.

The case centers on Sun's alleged non-cooperation with three testers on Sept 4.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed to CAS against an initial ruling by swimming's world governing body, FINA, not to sanction Sun for alleged anti-doping violations.

The three-time Olympic champion said that on the night in question, three anti-doping officers from international testing company IDTM refused to show him their authorized certification, documents and valid accreditation.

In a picture posted on Weibo, Sun showed two nursing certificates in blue covers: a qualification certificate and a professional certificate.

The 28-year-old freestyle specialist wrote on Weibo: "According to regulations on China's nurses, those who practice across geographical areas must go through the relevant registration and filing procedures, otherwise they may not practice in areas other than where they are registered.

"If such rules are violated, the relevant medical and health institutions shall make a decision on handling such a case according to the law.

"The World Anti-Doping Regulations and ISTI(International Standard for Testing and Investigations) standards clearly state that the blood inspectors should first comply with the mandatory legal provisions of the country in which the blood collection is conducted.

"The blood inspector had her nurse practice registration for a hospital in Shanghai, so how could she illegally collect my blood in Hangzhou?

"The most critical part was that she only showed me an expired nursing qualification certificate, rather than a valid one, and she also had no nursing professional certificate. I am very curious to know how the relevant medical and health institutions in Shanghai will deal with the illegal acts of the blood inspector."

One of the three IDTM testers has told Xinhua he was not a trained Doping Control Assistant (DCA) but a construction worker.

The man, who insisted on anonymity, said "he had never been trained as a doping control officer", adding that he was providing temporary help for IDTM at the request of a former middle-school classmate, who works for the company.

"I sent my testimony in a written letter to CAS and WADA and was ready to testify via a video conference call before the public hearing, but no one contacted me," said the "temporary" DCA.

]]> 2019-11-23 07:35:05 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/23/content_37524982.htm

RIO DE JANEIRO - Two years ago, Brazilian striker Gabriel Barbosa had become a bit of laughing stock in Europe.

The forward wasn't exactly living up to his nickname of "Gabigol," scoring just one league goal for Inter Milan in 2016-17 and then none for Benfica during a loan spell the next year.

On Saturday, though, Gabriel can cap a remarkable turnaround by giving Brazilian club Flamengo it's first Copa Libertadores trophy in 38 years.

Gabriel is seen as Flamengo's main threat in the final against defending champion River Plate of Argentina, having scored 22 goals in 26 domestic league matches this season.

He also has another seven goals in 11 Copa Libertadores games for the Rio de Janeiro club and has returned to Brazil's national team, which he helped win the 2016 Olympic gold medal.

Fans of all ages, even those that do not support Flamengo, have started copying his latest blonde hairstyle. Some carry banners to the Maracana stadium that read: "Today Gabigol will score."

He often does.

"Now I feel ready to play in Brazil, England, Germany, Spain," Gabriel told Spanish newspaper AS ahead of the final in Lima. "I can play anywhere."

That didn't prove to be the case during his stint in Europe, prompting Inter sending him back on loan to his boyhood team Santos in 2018.

A quick recovery led Flamengo to take him on loan next, reportedly paying Gabriel $250,000 per month, a very high sum by Brazilian soccer standards. The club was hoping he would help end its major trophy drought, dating back to 2009.

The investment paid off to the extent that the Rio giant could win both the South American crown and its national championship this weekend. The latter would happen with four matches to spare if rival Palmeiras fails to beat Gremio on Sunday.

Tens of thousands of Flamengo fans followed their team's bus to Rio's international airport on Wednesday, and all are expecting Gabriel to score in Saturday's final at the Monumental Universitario stadium in Lima.

But Flamengo coach Jorge Jesus still has doubts about the striker.

"I still haven't managed to make him a great player emotionally, as he is technically and tactically," Jesus said after Gabriel was sent off in Flamengo's 1-0 win at Gremio last week.

"I haven't managed to put some balance in," the Portuguese coach added. "But he is young, he has time to change. The best players in the world do not have these issues that 'Gabigol' has."

The striker was carded 21 times in the Brazilian championship, with 19 yellows and two reds.

In better financial shape than in recent years, Flamengo could reportedly pay Inter 16 million euros ($17.7 million) to keep 'Gabigol'. But the striker also hinted he wants to return to Europe.

"Flamengo and Gabriel still have a lot of (big games) ahead," the forward said this week.

Associated Press

]]> 2019-11-23 07:35:05 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/23/content_37524981.htm

Jose Mourinho believes the quality of players he has at Tottenham do "not belong" down in 14th position in the English Premier League as he tries to salvage Spurs' season.

Mourinho starts his tenure at a third English club after grossly different experiences at Chelsea and Manchester United hoping to inspire Tottenham's first away win in the league since January at West Ham on Saturday.

That run saw Mauricio Pochettino fired on Tuesday just six months after reaching the Champions League final.

Pochettino's five-and-a-half years at the club transformed Tottenham's fortunes. The Argentine made Spurs Champions League regulars and eventually paid for his own success in raising the bar of expectations.

It also paved the way for a marriage of convenience. Tottenham needed to make a statement with Pochettino's successor to prove its growing status, and so turned to Mourinho.

Similarly, the Portuguese needs a project that will rebuild his reputation after an unhappy two-and-a-half years at United.

"In the short term we have to try to get results," said Mourinho on Thursday. "It is important in the Premier League we need to disappear from the area where we do not belong."

Spurs start the weekend 11 points adrift of the top four, having taken just 25 points from their last 24 Premier League matches.

However, Mourinho insisted he will not make big changes in personnel or to the team's style of play amid concerns from fans that the manner in which he has won so much silverware is not an easy fit with Tottenham's traditional brand of attacking soccer.

"The style of play has to be always adapted not just to the club culture, but especially to the players' qualities," he added.

"These are the players, they have the qualities, adapted to a certain way of playing football, and that's the way I want to do it."

Mourinho has spent 11 months out of the game since being fired by United in December.

And he cut a far more introspective figure as he briefed the media on Thursday than the man who announced himself as "The Special One" during his first media conference as Chelsea boss 15 years ago.

"I always thought that these 11 months were not a waste of time. These 11 months were months to think, to analyze, to prepare and anticipate things," added Mourinho.

"I had time to think about many things. Don't ask me what are the mistakes, but I realize that during my career I made mistakes. I am not going to make the same mistakes, I am going to make new mistakes."

Agence France-Presse

]]> 2019-11-23 07:35:05 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/22/content_37524845.htm Jose Mourinho's impressive track record comes with plenty of caveats

LONDON - Ousted from previous jobs for fomenting friction, Jose Mourinho is returning to coaching trying to show he is rejuvenated and with a smile back on his face.

Will Tottenham be getting a mellowed manager or the one who supposedly stoked internal feuds at Chelsea and Manchester United?

Mourinho's exile from management ended after being appointed on Wednesday by Tottenham Hotspur within 12 hours of the announcement of Mauricio Pochettino's firing.

"I couldn't be happier and look forward to the challenge," Mourinho said in a video released by Tottenham. "What can I promise? Passion, real passion.

"Passion for my job, but also passion for my club, that's the way I have been all my career and I want to try, obviously, everything to bring happiness to everyone who loves the club."

Mourinho has always delivered happiness in the form of trophies and title successes. But several of his stints have also seen the atmosphere around the team sour as his relationship broke down with club officials, players and fans.

There was the "palpable discord" that curtailed Mourinho's second spell at Chelsea in December 2015.

A turbulent two-and-a-half-year spell followed at United that ended in December 2018 when the club tired of the Portuguese picking fights and criticizing his own players as the team struggled.

But he won three Premier League titles during his two spells at Chelsea, and lifted the Europa League trophy as the highlight of his time at Old Trafford.

He now arrives at a club without a recent track record of winning titles and whose last trophy was the 2008 League Cup.

While Pochettino transformed Tottenham, achieving an unprecedented four straight top-four finishes to qualify for the Champions League, a trophy eluded the Argentine during his five-and-a-half-year stint.

He led the club to its first Champions League final last season, only to lose to Liverpool. Rather than being a springboard for a sustained Premier League challenge to deliver Spurs' first championship since 1961, Pochettino sounded increasingly unsettled.

Having said on the eve of the Champions League final that he could choose to walk away from Tottenham, that decision was taken out of Pochettino's hands 173 days later when he was fired on Tuesday night.

Tottenham's improbable run to a first European Cup final masked a drop-off in form in the Premier League that has seen the team win just six of its 24 games since February, straddling the end of last season and the start of this season.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said he turned to Mourinho to bring "energy and belief" back to the club.

"He has a wealth of experience," Levy said, "can inspire teams and is a great tactician."

Mourinho takes charge of Tottenham for the first time on Saturday at West Ham with Spurs 14th in the standings after 12 games, 11 points off the four Champions League qualification positions.

"It's a privilege when a manager goes to a club and feels that happiness in relation to the squad he is going to have," said Mourinho, who oversaw his first Tottenham training session on Wednesday.

Since leaving Porto for Chelsea in 2004, Mourinho has always worked at clubs with big budgets so Tottenham is not necessarily a natural fit.

Pochettino had to battle against the biggest teams in Europe while working with strict financial constraints, particularly as Tottenham prepared to move into its new stadium last season.

The club has prioritized developing young talent from within the academy, including striker Harry Kane and midfielder Harry Winks, and Mourinho knows he has to follow the same philosophy.

"There is not one manager in the world who does not like to play young players and help young players to evolve," Mourinho said.

"The problem is sometimes you get into clubs and the work that is below you is not good enough to produce these players."

Tottenham's players will certainly respect Mourinho's resume, which also includes league titles with Porto in Portugal, Inter Milan in Italy and Real Madrid in Spain. He has won the Champions League with two clubs, Porto in 2004 and Inter in 2010.

It is Mourinho's man-management that has mostly been questioned in the latter years of his career, given his penchant for publicly criticizing his own players.

The 56-year-old is surrounded by a new coaching staff at Tottenham, with Joao Sacramento and Nuno Santos joining from Lille.

Mourinho signed a contract to the end of the 2022-23 season with the north Londoners but has never spent more than three-and-a-half years in a single stint at one club. While Mourinho says Tottenham has "good players that the majority of the big clubs in Europe would be looking for", the squad looks in need of a revamp after growing stale because of the lack of recent recruitment.

He will need to quickly fix Tottenham's leaky defense and get more out of the team's underperforming midfielders, England international Dele Alli and Denmark playmaker Christian Eriksen.

Eriksen appeared to be on his way out of the club in the summer after being strongly linked with Real Madrid. Some reports have suggested that move could be revived in January, although the chance to work under Mourinho might persuade the Dane to stay.

Mourinho, who still has a house in London, will return to the Champions League next week, too, with Tottenham needing one win from its final two group games to reach the last 16.

Spurs are out of the League Cup, having been eliminated by fourthtier Colchester United in one of a number of recent humiliating results under Pochettino.

 

]]> 2019-11-22 07:53:23 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/22/content_37524844.htm · The translator

After an undistinguished playing career in Portugal and a spell as a PE teacher, Mourinho worked as an interpreter for former England manager Bobby Robson at Sporting Lisbon and then Porto, where they enjoyed huge success before moving to Barcelona in 1996. Robson lasted only one season at the helm of the Spanish giant but Mourinho remained as assistant to Dutchman Louis van Gaal, before securing the manager's role at Benfica in 2000.

· The European Cup winner

Short spells at Benfica and Leiria were followed by a move to Porto in early 2002, where he won the UEFA Cup and the Portuguese double in his first full season, with future stars such as Deco, Ricardo Carvalho and Vitor Baia. An even greater success was to come the following year when Porto was the shock winner of the UEFA Champions League, beating Monaco 3-0 in the 2004 final after eliminating Manchester United in the last 16 when Mourinho celebrated wildly on the Old Trafford pitch.

· The Special One

Chelsea, bankrolled by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, immediately came knocking and Mourinho was unveiled to great fanfare in June 2004, memorably describing himself as "The Special One" to assembled media. It was not an idle boast: Chelsea won the next two editions of the Premier League, and added one FA Cup and two League Cup titles in a successful first stint in west London. Mourinho's meticulous attention to detail and attritional pressing style cut a swathe through English soccer, but relations with Abramovich soured and Mourinho departed early in the 2007-08 season.

· The Italian job

Mourinho joined Italy's Inter Milan for the 2008-09 season where his legend grew with two scudettos in his first two seasons plus his second Champions League title in May 2010, beating Bayern Munich 2-0 in the final. At the time Mourinho, who clinched the Italian treble that year, was only the fourth manager to win the European title with two different clubs.

· The Real deal

Despite his success, Mourinho immediately departed for Real Madrid but his return to Spain proved ill-fated. Real won the Spanish Cup in Mourinho's first season in charge, but arch-rival Barcelona won La Liga and beat Madrid in the Champions League semifinals. The following year, Real won La Liga but again fell in the Champions League semis. Mourinho's tenure unravelled in the third season as he feuded with players including Cristiano Ronaldo, the media and officials, and poked Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova in the eye during a mass brawl. He departed at the end of the 2013 season.

· The second coming

After being snubbed by Manchester United, which chose David Moyes to replace the retiring Alex Ferguson, Mourinho rekindled his affair with Chelsea in 2013. Chelsea won the Premier League title and the League Cup for a domestic double in 2014/15, but with enthusiasm dwindling for Mourinho's defense-minded soccer, passions cooled and he left in December 2015.

· The Manchester hotel

Manchester United turned to Mourinho in 2016 but the long-awaited match was not a happy one. Mourinho, lacking the charisma of earlier incarnations and choosing to live full-time in a hotel, won the Europa League and League Cup in a promising first season. But as relations with the media deteriorated, and fans grew unhappy with United's style of play, Mourinho was fired in December 2018.

]]> 2019-11-22 07:53:23 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/22/content_37524843.htm Rapturous reception for legend but Royal Fighters drop to derby defeat

Walking onto the court he used to call "home" amid a standing ovation from fans that once roared him on as their team's hero, the memories came flooding back for Stephon Marbury on a night of highly charged and mixed emotions for the former Beijing Ducks star.

Now the head coach of the visiting Beijing Royal Fighters, Marbury's animated instructions from the sidelines in Wukesong Arena could not avert a 87-79 derby loss to the host in the American legend's seventh CBA game in charge of his new side.

However, much like old times, he left the packed 18,000-seat arena with the respect of both sets of fans and players.

Former NBA star Jeremy Lin in possession for the Beijing Ducks during Wednesday's CBA game against crosstown rival the Beijing Royal Fighters at Wukesong Arena. The Ducks won 87-79. Zhang Wei / China Daily

"Of course (it's a special game). This is where the dynasty was built," Marbury said after the pre-game practice. "For myself, I shared a lot of memories here. The memories never die. They always stay alive."

The 42-year-old was impeccably dressed for the occasion - suited up in white, the color conventionally reserved for the home team, and donning a pair of red socks, presumably in a nod to Chinese culture.

Soon after the final buzzer, Marbury embraced former teammates who had turned up to pay homage to his trophy-laden time with the Ducks, triggering another round of applause from the stands.

Being the driven winner that he is, Marbury would possibly have swapped all that adulation for a Royal Fighters victory instead.

"We played well on the defensive end but we just couldn't execute well in making shots," said Marbury, whose team will host the Ducks on Nov 26 after a two-game road trip.

"We had an 11-stop streak where we stopped them 11 times, but we couldn't convert to score the buckets. It hurt us.

"It was really a good game for the Beijing fans though. The atmosphere for basketball is so positive. When you have the opportunity for people to witness things like this, this is the juice of the league."

The sold-out derby game saw both teams struggling offensively under intense defensive pressure, with key players such as the Ducks' Asian-American guard Jeremy Lin and the Royal Fighters' former NBA center Jason Thompson stifled by foul troubles.

Boasting a young core nurtured during the Marbury-inspired title runs, the Ducks seized control midway through the fourth quarter with a barrage of 3-pointers to build a double-digit lead which they never relinquished.

American power forward Justin Hamilton led the Ducks with 21 points and 15 rebounds, while Chinese national team forward Zhai Xiaochuan and Lin contributed 20 and 16 points, respectively.

Prolific Royal Fighters scorer Kyle Fogg, who averaged 31.3 points in the first six games, was limited to 19 points on Wednesday while Sun Yue, a former Ducks teammate of Marbury, added 18 points.

The triumph improves the Lin-led Ducks to a 6-1 record this season, tying them with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers and the Guangdong Southern Tigers at the top of the CBA standings.

Ducks fans are hoping Lin, who arrived from the NBA in August, can assume Marbury's mantel as the team's driving force.

However, the 31-year-old Harvard graduate, whose breakout performances for the New York Knicks in 2012 inspired a bout of "Linsanity" in the US, is keen to play down that comparison.

"An ugly game today but it was an very important team win," Lin told media in Mandarin in the locker room after the game.

"I don't want to be anybody else's successor. I just want to be the best self I can be.

"I respect what Marbury has achieved in Beijing and his legacy in the city. I appreciate that he also encouraged me to do my part in helping Chinese basketball grow.

"For the Ducks, our advantage is we play well as a team and we will stick to that to keep building our chemistry and to play better as a whole."

Having contributed 24.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game this season, Lin has earned the trust and respect of the Ducks' Greek head coach Ioannis Christopoulos.

"I always believe that when you build something it takes time and the building stays more resistant when you have a strong foundation," said the former Chinese national team assistant coach.

"Jeremy is a strong core and a strong spirit for our foundation."

]]> 2019-11-22 07:53:23 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/22/content_37524842.htm

The Chinese Football Association has imposed an immediate freeze on the contracts of domestic players as the governing body prepares to implement a raft of new salary-cap and transfer regulations in the offseason.

On Wednesday, a statement on the CFA's website demanded all clubs delay the signing of new contracts for domestic players in the Chinese game's top three tiers.

With public opinion incensed by the national team's continuing travails in World Cup qualifying, the CFA said the move was in the interests of all professional clubs and the healthy development of Chinese soccer.

"The new regulations are designed to promote the healthy development of Chinese domestic leagues, and plan to relieve clubs of debt and build a standardized salary system, transfer market, supervision system and youth training system," read the CFA statement.

"The CFA has undertaken substantial research and received suggestions from clubs and industry experts. A document entitled "Suggestions for Further Promoting the Development of Chinese Domestic Leagues", which will supplement, adjust and refine the current rules of the CFA, will be published in early December."

The final round of games in this season's top-tier Chinese Super League are due to be played on Dec 1.

Xinhua news agency reported that the contract freeze will not affect the upcoming winter transfer window and that a new, stricter salary cap will be enforced.

"A strict salary cap on domestic players, new policies on foreign players, naturalized players and player transfers will all be included in the new regulations," Xinhua reported. "More importantly, the CFA will strengthen supervision and punishment, so the cost of violations will increase."

Xinhua also reported that clubs had reached a consensus on reducing their debts and fortifying youth training. The report said that nearly a third of clubs had backlogs of unpaid wages, with even top-tier teams operating in an unsustainable financial bubble.

People's Daily delved deeper into the new plans, reporting on Wednesday that CSL players' salaries will be capped at 10 million yuan ($1.4 million). That will drop to 5 million yuan and 3 million yuan for second-and third-tier teams, respectively.

The plan has been warmly welcomed by fans on social media, whose disgruntlement at the wages earned by CSL stars has reached boiling point in the wake of Team China's 2-1 World Cup qualifying defeat to Syria earlier this month. The loss was a major blow to China's chances of reaching the 2022 finals in Qatar and prompted the resignation of head coach Marcello Lippi, who has been praised for saying he "didn't deserve" his reported salary of 18 million euros ($20 million).

The limp nature of that result in Dubai has heightened feelings that China's top soccer players are overpaid and lack motivation.

Star striker Wu Lei admitted Lippi's team "was not as hungry as the opponent", while Syria defender Ahmad Al Salih, who played for CSL side Henan Jianye in 2017, reinforced that notion in comments reported by Chinese media.

"Syrian players are more hungry, and their enthusiasm won't change because of the change of their income," said Al Salih.

"Chinese players live comfortable lives and they are easily satisfied. They lack the motivation to improve."

Those quotes set Chinese social media ablaze, with related news viewed around 120 million times by Thursday morning.

Relatively high CSL salaries are also perceived to dissuade young Chinese players from plying their trade abroad.

That's why, according to Xinhua, the new CFA regulations will also endeavor to encourage up-and-coming talent to venture to foreign leagues.

At the moment, Wu is the only Chinese international playing in a major top-flight foreign league.

Despite the current travails of his Spanish club Espanyol, which sits 18th in La Liga, Wu's experiences in Europe over the past year have helped his game, with the 27-year-old proving to be a rare shining light for Team China.

"In Spain, from amateurs to pros, from youth teams to first-tier teams, there are simply too many players," Wu wrote in his personal blog last week.

"Under the intense pressure of this competitive environment, everyone must maintain their momentum and sense of urgency, because your position can be taken by anyone at anytime, which is unthinkable in China. I tried my best in training for the past two weeks and earned my chance in the starting XI.

"I always keep my dreams and enjoy every training session and every minute playing in La Liga. When I see the kids in the stands, I always think about when I was their age. I used to be just like them watching the games of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, and now I've played with stars like (Lionel) Messi. What a wonderful moment!"

Unfortunately, the current state of Chinese soccer suggests such wonderful moments will be few and far between for homegrown players in the coming years.

]]> 2019-11-22 07:53:23 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/21/content_37524536.htm LAS VEGAS - They are a flawed group at best, the heavyweights who will be vying for your attention - and money - over the next few months. Unpredictable, too, though that just adds to the intrigue of a trio of fights that will either make boxing's big men must-see TV or relegate the division to the doldrums once again.

]]> Weekend Wilder rematch kicks off mouth-watering feast for fight fans

LAS VEGAS - They are a flawed group at best, the heavyweights who will be vying for your attention - and money - over the next few months. Unpredictable, too, though that just adds to the intrigue of a trio of fights that will either make boxing's big men must-see TV or relegate the division to the doldrums once again.

Deontay Wilder is awkward but dangerous, a string bean of a heavyweight with a crushing right hand that can change everything in a fraction of a second. Luis Ortiz is a big puncher, too, though there are questions about both his stamina and age (40) going into this weekend's rematch with Wilder that serves as an appetizer for what comes next.

That would be Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr. on Dec 7 in Saudi Arabia. Another piece of the heavyweight crown will be at stake when the portly Ruiz tries to replicate his upset win over a British fighter who staked a claim as the best of the lot until Ruiz stopped him in June in New York.

And then there's the wild card known as Tyson Fury, who can talk as well as he can box. Fury claims to be the lineal heavyweight champion and can make his case to be even more than that if his scheduled February rematch with Wilder goes off as planned.

Three months, three different heavyweight title fights. And, just maybe, some clarity in a division that still excites boxing fans like no other.

Or maybe not because, after all, this is boxing.

"This is what it's all about in the heavyweight division. The big boys," Wilder said. "One fight, one night, one blow can end it all."

Wilder will look to land that blow when he meets Ortiz on Saturday in a pay-per-view fight that could help provide some clarity to the top of the heavyweight division. Ortiz had Wilder hurt and nearly out in their fight last year before Wilder came back to stop him in the 10th round.

The rematch is just as unpredictable, though Wilder is confident he will be the last man standing. If so, he already has agreed to meet Fury in another rematch in February of their wildly entertaining first fight.

Big punchers taking big chances. It's a formula guaranteed to please even the most cynical boxing fan.

"I'm a knockout artist. That's what I plan to do, to knock you out," Wilder said. "That's plain and simple."

Wilder has done that throughout his career, racking up 40 knockouts in a 41-0-1 record marred only by his draw with Fury. It's a formula that has worked so well he will be making the 10th defense of his piece of the heavyweight title when he meets Ortiz at the MGM Grand Garden arena.

For all the knockouts and title defenses, though, he's not the unquestioned heavyweight champion of the world. There are others who claim belts, though the upcoming series of three fights should bring some order to the top of the division.

Even as Wilder and Ortiz prepare to meet, Ruiz and Joshua are deep into training for their fight in Saudi Arabia. The location is an unconventional one for a boxing bout, but there's no mistaking that whoever emerges victorious can make his own case as the best in the world.

Ruiz came out of nowhere to put himself in the mix, becoming the first fighter of Mexican heritage to win a heavyweight title when he scored a shocking knockout of Joshua after being signed as a late replacement.

Ruiz, who carries a lot of his weight in the midsection, doesn't look like a top heavyweight but his fast hands and power combined to drop Joshua four times before the fight ended in the seventh round.

Fury, meanwhile, is coming off a bloody win against Sweden's Otto Wallin and is eager to win a rematch of his own. He outboxed Wilder last December for most of 12 rounds but was dropped twice - the final time in the 12th round - before settling for a draw that he still disputes.

The 6-foot-9 Englishman held the heavyweight title after beating Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 before a downward spiral into drink, drugs and mental-health issues forced him out of the sport for nearly three years. He has yet to lose as a professional and, even if Wilder loses to Ortiz, could seek a big fight against Joshua or Ruiz.

"It doesn't make any difference to me, out of every negative there will be a positive," Fury said. "The one thing good about boxing is there's never going to be a shortage of boxers. You fight who's available, that's what you do."

Right now, that's just what the current crop at the top of the heavyweight pile is doing. The fights are all attractive, all dangerous and, hopefully, all exciting.

It is, said Wilder, an "amazing time for boxing and boxing fans".

For once, it's not simply boxing hyperbole.

]]> 2019-11-21 07:39:50 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/21/content_37524535.htm Shane Lowry started 2019 by ending a three-and-a-half-year wait for a victory.

In July, he landed his first major title, at the British Open in Royal Portrush.

How about the Irishman finishing the best season of his career by being crowned Europe's No 1 golfer for the first time?

"I'll be able to sit back next week with my claret jug (British Open trophy) and be happy with what I have, but I'm trying to do as well as I can this week," Lowry said on Tuesday, assessing the state of play heading into the final leg of the Race to Dubai - the World Tour Championship, which tees off on Thursday.

"The one thing that's got me over the few months since the Open is, when you have bad days and you're shooting bad scores, people saying to you, 'You won the Open, it doesn't matter.' But it does matter."

It matters to four other players, too.

Lowry is in a five-way fight for the Race to Dubai title, with Bernd Wiesberger, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm and Matthew Fitzpatrick also still in contention.

Fleetwood is the only one of the five to have won it before (in 2017) and he arrives in the United Arab Emirates with confidence after winning last week's Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa.

Wiesberger leads the standings having won three tournaments this year - including Rolex Series events in Italy and Scotland - in a brilliant return from seven months out with a wrist injury. The 34-year-old Austrian will lift the trophy if he wins or finishes alone in second at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Fleetwood climbed to second place with his win at the Nedbank, his first victory in nearly two years. He won the Race to Dubai two years ago, was beaten to the title by close friend Francesco Molinari in the final round last year, and knows a win in Dubai - coupled with Wiesberger finishing lower than outright second - will see him become the European Tour's No 1 again.

The same scenario faces thirdplace Rahm this week, and the Spaniard has a strong record on the Earth Course after winning the World Tour Championship in 2017 and placing fourth last year.

It is a long course - par 72, 7,677 yards, and with two par-5 holes longer than 600 yards on the back nine. So it suits the big-hitting Rahm, who is the only player to win three Rolex Series titles and has finished inside the top five in seven of his nine Rolex Series appearances.

Lowry, at No 4, will win the Race to Dubai with a first place and if Wiesberger finishes lower than tied for second with one other player.

Fitzpatrick is the biggest outsider at No 5 but has won on the Earth Course in 2016. If he repeats that, he has a chance - although Wiesberger must finish lower than tied for fourth and Fleetwood lower than outright second.

Ranked No 2 in the world, Rory McIlroy is the leading player in a field that has been trimmed to 50 but hasn't played enough on the European Tour this year to be in contention for its money-list title for a fourth time in eight years.

With four wins worldwide this year, and previous wins at the World Tour Championship in 2012 and'15, McIlroy starts as the favorite to claim the winner's check of $3 million - the richest first prize in golf.

The four-time major winner from Northern Ireland will have longtime friend Niall O'Connor, a former rugby player with Irish province Ulster, on his bag this week because regular caddie Harry Diamond is taking time off to be with his wife after the birth of their first child.

"If there's any week where I don't have Harry on the bag, it's good it's this week," McIlroy said. "I feel like I could play this place blindfolded. I've been coming back here for 10 years. I know the place like the back of my hand."

]]> 2019-11-21 07:39:50 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/21/content_37524534.htm With snow sports gaining momentum ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, the launch of China's first ever multi-resort ski pass looks set to entice even more people onto the slopes.

]]> New cut-price multi-resort pass touted as major boost for winter sports industry

With snow sports gaining momentum ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, the launch of China's first ever multi-resort ski pass looks set to entice even more people onto the slopes.

Inspired by the national plan to involve 300 million people in winter sports leading up to the Games, five major resorts across northern China - Wanlong in Hebei province, Beidahu in Jilin, Yabuli in Heilongjiang, Aoshan in Shaanxi and Silk Road in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region - have joined forces to introduce a season pass that grants skiers and snowboarders access to all five destinations at an extremely competitive price of 2,022 yuan a year (about $287).

The resorts offer a total of 101 slopes, covering a combined skiing area of 6.48 square kilometers, boasting diverse terrain that varies from the forested mountains of the northeast to the spectacular western highlands.

The pass, which could add new resorts that are up to standard in the future, is the first of its kind in China and models itself on the worldwide 37-resort 'Epic Pass' and the US-based 41-destination 'Ikon Pass'.

Among the founding five properties, only Wanlong has assigned blackout weekends for pass holders during its 2019-20 season, which begins on Dec 9, while the other four resorts allow unrestricted access, barring equipment rental.

"It will prove to be a revolutionary move in the history of winter sports' development in China," Luo Li, chairman of Wanlong Paradise Resort, said at the launch of the pass in Beijing on Monday.

"A small pass like this combines unlimited attractions at five unique resorts across the country at a price which we believe is affordable enough to turn more one-off visitors into diehard skiers," said Luo, a co-founder of Chinese bakery chain Holiland.

Located in the Chongli district of Zhangjiakou, Beijing's co-host city for the 2022 Olympics, Wanlong has developed 32 ski trails spanning an area of 30 sq km.

Seven major resorts are now operating in the mountain ranges of Chongli, about 220 km northwest of the capital, making the cluster one of China's newest and best-equipped ski zones. More established resorts, such as Beidahu and Yabuli, nestle in the country's colder northeastern corner, which boasts more abundant natural snow.

Resorts in the country's lesser-visited regions will also reap the benefits from the membership plan, reckons Li Jianhong, president of the Silk Road International Resort in Urumqi.

"More people will learn about our resort and the unique ethnic culture in Xinjiang because of the access available through the pass," said Li, who has invested about 1.6 billion yuan ($228 million) in Silk Road since 2004.

"The price makes it a real bargain that significantly lowers the threshold for the sport and will help boost consumption at resorts by increasing the number of repeat visitors."

To put things into perspective, for the same amount of money that the pass costs (roughly $287), an adult could only ski four day sessions (including equipment rental) on weekdays at Wanlong and 10 sessions at Silk Road, while an equivalent Ikon Base Pass with blackout periods costs $799 in the States.

Christian Jensen, a representative of Colorado-based Alterra Mountain Company, which owns 14 of the 41 Ikon Pass member resorts, is sure China is onto a winner with the new pass.

"It's definitely a right move to give guests more options in one pass at such an attractive price," Jensen said in Chinese at the launch on Monday.

According to the latest China Ski Industry White Paper, published in January by industry analyst Carving Ski, there were a total of 742 ski resorts in China, including 149 equipped with ropeways, by the end of 2018. They recorded 21 million visits during the 2017-18 season.

Despite the growth in numbers, observers have warned that resorts, especially new ones, need to diversify their business to increase revenue streams.

"A tough reality is that most resorts in China rely heavily on revenues from their parent companies' real-estate subsidiaries, while running with heavy debts to fund continuous facility upgrades," said Li Tie, the chief economist with the China Center for Urban Development at the National Development and Reform Commission.

"The anticipated increase in visitors from the new pass should help with other tourism options rather than just skiing to help boost business throughout the year."

]]> 2019-11-21 07:39:50 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/21/content_37524533.htm LONDON - Jose Mourinho was on Wednesday appointed Tottenham's new manager to replace the fired Mauricio Pochettino, with the club languishing 14th in the English Premier League.

The Portuguese former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United manager has signed a contract until the end of the 2022-23 season, the north London club said in a statement.

Pochettino, 47, transformed Spurs' fortunes after arriving from Southampton in 2014 and, although he failed to win a trophy, took the club to the Champions League final for the first time in its history just six months ago.

But the Argentine was fired on Tuesday, with Tottenham struggling in the league after picking up just three wins from its opening 12 games.

This season Spurs were knocked out of the League Cup by fourth-tier Colchester United and suffered an embarrassing 7-2 defeat at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

"I am excited to be joining a club with such a great heritage and such passionate supporters," said Mourinho, who has won domestic league titles in four different countries - Portugal, England, Italy and Spain.

"The quality in both the squad and the academy excites me. Working with these players is what has attracted me."

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said: "In Jose we have one of the most successful managers in football. He has a wealth of experience, can inspire teams and is a great tactician.

"He has won honors at every club he has coached. We believe he will bring energy and belief to the dressing room."

Mourinho has won Champions League titles with Porto and Inter Milan.

The 56-year-old won three Premier League titles over two spells in charge of Chelsea and returned to England to manage Manchester United in 2016. United axed Mourinho last December following a poor run of results and he has not worked in management since.

His first match in charge will be Saturday's London derby at West Ham.

Despite their recent poor run, Spurs thrived under Pochettino's leadership. They qualified for the Champions League four times, culminating in a dramatic run to the club's first ever European Cup final in June, which they lost 2-0 to Liverpool in Madrid.

However, domestic results had been on the decline since February. Mourinho arrives with Spurs 11 points outside the top four and just six points above the relegation zone, though they are well placed to reach the last 16 of the Champions League.

Levy said the club was "extremely reluctant" to make the change.

Pochettino's feats are considered all the more remarkable given the tight transfer budget he was afforded by Levy as the club built a new stadium.

Instead, much of Pochettino's success came from nurturing a squad of young players into household names such as Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen.

"I can't thank this man enough," England international Alli tweeted alongside a picture of himself with Pochettino.

"He's taught me so much and I'm so grateful for everything he's done for me. Good luck and hope to see you again my friend."

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust questioned Levy's role in the diminishing results on the pitch.

"Is the manager solely accountable? How much has the board's line on wages and transfers contributed to player unrest and disaffection?" THST said in a statement.

"Poch gave us many of our best moments as supporters, made Tottenham Hotspur a force to be reckoned with again, and forged a strong link with the fans. We will never forget the joy he brought us."

]]> 2019-11-21 07:39:50 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/20/content_37524252.htm Marcello Lippi chose to resign as China's national team coach because results on the pitch could not justify his sizable salary, the Italian has told media in his home country.

]]> Italian resigned because he 'didn't deserve big salary'

Marcello Lippi chose to resign as China's national team coach because results on the pitch could not justify his sizable salary, the Italian has told media in his home country.

Lippi quit Team China for the second time after last week's 2-1 World Cup qualifying defeat to Syria in Dubai, a result which could ultimately cost China a place at the 2022 finals in Qatar.

The 2006 World Cup winner was reportedly being paid annual wages of 18 million euros (around $20 million) and alluded to feeling guilty about his pay packet as he announced his resignation in a post-match news conference in Dubai, saying he didn't "want to rob the money".

The 71-year-old is sticking to that explanation, according to a Tuesday report on Italian website gianlucadimarzio.com.

"It happens to me now and then, when I believe that there is no longer a natural desire, participation and trust. I don't like to make a lot of money without deserving it," Lippi was quoted as saying.

"I've been almost eight years in China and I had a great time, first in the club team (Guangzhou Evergrande), and then in the national team, where we grew up a lot. Now I realize that I am not able to repay this great trust and respect towards me. There are no elements to be able to do it, and that's why I left."

The article became a hot topic on Chinese social media, with related news viewed over 15 million times by Tuesday morning. China's players have taken the brunt of the blame for the national team's travails, with many fans impressed that Lippi seemingly values his self-esteem and dignity over his bank balance.

After coaching Chinese Super League powerhouse Evergrande for two seasons, Lippi was first hired as Team China boss in 2016 but failed to secure qualification for the 2018 World Cup finals.

The Italian stepped down in January, after China's quarterfinal exit from the Asian Cup before being persuaded to return in May. His second term lasted only 175 days and involved just six games.

Speculation abounds as to who will succeed Lippi, with another ex-Evergrande coach, Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari believed to be in contention.

Like Lippi, Scolari has steered his native country to World Cup glory (in 2002) and understands Chinese soccer well, having guided Evergrande to three CSL crowns, an Asian Champions League title and the Chinese FA Cup in less than three full seasons until November 2017.

The 71-year-old is also familiar with Team China's newest naturalized star, Brazil-born Ai Kesen, aka Elkeson, having worked with the forward at Evergrande.

Scolari's spokesman, Acaz Fellegger, told Xinhua that the veteran coach would listen to any CFA offers.

"He really liked working in China and the way he was treated, and believes in the potential of the Chinese national team," said Fellegger.

"Scolari believes that China has good potential and has good players. His former team, Guangzhou, had many good Chinese players."

Reports in some Chinese media, however, suggest the CFA is leaning toward hiring a homegrown coach, with Shandong Luneng's Li Xiaopeng named as a possible candidate.

Trying to revive China's flagging qualification hopes will be the new coach's first priority.

With two wins, one draw and one loss so far, China sits second in Group A, five points behind leader Syria but only ahead of the thirdplace Philippines on goal difference.

Eight group winners and the four best second-place finishers will progress to the 12-team second round of Asian zone qualifying. China is currently ranked as the fourth best runner-up team.

]]> 2019-11-20 07:34:45 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/20/content_37524251.htm One of the testers in the Sun Yang doping case has said he was not a trained doping-control assistant (DCA) but a construction worker.

Sun is accused of not cooperating with three drug testers at his home on Jan 3, with the three-time Olympic champion declaring his innocence at a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing in Montreux, Switzerland, last Friday.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed against an initial ruling by swimming's governing body FINA that cleared Sun of any violation.

The tester, who spoke to Xinhua on condition of anonymity, revealed he had provided his testimony in a written letter in Chinese to CAS and WADA several days before the Montreux hearing.

"I am a builder and I am always busy at work, day and night. No one ever trained me in doping tests, and it is unnecessary for me to undertake such training," he said.

"I agreed to testify via a video conference call before the public hearing as they requested. I was ready, but no one has ever contacted me about this."

In an interview with Xinhua in January, the tester said he was providing temporary help for WADA contractor IDTM at the request of his former middle-school classmate, who is a doping control officer (DCO), on the night in question (Sept 4).

The tester noted that he and the DCO had not seen each other for a long time, having met at a school reunion dinner during the Spring Festival in February last year.

"She called me to pick her up at the railway station and drive her to Sun's home that night. In fact, there was another lady with the DCO at the station. She was the BCA(blood collection assistant)," he said.

"Before we entered the test room, the DCO asked me to escort Sun into the bathroom. As I understood it, she was asking me to watch Sun Yang urinate. Because both of them were women, I agreed.

"Sun is a big star in China, so outside the room, I took a couple of pictures with my cellphone.

"When I tried to take pictures of him again when we were sitting in the room, Sun told me not to do so.

"Then he asked every one of us to identify ourselves. I showed my ID card. Sun pointed out that I was not an accredited tester and should not stay in the test room."

During the 11-hour CAS hearing, Sun said that he stopped cooperating with the process because of the tester's unprofessional behavior. Sun later found out that the three IDTM testers lacked sufficient authorization and credentials.

The "temporary" tester said he left the test room and waited outside, adding that the DCO came out to him several times with an iPad and showed him some information on the screen, written in English.

"I did not know English and did not understand what she was talking about. Then I gave the iPad back to her. I didn't know what happened in the test room," he said.

"I knew nothing about the doping test and nothing about my role that night. I just came to help my middleschool classmate at her request. I am a builder."

None of the testers appeared at the CAS hearing, prompting Sun to ask the question: "Do you have the guts to show up and tell the truth here in front of the public?"

A CAS verdict on the case is expected in the coming months.

]]> 2019-11-20 07:34:45 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/20/content_37524250.htm At the start of this season, no one could have believed that an e-sports club that was founded just two years ago would eventually be crowned world champion.

]]> Fledgling Chinese club is dreaming big after bagging League of Legends' top prize in Paris

At the start of this season, no one could have believed that an e-sports club that was founded just two years ago would eventually be crowned world champion.

FunPlus Phoenix (FPX) proved all the doubters wrong, when on Nov 10 the Chinese club's elite gamers defeated European powerhouse G2 Esports 3-0 in Paris to win the 2019 League of Legends World Championship.

It's the second time that a club from China's League of Legends Pro League (LPL) has won the title after Invictus Gaming's triumph at last year's worlds in Incheon, South Korea.

FPX's triumph has cast a warm glow over the Chinese gaming community, with some fan groups even booking bars or screening rooms in movie theaters to watch the live broadcast and share in the excitement.

"In the last few seconds of the match, I still just couldn't believe that we could win the championship", said FPX player Liu Qingsong, aka Crisp, in an exclusive interview with China Daily. "There were no easy games at the world championship."

FPX's victory was practically inconceivable some years ago, when Chinese e-sports teams struggled against their South Korean and European rivals at major international tournaments.

Chinese e-sports proved its worth in 2018 when the nation achieved a League of Legends 'Grand Slam' - comprised of Royal Never Give Up's win at LOL's Mid-Season Invitational in Paris in May, China's continental victory at Rift Rivals in Dalian, Liaoning province, in July, August's Asian Games gold, and Invictus Gaming's triumph at the world championship in Incheon in November.

However, those LPL clubs were unable to maintain last year's momentum this season, failing to defend many of their international titles. Even before the start of world championship final earlier this month, FPX remained a dark horse for the trophy - known as the Summoner's Cup.

"Before the final, all of our players were confident, believing there was a chance for us to win," said Liu, whose team defeated defending champion Invictus Gaming in the semifinal on Nov 2. "We actually have played against G2 many times before. We beat them many times in training matches. We were just unsure if they would play differently and be more aggressive in the final than in training."

Total dedication

Far from a fluke, this triumph was born of good old-fashioned hard work and dedication.

"In terms of daily training, I would get up 10 am in the morning and train until 1 or 2 am the next morning," said Liu. "So, I would train about 14 to 15 hours a day. I would play at least 15 training matches in a single day."

With such a tough training schedule to stick to, the well-being of the players is high on the FPX team's list of priorities.

"We make sure our players have a regular daily schedule and a nutritious diet," Li Chun, the CEO of FPX, told China Daily. "Each day we prepare four meals for the players, and we have a psychological counselor to take care of their mental health. The club also has a long-term cooperation with an athletic rehabilitation team to keep our players healthy."

It's been a whirlwind few years for Liu and his teammates, but he recalls that it hasn't all been plain sailing.

"I was really looking forward to the atmosphere of competing and siting in the center of the stage. That's why I chose to become a pro gamer when I was 18 years old. Now, I've played for four to five years," said Liu.

"At the very beginning, I was uncertain. I didn't know what I could achieve in my career, and I wasn't sure about the future of the e-sports industry.

"But as my performances improved and the e-sports environment improved, I enjoyed it more. I can see room for the industry's development, so I don't worry about the future now."

All indications suggest Liu is right not to worry.

The Chinese e-sports market was worth 8.5 billion yuan ($1.2 billion) in 2018, with that figure expected to exceed 13 billion yuan by the end of this year, according to the 2019 Global E-sports Development Report.

E-sports' fanbase is also snowballing. In 2018, there were about 320 million gamers and fans in China, a figure that is projected to rise to 350 million by the end of this year. Globally, it's estimated the number of e-sports fans will exceed 450 million by the end of 2019.

And for FPX the future looks especially bright.

"The world title was the ultimate reward for the players' efforts, and for the club. This is a very positive step forward. We will keep growing," CEO Li added.

"Our goal has always been the same. We've always considered ourselves to be a startup company, and we are not just like a regular e-sports club.

"Since the very beginning, we have been aiming to build FPX into the top e-sports club in China. We believe we can be the first or second Chinese club in terms of our teams' performances, the club's influence and business capabilities.

"I hope we will become the leading Chinese e-sports club in the future, and the premier e-sports club in the world."

FunPlus Phoenix players celebrate on stage after winning the League of Legends World Championship on Nov 10 in Paris. The win marked just the second time a club from China's League of Legends Pro League has been crowned LOL world champion. Provided to China Daily

]]> 2019-11-20 07:34:45 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/20/content_37524249.htm Clutching the steering wheel of a Formula One car is a fantasy for virtually all motor sports enthusiasts, but only a tiny minority have been lucky enough to fulfill that dream.

For those that haven't, the Formula One E-sports Series is about as close to the real racing experience as they can get, with gamers competing in a driving simulator, complete with steering wheel and pedals. Players in the series are sometimes real-life auto racers, such as Italian Enzo Bonito.

This year's launch of the F1 E-sports Series China Championship has allowed Chinese gamers to join the grid.

Beginning in early August, the series has visited six cities across the country, with over 3,000 enthusiasts taking part in the preliminary round to fight for a ticket to the ongoing regional competitions.

The top 20 players in each of the four regional rounds, along with another 20 invitees, will battle it out in January's final in Shanghai, with the champion and the runner-up joining the 2020 F1 E-sports Pro Draft.

"The first edition of the F1 E-sports Series China Championship has been progressing smoothly," Dong Liangliang, the deputy general manager of organizer Shanghai Juss Intellisports, told China Daily at the northern regional competition in Beijing on Sunday.

"The result so far has met our expectations in terms of the fans we attracted at the preliminary round, the high quality of the regional competitions and the positive feedback we received from the online broadcast of the championship."

Becoming an F1 e-sports player is not as straightforward as mastering a regular motor sports gaming titles. Much like actual racers, gamers must have excellent driving skills, while the price of the simulation equipment does not come cheap.

"To allow more people to have a chance to participate in F1 e-sports, we chose to stage many offline activities and competitions in places that have a high flow of people, such as shopping malls," Dong added.

"We bring the simulators to the fans via the offline activities, making it possible for many people to try F1 e-sports for the first time, which has also helped us to find talent. We now have players who never played before. They only tried it for the first time at our activities and then made into the regional competitions.

"In terms of the game's difficulty level, we lowered it for the preliminary round by opening the assistance system (which signals turns etc.) because many of the participants were just regular fans who never played before. But the regional competitions and the final will be much harder."

Gamer Zhang Jialin is one of those thrilled to have tested his skills behind the wheel of one of the simulators.

Sixteen years of playing F1 games paid off for Zhang after he was crowned champion of the eastern regional event in Shanghai last month.

"After all, this is my hobby and I personally enjoyed it very much," said Zhang. "We spend hours and hours in front of computers driving the same car on the same track just try to improve a few seconds. For others, it's boring. For us, the few seconds that we improve bring us a huge sense of achievement.

"I played the F1 video game for the first time in 2003 and back then I knew nothing about the concept of e-sports. It felt great to win the regional title, but I also recognized the gap between me and the top drivers. I will try my best to improve in the short time I have to prepare and be more competitive at the final next year."

]]> 2019-11-20 07:34:45 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/19/content_37524054.htm Spaniard using ping-pong to break down barriers at Super League club

Rafa Benitez is employing his very own brand of ping-pong diplomacy as part of his ongoing efforts to transform Dalian Yifang into a Super League superpower.

The former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Newcastle boss, who took the reins in July, told BBC podcast Football Daily that he sometimes uses table tennis rackets to get his message across to players, admitting his Mandarin skills aren't quite up to scratch yet.

"I was explaining how you kick the ball in the same way you position the racket and the different effects (each angle) has. Believe me, you have to use everything that you have at your disposal," said the Spaniard.

"We use the video, one-on-one conversations and we go on the pitch and practice every single thing. And we use examples like ping-pong or whatever, because you have to be sure the players understand what it is you want to express.

"They will follow you but you have to give very clear instructions because in the schools they don't tend to play football when they are kids. And they don't have that habit of competing or doing things that would be normal in Europe, where everyone plays football or rugby in the playground."

Benitez admits the language barrier has been a challenge for him, especially during matches.

"Here you also have to consider the translator ... so you have to plan everything that you want to say a little bit in advance with your translator to be sure that he passes on the message properly.

"You have to learn some words - ni hao (hello), zao shang hao (good morning), and jian dan (play simple) is a phrase I use a lot. But in the end, the translator is crucial. I have a great translator, Justin. He is doing a great job, but sometimes you are on the touchline and the fourth official is moving him away and then you are on your own. It's not easy.

"You need the translator even when you go shopping because you cannot read the labels. So, a lot of things are totally different (compared to Europe). People don't realize how difficult it is to perform in this league especially when you arrive in the middle of the season."

Bankrolled by construction giant Wanda Group, Benitez has been tasked with restoring the glory days at Dalian, which in its previous incarnation dominated Chinese soccer in the 1990s.

The Spaniard, who has steered Dalian away from the relegation zone to ninth spot in the CSL standings, rates Wanda's investment in the club as "top class".

"They are behind the team and they will have a new training ground in December with 14 pitches, two indoor pitches, and everything is top class. We have another project in which we are bringing 10 coaches from Spain for the schools and we have around 10 more coaches from Spain to make sure we have the methodology and the way that we coach and do things in Spain. They want to replicate all these things in the academy, in the schools, reserve team and first team.

"Dalian Yifang is a new club in name only but the reality is that they won seven or eight trophies in the past. So it is a very traditional football area. At that time, 75 percent of Super League players were from the Dalian area. And they want to go back to the same level. The fans are very passionate and they love football. Dalian is maybe the biggest city for football in China."

Spearheaded by former Napoli playmaker Marek Hamsik and with Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco back on board having at one point threatened to leave the club, Benitez is now hoping his Dalian side can break into the top six next season.

"When we came here, they were trying to avoid relegation. I said, 'OK, the first step is to stay up and after we will invest, we will try to bring new players, improve the squad. We are creating all the structures - just not the academy and the training ground, also we are creating a scouting department, so we are taking care of every single detail.

"The target will be to be in the top six but it depends how well we do in the transfer window.

"The foreign players can make a difference but it depends on the others.... If you don't have very good Chinese players it's very difficult to compete."

]]> 2019-11-19 07:30:07 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/19/content_37524053.htm LONDON - Stefanos Tsitsipas said he was ready for a breakthrough Grand Slam victory after winning the ATP Finals in London - but a glance at recent history invites caution.

The 21-year-old Greek was in bullish mood after he beat Dominic Thiem, having ousted Roger Federer in the semifinals, to become the season-ending event's youngest winner since 2001.

"I believe I'm really close to being crowned a Grand Slam champion," he said, after his 6-7 (6), 6-2, 7-6 (4) triumph in London on Sunday. "I know these are strong words that I say but I do feel I belong there."

But although Tsitsipas' victory feels significant, he is the fourth first-time champion in as many years at the season finale, which has proved a poor predictor of future success.

Last year, young German Alexander Zverev pummeled Novak Djokovic in the final but he had a miserable time at this season's Slams - while the Serb, 32, picked up the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles to take his overall tally to 16.

Rafael Nadal, 33, won a 12th French Open title and added the US Open, underlining the fact that the old guard was still very much in charge.

No member of the "Big Three" - also featuring Federer - has won the season-ending ATP Finals since 2015, when Djokovic picked up his fifth title.

Djokovic was also the last ATP Finals champion to go on to win a major title.

Injury-plagued Andy Murray has won only two trophies since he secured his sole ATP Finals title in 2016, crowning his strongest season.

And the lavishly gifted but inconsistent Grigor Dimitrov has not won a tournament since his 2017 success at the season finale.

The fact remains that despite all the razzmatazz surrounding the ATP Finals, it is the Grand Slams that are the true yardstick in tennis.

Since 38-year-old Federer won his first Slam in 2003, the Big Three have collected an astonishing 55 out of the 66 majors on offer, with Murray and Stan Wawrinka also winning three apiece.

There has long been speculation over who would be able to overthrow the established order.

Players such as Milos Raonic, Dimitrov and Kei Nishikori - members of a previous supposed "next generation", consistently failed to challenge the dominant trio.

However, that is not to say that there's no hope for the younger players, who now appear to be getting closer.

Russia's 23-year-old Daniil Medvedev pushed Nadal all the way in the US Open final in September, and should have avenged the loss at the ATP Finals where he collapsed from an seemingly impregnable position against the Spaniard.

Zverev demolished Nadal to reach the semifinals in London, but was disappointing in a straight-sets defeat against Thiem.

Tsitsipas' impressive win against Federer in the semifinals also felt like a statement of intent - backing up his victory against the Swiss at the Australian Open.

The 22-year-old Zverev predicted next year will bring a new Grand Slam champion, saying the "young guys are playing incredible tennis".

But Tsitsipas warned that it was crucial to dislodge Federer, Nadal and Djokovic in the early rounds as they tend to improve as tournaments progress, adding that the five-set format also plays into their hands.

"For the young guys it's all about time," he said.

"I don't know. We will have to beat them or wait for them."

Federer said he has heard it all before, although even he senses a possible shift at the top of the men's game.

"It's the same question every year at the end of the year, and I feel like I'm answering it the same way," he said. "But does it feel like this year might be the best (closest) year yet? Possibly."

]]> 2019-11-19 07:30:07 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/19/content_37524052.htm Chinese swimmer says 'historic' CAS case can inspire athletes worldwide

The resilience of Sun Yang was once again on display in the Swiss town of Montreux on Friday. Resilience to sit through a near 11-hour cross-examination and resilience to hold his head high even in the face of hostility and prejudice from the international swimming community.

"An athlete may have a good career, but it's the quality of being able to pull oneself together and stay level-headed even after being treated unfairly that defines a great athlete," the three-time Olympic champion told Xinhua in an exclusive interview after Friday's marathon Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing over an alleged anti-doping violation.

"This case is destined to take a place in history, and in my heart for the rest of my life."

The case stems from a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appeal against a Jan 3 ruling by swimming's world governing body FINA that found Sun not guilty of the alleged violation.

Sun was accused of not cooperating with three anti-doping officials during a random test at his home in China in September 2018.

"During the inspection, I realized they didn't have any authorized papers to prove their identification," Sun testified on Friday.

After almost 11 hours of testimony which was marred by poor translation, Sun expressed his relief that over a year of anxiety and pressure forced upon him, his family and the entire Chinese swimming team was coming to an end.

He said, whatever the arbitration ruling, his case will encourage athletes from all over the world to take a stand against unfair treatment.

"Individual athletes are always the underdogs when defending their legal rights in the face of unfair treatment by sports organizations. That is why I insisted that the hearing be public. I only regret that it was not held much earlier, as I have been waiting too long."

In his final statement to the court, Sun said that he had kept photos and video recordings that detail what really happened that night with the three anti-doping test officers, but he was not permitted to show them in court.

"That part was not in my prepared written speech. I wanted to tell them that I had come all the way with nothing to hide and that everything I said in the court stood up to inspection," Sun said.

"I had hoped that the three anti-doping officers in question could have faced me in person today. It's a case of an athlete defending the basic rights and privacy that he is legally entitled to.

"It's not out of the question that anti-doping organizations demand from athletes full acceptance of and compliance with anti-doping test procedures. But anti-doping officers must properly notify athletes before conducting the procedures that they have the authority and accreditation to do, as stipulated (in WADA's International Standard for Testing And Investigations)."

Sun won 200m freestyle gold at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, and 400m and 1,500m freestyle golds at the London 2012 Olympics.

The 27-year-old also claimed 200m and 400m freestyle titles at the 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, where Sun felt he was the victim of a witch hunt. "I could tell that some vicious force was manipulating public opinion against me and even the whole Chinese swimming team during the world championships in Gwangju," Sun said.

Less than a month after FINA's January ruling that Sun was not guilty, the confidential decision was leaked and published in the media.

Then during the Gwangju worlds, Australian media published details of the ruling. But the failure to publish the full report, only presenting sections out of their wider context, misled the public and inflicted huge mental stress upon Sun.

"Accusing an athlete of violating anti-doping rules without proven evidence is extremely disrespectful," Sun lamented.

"The good news is that all the stress is gone now after the hearing. I'm not worried about the final decision of the arbitration. I'm confident that after today, all anti-doping test agencies will stick to the rules closely, which in turn will give much better protection of the legal rights and privacy to all athletes."

]]> 2019-11-19 07:30:07 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/19/content_37524051.htm China enjoyed a fruitful weekend at the ITTF Austrian Open as unexpected deep runs for qualifiers Zhao Zihao and Qian Tianyi secured the pair places at next month's ITTF World Tour Grand Finals in Zhengzhou, Henan province.

Zhao has made rapid progress this year and enjoyed another superb week on the tour by reaching the men's singles final in Linz, where he lost 4-0 (12-10, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5) to superstar compatriot Fan Zhendong.

The second-place finish for Zhao, who wiped the floor with Brazil's Hugo Calderano in their semifinal (12-10, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5), saw the 22-year-old jump from 21st to 13th in the world rankings to book his spot among the 16 elite paddlers at the Finals (Dec 12-15).

Exactly a year ago, Zhao had kicked off his surge up the order of merit with victory at the Belarus Open.

China's world No 2 Fan Zhendong reaches for a return to Germany's Timo Boll during their epic Austrian Open semifinal in Linz on Sunday. Fan prevailed 4-3 before beating compatriot Zhao Zihao in the final for his second straight title on the ITTF World Tour. Xinhua

Likewise, 19-year-old Qian advanced from 24th in the women's rankings to grab the 16th and last berth for Zhengzhou by reaching the semifinals, where she was beaten 4-0(11-6, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6) by eventual champion Mima Ito of Japan.

Third seed Ito overcame China's Zhu Yuling 4-1(11-5, 16-18, 11-7, 13-11, 12-10) in Sunday's final as the Japanese claimed her first title of the year, interrupting China's sweep of the women's singles tournaments this season.

In fact, the 19-year-old's triumph was the first tournament not won by a Chinese player since November 2018, when Ito beat Zhu in the final in Sweden.

Zhu will head to Zhengzhou as the 10th seed with China's Sun Yingsha ranked first. They will be joined by eight compatriots: Chen Meng (No 3), Wang Manyu (No 4), Chen Xingtong (No 6), Liu Shiwen (No 7), Ding Ning (No 8), Linz semifinalist Wang Yidi (No 9), He Zhuojia (No 14) and Qian.

The men's singles lineup for the Finals is also dominated by Chinese players, featuring seven in total, with Xu Xin in top spot. He will be joined by teammates Fan (No 2), Lin Gaoyuan (No 3), Ma Long (No 4), Wang Chuqin (No 7), Liang Jingkun (No 8) and Zhao (No 13).

Wang Chuqin's place, however, is in doubt after he was suspended for three months by the Chinese Table Tennis Association due to an incident which occurred during the second qualification day in Linz.

Fan will head to the Zhengzhou tournament in fine form, with victory in Linz his second consecutive title following a triumph in Germany that ended a barren spell for the 22-year-old.

Fan might have cruised in the final in Linz, but he had to draw on all his resources to fend off Germany's Timo Boll in an epic last-four clash. Fan saved three match points in the nail-biting decider to prevail 4-3 (11-2, 4-11, 11-13, 5-11, 11-3, 11-5, 14-12).

Fan has now amassed 13 ITTF World Tour singles crowns and is level on the all-time list with compatriot Wang Hao. However, Fan till has some distance to go to catch the great Ma Long (28), who heads the roll of honor ahead of Vladmir Samsonov of Belarus (27), China's Wang Liqin (21) and Ma Lin (20), Boll (19) and China's Xu Xin (17).

Xu and Fan are ranked second in the men's doubles for Zhengzhou behind Korean pair Jeoung Youngsik and Lee Sangsu, who lost Saturday's final in Linz to China's Liang Jingkun and Lin Gaoyuan.

Eighteen-year-old Lin Yun-ju of the Chinese Taipei team has qualified in both the men's (No 7, with Liao Cheng-ting) and mixed doubles (No 2, with Cheng I-ching).

Xu Xin, partnering compatriot Liu Shiwen appears at No 3 in the mixed doubles standings; Wong Chun-ting and Doo Hoi-kem of the Hong Kong team occupy top spot.

]]> 2019-11-19 07:30:07 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/19/content_37524050.htm

A new ice rink at Beijing's Olympic Park was officially completed on Monday and is scheduled to open to the public next autumn.

The venue, which is located adjacent to the iconic Water Cube - now transformed into the "Ice Cube" for the 2022 Winter Olympics - will be used as a support facility for the curling competitions during the Games and could potentially be used as a warmup area for athletes.

Yang Qiyong, general manager of the National Aquatics Center, aka the Water Cube, said the new ice rink will help to increase participation in curling.

"The number of people who play curling in China is still small at present, but we believe that this new venue will change this situation," he said.

Yang added that plans are already in place to establish an amateur curling team at the center to promote the sport.

The new rink, which was funded by Beijing State-owned Assets Management Co. and built by China Construction First Group Corporation Ltd (Huabei), has been designed for multi-function use after the Games and could be opened to the public.

Plans are in place to restore the Ice Cube to its original Water Cube version, which was the swimming venue for the 2008 Olympics.

Following a 300-day construction period, the new venue features a standard ice hockey rink and four curling tracks.

The center will be able to cater to 100,000 winter sports lovers annually and will become an important base to promote winter sports among young people in Beijing.

China's former world curling champion Wang Bingyu, who is now the sport's program director for the 2022 Winter Games organizing committee, said there are not enough curling venues in China compared to the likes of Canada, where even small towns have such facilities.

"As the public gets more and more interested in this sport, building more places for people to experience it is very important," she said.

"Curling doesn't have an entry threshold, so it is easy to play for beginners," she added.

According to the authorities, the new "Ice Cube" will get a technological upgrade, including a system to monitor the interior temperature, humidity and lighting.

Beijing will become the first city ever to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics, with many of the 2008 venues now being renovated for use at the 2022 Games.

]]> 2019-11-19 07:30:07 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/18/content_37524003.htm BRISBANE, Australia - A serious health concern is emerging in Australian cricket. The first Test of the home summer starts in Brisbane this week and Australia has three players out of the selection frame because of mental health reasons.

]]> Concern growing for players' well-being after spate of Aussie squad withdrawals

BRISBANE, Australia - A serious health concern is emerging in Australian cricket. The first Test of the home summer starts in Brisbane this week and Australia has three players out of the selection frame because of mental health reasons.

Veteran all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and ex-Test batman Nic Maddinson made themselves unavailable for the series against Pakistan before 21-year-old Will Pucovksi informed selectors that he didn't want to be considered for national duties.

Pucovski was playing in an Australia A tour game against Pakistan in Perth when he made the call, and the decision was announced last Thursday, hours before Australia's chairman of selectors, Trevor Hohns, was due to announce the Test squad.

The mental health issue isn't isolated or, seemingly, new in cricket. Senior England batsmen have left tours going back more than a decade because of mental health issues.

And India captain Virat Kohli spoke openly last week about his own struggles. Kohli is one of the world's premier batsmen and respected leaders, and is involved in a home series against Bangladesh.

"I've gone through a phase in my career where I felt like it was the end of the world," he told a news conference in India. "In England 2014, I didn't know what to do, what to say to anyone, and how to speak and how to communicate. And to be honest, I couldn't have said, 'I'm not feeling great mentally and I need to get away from the game.' Because you never know how that's taken."

That kind of statement is being taken seriously by the sport's administrators now.

Cricket Australia national teams manager Ben Oliver commended Pucovski "for having the courage to discuss his situation".

"Will's decision not to nominate for Test selection was the right one in the circumstances," Oliver said. "By Will bravely taking this position, he will undoubtedly inspire others facing similar challenges to speak up and take positive steps toward improving their mental well-being.

"The most important thing now is for Will to be given the time, space and expert support that he needs to return to full health as soon as possible."

The 31-year-old Maxwell, who has played seven Tests, 110 one-day internationals and 61 Twenty20 internationals, has been in and out of the Australian team throughout his career. He withdrew from selection during a series against Sri Lanka last month.

Maddinson, who was rushed into the Australian team against South Africa in 2016, has played three Tests but didn't appear comfortable at the highest level of the game. He ruled himself out of national selection not long after Maxwell's announcement last month.

Pucovski played the first of his 18 first-class games in 2017. He has a high score of 243 and a first-class average of almost 41. He was set for a Test debut in January but withdrew, citing mental health issues. He was back in contention for this southern-hemisphere summer before making the same call.

Cricket Australia's sports medicine manager, Alex Kountouris, said player welfare was paramount.

"There is much society still needs to learn in relation to mental health, but we know enough to say with great certainty that silence is not the answer," Kountouris said. "Will has demonstrated great strength in being open about his situation. While no one wants to see a fine young man like Will confronting mental well-being issues, we are heartened by the fact he is surrounded by excellent people who will support him."

Kohli described Maxwell's decision to speak out as "remarkable".

"He set the right example for cricketers all over the world - that if you're not in the best frame of mind, you try and try and try, but as human beings you reach a tipping point and you need time away from the game," Kolhi said. "These things should be respected and not taken in a negative way.

"This is happening on a human level, it's got nothing to do with what you do on the field. It's not having the capacity anymore to deal with (everything), which I think can happen to any person in any walk of life."

Former England captain Marcus Trescothick quit a tour of India in 2006, when he initially cited a viral problem but later said it was related to mental health.

"I didn't have a clue what was happening. I wasn't aware of depression but whatever was going on, I didn't want to have to say anything about it on TV," Trescothick told Men's Health magazine in 2016. "I was terrified.

"There was a lot of naivety and ignorance. People would say, 'What do you have to be depressed about? You play cricket for England. You travel the world. You get paid well.' To try and experience the dark place when you've never experienced it is very tough."

England opener Jonathan Trott left an Ashes series in Australia after one Test in 2013, saying later he'd struggled in the previous series and didn't know how to cope.

So-called mental toughness has long been a part of cricket, where sledging - often nasty banter between players - was a fundamental part of the game. That has been changing over the last decade. Cricket Australia has had a full-time sports psychologist working with national teams and player development squads.

Robert Craddock, a long-time cricket analyst and television host in Australia, said cricket was facing a mental health crisis. He said while it may not be a contact sport, "its mental challenges, with so much waiting time, are much tougher than they look".

"Even though cricket is only starting to go public with its mental issues, it has always been a supremely demanding mental game," Craddock wrote in a column for News Corp. "The victory of the current crisis is that at least players are talking.

"If the current issues have taught us anything it is that success and failure can sometimes have little to do with it, and that the causes of the anguish are many and varied."

]]> 2019-11-18 07:27:01 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/18/content_37524002.htm SCOTTSDALE, Ariz - Just four years ago, Matt Blake was varsity pitching coach at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, about 20 miles outside of Boston. Next spring, the 34-year-old will be guiding the high-priced arms of the New York Yankees.

"The biggest thing is just finding out where the player is at and what it is that makes him tick," Blake said after his hiring as Yankees pitching coach was formally announced last week. "Across different ages or nationalities and cultures, you got to get to the root of what is it that they are seeking for help and then bring it to the edge of their learning zone, if you will."

Blake replaced Larry Rothschild, who was fired after nine seasons and got hired as pitching coach of the San Diego Padres.

A 2007 graduate of Holy Cross, where he pitched, Blake started coaching at youth level while working alongside his father.

"Just to give back because he coached me when I was younger, so it's kind of interesting jumping off point as a favor to the community, essentially," Blake said. "And then I kind of realized there was a passion for helping the players."

At first, he needed to adjust and realize "they are not the accomplished players at 11, 12, 13". Then he moved on to high-school baseball and private coaching of ages 10 up to 30.

In 2009, he became pitching coordinator at Cressey Sports Performance, which has worked with big-leaguers such as Corey Kluber and Noah Syndergaard. Blake coached at Lincoln-Sudbury from 2009-15, worked with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod League that summer, and was hired by the Cleveland Indians in 2016 as pitching coordinator in the low minor leagues. The Indians promoted him to assistant director of player development in November 2016 and to director of pitching development on Nov 5.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman hired Sam Briend of Driveline Baseball in Kent, Washington, last June as director of pitching, signaling a move to an increased focus on analytics, which Blake will break down for the pitching staff. Cashman said he made the hire "so we can be fully transformative from top to the bottom".

"I was looking for someone that was well versed in the new world order of technology, obviously having an analytics background, as well, and clearly has the ability to share that with his players," Cashman said.

"I think we talked in the summertime about trying to close the gap on people with exposure to (analytical tools) Rapsodo and TrackMan and being able to deploy that, utilize that information, and so that led us to making some changes with our pitching coordinators in the minor leagues and hiring Sam Briend, and, obviously, same on the major-league side now with the transition from Larry to Matt."

Blake hopes to work with the conditioning staff to help pitchers avoid injuries. Ace Luis Severino and reliever Dellin Betances were sidelined from spring training to September with shoulder and lat (back muscle) injuries.

"It's not just what are they doing on the mound or what are they doing in a throwing program - it's the whole spectrum of activities to prepare their body," he said. "The integration of rehab, strength and conditioning and nutrition and all that is going to be important to understand."

And in an age when cameras focus on pitchers and clubs are paranoid about opposition surveillance, he will coordinate with the video staff to head off pitch tipping as soon as it is detected - which proved key in the World Series when Washington quickly altered Stephen Strasburg's mechanics during Game 6.

"It's obviously become more of a touch point given where we're at in the last year or so," Blake said. "There are a lot of resources being poured into that across the league to find advantages, and in this instance I think it's on us to do our due diligence in the minor leagues and to prepare our players to understand those things so, hopefully, we are not attaching that in the first time that a guy gets into the major leagues."

]]> 2019-11-18 07:27:01 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/18/content_37524001.htm Indian wrestler Ritu Phogat stole the show at One Championship's return to Beijing on Saturday with a ruthless performance in her debut for the mixed martial arts promotion.

]]> Wrestler Ritu Phogat proves a surprise hit with impressive MMA debut in Beijing

Indian wrestler Ritu Phogat stole the show at One Championship's return to Beijing on Saturday with a ruthless performance in her debut for the mixed martial arts promotion.

Despite varied results for the local favorites at the show, 'Age of Drgaons', One Championship's third event in the capital since 2014, proved a huge hit at Wukesong Arena, where 13,000 spectators oohed and aahed at every punch, kick and knockdown on the 11-bout card, which included two world-title fights.

Chinese kickboxer Wang Wenfeng failed to wrest the world flyweight belt off defending champion Ilias Ennahachi after losing a five-round nail-biter to the Dutch-Moroccan striker by split decision, while Meng Bo gave the home fans something to cheer when she knocked out Argentine veteran Laura Balin at 2:18 in the first round of her One Championship atomweight debut.

To the surprise of organizers, however, the highlight of the night proved to be Indian wrestling sensation Phogat's maiden MMA fight, against South Korea's "Captain Marvel", Kim Nam-hee.

The "Indian Tigress" took just three minutes and 37 seconds to dispatch Kim in the atomweight bout with a powerful ground-and-pound attack that sent the capacity crowd to their feet.

Already known in China for being depicted in hit movie Dangal - a sports biopic about her famous wrestling family - Phogat said she was more proud to have shown the nation her combat skills than her film connection.

"The movie was just a brief introduction to my family," Phogat told China Daily through an interpreter after the fight. "Through MMA and tonight's performance I want to build my own identity as a competitive MMA athlete. This was the first step in that direction."

Guided by her father, Mahavir Singh Phogat, a renowned wrestling coach in India, since she was 8, Phogat defied prejudice in her native country to win India's first silver medal at the 2017 World Under-23 Wrestling World Championships in Poland. Her ambition, though, reaches much further than that milestone.

The 25-year-old, who he is being tipped to represent India at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, shocked the wrestling world by signing up with One to switch her focus to the brutal and challenging realm of MMA.

"My goal is to win an MMA world title in two years," she said.

Currently honing her craft at Singapore's world-renowned Evolve gym, Phogat considers her wrestling background as an advantage in MMA, but realizes she needs to bring her striking and submission skills up to par to become the complete package.

"For me as a wrestler making it to MMA, my grappling skills are a benefit. Takedown is very easy for me. I just do the same thing - I take (opponents) down and I strike," said Phogat, who won gold at the 2016 Commonwealth Wrestling Championship in Singapore.

Sharing the spotlight with Phogat as a victorious One Championship debutant, Meng has also set her sights on a world-title shot.

The two-time Chinese national MMA champion, who missed two earlier opportunities to make her One debut due to injuries, said she can't wait to launch her challenge for the women's atomweight golden belt, which is currently held by Angela Lee of Singapore.

As a tuneup, Meng has a preference for facing Japanese icon and two-time world-title challenger Mei Yamaguchi.

"I believe sooner or later, the belt will be mine," said Meng after her TKO victory against Balin. "I don't want to rush it though. I will take one firm step at a time."

In Saturday's co-main event, Ukrainian giant Roman Kryklia defeated another Dutch-Moroccan power puncher, Tarik Khbabez, via a second-round TKO to avenge an earlier loss and become the inaugural One light-heavyweight kickboxing world champion.

China's Miao Litao lost his strawweight clash against Filipino striker Jeremy Miado in the opening bout of the night after being knocked out by a flying knee at 3:01 in the first round.

Earlier in the day, One Championship announced a strategic partnership with the owner of Wukesong Arena, the Beijing-based Bloomage International Investment Group. Both parties plan to stage more combat sports events in China as part of the deal.

Covering the full spectrum of martial arts, including Muay Thai, kickboxing, karate and taekwondo, One is on mission to promote Asian martial artists around the world, having opened two offices in China (Beijing and Shanghai) and staged nine events on the Chinese mainland in total.

"One Championship remains dedicated to delivering Chinese martial arts fans the very best in sports entertainment," said the promotion's president, Teh Hua Fung.

"Showcasing our elite Chinese One Championship athletes and giving them the global platform to shine is our goal."

Ritu Phogat, aka The Indian Tigress, shows no mercy in her One Championship victory over South Korea's Kim Nam-hee at Wukesong Arena in Beijing on Saturday night. Provided to China Daily

]]> 2019-11-18 07:27:01 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/18/content_37524000.htm

Preparations for the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou are already in full swing, according to a top local official.

Chen Weiqiang, deputy secretary-general of the Games' organizing committee and vice-mayor of the city, told China Daily in an exclusive interview that next year Hangzhou will work on improving the interiors of the venues, launch the torch design and define the main framework for the opening ceremony.

Dec 15 marks the 1,000-day countdown for the Asiad, and Chen said the organizing committee is dedicated to enhancing local residents' enthusiasm for the Games by positioning countdown clocks at landmarks in Hangzhou and other major cities in Zhejiang province, such as Ningbo, Jinhua and Shaoxing.

Meanwhile, organizers have teamed up with the Hangzhou-based China Academy of Art to launch a research center that facilitates the design of artistic works for the Games, with a special focus on consultation, standard formulation and quality control.

"The Hangzhou Asian Games go far beyond a mere sports event for Asia, but rather they are a platform for cultural and artistic exchanges around the globe," Chen said.

Hangzhou won the bid to host the Asian Games in September 2015, becoming the third city in China to host the quadrennial continental event, after Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, in 2010.

In September, karate, sport climbing and baseball/softball were added to the list of 37 sports already approved for the Games, taking the total number of competition events to 40.

The 19th edition of the Asiad will take place from Sept 10-25, 2022, and for the first time will feature athletes from Oceania.

]]> 2019-11-18 07:27:01 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/18/content_37523999.htm LONDON - After dominating the tennis world for so long, Roger Federer thinks the sport's Big Three could face their toughest challenge yet from a new generation in 2020.

Federer's 2019 season ended with a semifinal loss to Stefanos Tsitsipas on Saturday at the ATP Finals, having seen Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal eliminated in the group stage of the tournament this week.

Tsitsipas, a 21-year-old Greek who is playing at the ATP Finals for the first time, is among a handful of up-and-coming talents looking to finally end the unprecedented era of dominance by that trio. Other youngsters at the season-ending tournament include 22-year-old defending champion Alexander Zverev and 23-year-old US Open runner-up Daniil Medvedev.

However, it's not the first time that the 38-year-old Federer has faced talk about a talented crop of youngsters, even though none of them have so far been able to break the Big Three's iron grip on the sport.

"It's the same question every year at the end of the year," Federer said about the new generation. "But does it feel like this year might be the best year yet? Possibly. But then I look at the list of who finished world number one, who has been world number one all these years, and it's just crazy that it's always one of us. But we are not getting any younger. So chances increase not because we are getting worse but because they are getting better."

Nadal clinched his fifth year-end No 1 title this week, putting him level with both Federer and Djokovic. Since 2004, the only other person to finish the year atop the rankings was Andy Murray in 2016.

In addition, the Big Three have won the last 12 Grand Slam titles between them. And until one of the youngsters ends that streak, any talk of a generation shift is premature.

"Definitely it's that next step they need," Federer said. "The only issue is that it seems like me, Novak, and Rafa are healthy, healthier than maybe in previous years, as well."

The third-ranked Federer ends the year with four ATP titles, but failed to add to his record haul of 20 Grand Slams when he lost an epic Wimbledon final to Djokovic, despite holding two match points in the fifth set.

He also fell short of a record-extending seventh ATP Finals title after converting just one of 12 break points against Tsitsipas, losing 6-3, 6-4.

As long as he stays healthy, though, Federer is confident he's still good enough to compete for more majors next season.

"I've got to keep on playing at the level I have this year, and then I will create some chances," he said. "Then when the matches come, it's not maybe as easy as it was maybe 10, 15 years ago where you're just going to play very good, day in, day out.

"Opportunities were there today ... they were there in other moments as well this season, maybe Indian Wells or Wimbledon or whatever. That can change an entire season around, the confidence around, the flow of things. But I'm happy how I played this season, and I'm extremely excited for next season."

]]> 2019-11-18 07:27:01 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/18/content_37523998.htm

LONDON - Departing ATP chief Chris Kermode describes his longevity in the role as "a miracle", such has been the delicate balancing act of keeping both players and tournament owners happy.

The 55-year-old Briton is looking forward to a well-earned holiday in January once his tenure ends and predicts new ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi will not find the task an easy one.

Kermode was effectively ousted in March when he surprisingly failed to receive majority support of the three players' representatives on the ATP board despite the fact he has overseen steep rises in prize money.

At the ATP Finals, an event Kermode has turned into a huge money-spinner, he said his greatest achievement had been to get a second three-year term.

"I arrived in a very toxic prize-money negotiation between players and promoters," said Kermode, whose brainchild the ATP Cup will debut in January.

"I voted the biggest single increase for players in the history of the tour. So obviously I wasn't the tournaments' favorite person for quite a while after that.

"That's why it's a miracle I got a second term."

Kermode says he has not been afraid to "ruffle feathers" during his time as executive chairman and president. While he has proved himself a great innovator, he believes the current structure of the ATP board should remain and believes an American-style players' union, thought to be favored by Novak Djokovic, is a bad idea.

]]> 2019-11-18 07:27:01 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/16/content_37523521.htm Italian resigns as head coach for second time after Syria loss leaves China's World Cup hopes hanging by a thread

This time, Marcello Lippi's resignation was no surprise at all.

After a performance bereft of fighting spirt, guile, direction and organization, Team China slumped to a 2-1 defeat against Syria in Dubai to deal its World Cup qualification hopes a major blow and send Lippi angrily heading for the exit door.

"I don't want to comment on the match. A team should try its best to execute their coach's directions," the 71-year-old said as he curtly announced his departure from the job for a second time at a brief post-match news conference.

"We won over weak teams like the Maldives and Guam, but we got a draw against a team that was a little stronger like the Philippines. Today Syria was better than us. I'm earning a very high salary, I take the responsibility. I will resign."

According to dongqiudi.com, Lippi was a little more acerbic with his parting words than his shocked translator had led us to believe. He is reported to have actually said: "I don't want to rob the money. What I'm earning is a lot of money. I don't want to rob it. Now I'm announcing my resignation. The decision is irrevocable."

Whatever Lippi's exact words, fans were generally unwilling to lay the entire blame on the coach, with some of the more sympathetic message on social media reading: "Goodbye, Lippi." ... "To save Team China, a World-Cup winning coach like you is far from enough." ... "We can save a lot of money. Let's put the money into youth soccer development."

Osama Omari had opened the scoring for Syria after 19 minutes in Dubai, with Wu Lei equalizing on the half hour. China looked like they might hang on for a valuable point only for a 76th-minute Zhang Linpeng own goal to consign Lippi's side to its first defeat in Group A.

The loss left second-place China five points behind leader Syria but only ahead of the Philippines on goal difference.

It now appears like only a timely turnaround in form can secure China a spot in the 12-team second round of Asian zone qualifying, which will be comprised of the eight group winners and the four best second-place finishers. China is currently ranked as the fourth best runner-up team.

Lack of hunger

Chinese scorer Wu could not hide his disappointment after the game.

"We played very bad. Not just the result, the whole performance was not what we wanted. We were capable of winning. The result has made everyone feel really bad. We were not as hungry as our opponent."

Lippi's exit ends a six-match second spell in charge. He was first hired in November 2016, but failed to take China to the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia and then stepped down in January this year after a disappointing Asian Cup campaign concluded in a 3-0 quarterfinal exit to Iran.

Fabio Cannavaro briefly stepped into the breach but quit after two games as he struggled to juggle the national job with his other role as Guangzhou Evergrande's head coach.

The Chinese Football Association persuaded Lippi to return in May, but his second term lasted only 175 days. He won his first four games, including two friendlies, but crucially came up short against the Philippines (0-0) and Syria in qualification.

He has already returned to his native Italy but is expected back in Guangzhou within the next month to formalize his resignation. His last words to the players were reportedly: "Good luck to you."

The CFA accepted Lippi's resignation in a statement, which read: "The Chinese national soccer squad's performances in the last two World Cup qualifiers were not satisfactory, which disappointed Chinese soccer fans. The Chinese Football Association is deeply sorry.

"Head coach Lippi announced his resignation in the post-match press conference, the CFA accepted it... The CFA will reflect seriously to rebuild the team, and try our best in the remaining qualifiers."

Fans' fury

Fans online greeted China's latest 90-minute nightmare with a mixture of anger and despair, with topics related to Lippi's resignation alone viewed over 690 million times on Weibo by Friday morning.

Renowned sports commentator Han Qiaosheng believes the former Juventus and Italy boss, who was reportedly being paid 180 million yuan ($25 million) per year by the CFA, was left with no option but to walk.

"Team China is not dead yet, but what is the value of the squad now? What's the value of the coach that we hired by paying him 23 million euros?," Han wrote on Weibo.

"Maybe Lippi himself cannot answer this question, so the only thing he can do is to resign."

China resumes its qualification campaign at home to the Maldives on March 26 followed by a trip to Guam five days later. Anything but the full six points from those games and China's hopes of reaching its second World Cup finals will surely be well and truly dead.

]]> 2019-11-16 07:20:25 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/16/content_37523520.htm The action's electric and eclectic in this selection of our favorite sports pics from the past week

 

 

Diontae Johnson leaps toward Pittsburgh Steelers teammate James Washington after the latter's touchdown during an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams in Pittsburgh on Nov 10. The Steelers won 17-12. AP

]]> 2019-11-16 07:20:25 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/15/content_37523371.htm Superstar Swede departs Galaxy after having 'immeasurable impact' on MLS

CARSON, California - You're welcome and goodbye, Los Angeles.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the LA Galaxy are officially parting ways after two eventful seasons, the 38-year-old Swedish superstar and the club announced on Wednesday.

"I came, I saw, I conquered," Ibrahimovic wrote on Twitter.

"Thank you @LAGalaxy for making me feel alive again. To the Galaxy fans - you wanted Zlatan, I gave you Zlatan. You are welcome. The story continues...Now go back to watch baseball."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has called time on his memorable two-season stint with the LA Galaxy. The 38-year-old lit up Major League Soccer with 56 goals in 52 games, as well as entertaining fans with his own inimitable swagger, both on and off the pitch. USA Today Sports

Ibrahimovic scored 56 goals in 52 MLS games after joining the Galaxy in March 2018, injecting his inimitable blend of talent and swagger into a stagnating club. This season, he scored a franchise-record 30 goals - more than the rest of the Galaxy roster combined (28).

A week before Ibrahimovic debuted with a dramatic two-goal performance as a substitute in a win over crosstown rival Los Angeles FC, he announced his arrival in Hollywood by taking out a full-page ad in the Los Angeles Times, which simply read: "Dear Los Angeles, You're welcome."

"Since his arrival in 2018, Zlatan has positively influenced the sport of soccer in Los Angeles," Galaxy president Chris Klein said in a statement.

"We are grateful for his work ethic and passion. We thank Zlatan for his professionalism and immeasurable impact on the Los Angeles community and the soccer community in North America as a whole."

Ibrahimovic 's MLS jaunt was a mixed success, at least by his lofty standards. He was an elite, steady scorer for the five-time league champions and was likely the league's top box-office draw on the road, keeping the market engaged with his bold pronouncements and rivalries with opponents and clubs, particularly Los Angeles FC in the city's 'El Trafico' derby games.

But the Galaxy won just one playoff match during Ibrahimovic 's time at the club, and they finished eighth in the league this season after missing the playoffs in his debut campaign. He lost this year's MLS MVP award to LAFC's Carlos Vela, who scored a league-record 34 goals.

Although Ibrahimovic was their most important player for the past two seasons, the Galaxy didn't expect him to end his career with them, and he does not appear to be close to retirement.

Rumors of his departure have been heard for months, and Ibrahimovic has never stayed at any club for more than four seasons in his peripatetic career.

Ibrahimovic has been linked recently to a return to AC Milan, where he played two seasons and scored 42 Serie A goals from 2010-12. Milan is currently mired in 14th in the Seria A standings.

Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the only active players in the world to score 500 career goals between their club teams and international play. Ibrahimovic scored his 500th last term.

A few weeks ago, Ibrahimovic claimed that "if I don't stay, nobody will remember what MLS is."

But the Galaxy already have a direction for their future, acquiring young star Cristian Pavon from Argentina to join Guillermo Barros Schelotto, his former coach at Boca Juniors.

The free-spending club also should have money available from Ibrahimovic 's departure to bolster its front line.

Associated Press

]]> 2019-11-15 07:57:48 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/15/content_37523370.htm KUALA LUMPUR - China's Shandong Luneng Taishan Football Academy and veteran coach Xu Genbao were on Tuesday honored for their contribution to youth soccer at the Asian Football Confederation's Youth Conference here on Tuesday.

Jinan-based Chinese Super League club Luneng claimed the Youth Academy of the Year Award at the three-day conference in the Malaysian capital.

The AFC said Luneng Football Academy is widely regarded as one of the most influential soccer training centers in China. Founded in 1999, the academy features 26 pitches and a national training center, reputed to be the only one of its kind in the country.

The academy has developed over 260 players who have gone on to feature in the top three tiers of Chinese soccer, and its teams have won dozens of national and international youth championships.

Saudi Arabia's Abdulwahab Alharbi was named the AFC's Youth Coach of the Year, with Tajikistan claiming the Youth League of the Year award.

Xu Genbao, a Chinese veteran coach and founder of Shanghai Genbao Football Training Base, was presented with a special merit award for his contribution to the youth game.

Xu's center is renowned as a cradle of China's elite talent, nurturing the likes of striker Wu Lei, who currently plies his trade in La Liga with Barcelona-based Espanyol.

AFC secretary-general Windsor John said that the governing body has underlined its ambition to ensure Asian teams and players succeed on the world stage, and that the best chance to realize those goals is to focus on investing in youth players.

"We are confident that the achievements of today's winners will inspire more coaches, leagues, and academies to strengthen their youth development structures, which will ultimately transform the landscape of elite youth development in Asia," he said.

Meanwhile, a 13-member panel led by AFC technical director Andy Roxburgh, a former manager of the Scotland national team, deliberated on a range of key topics focusing on developing young players in Asia.

Among the important issues highlighted included an update on the AFC Elite Youth Scheme and how it can be improved and promoted.

"The AFC's Elite Youth Scheme can be used as a promotional tool to further create awareness and encourage our members on the importance of nurturing young football talents," said Roxburgh.

Xinhua

]]> 2019-11-15 07:57:48 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/15/content_37523369.htm LAUSANNE, Switzerland - Arsene Wenger returned to soccer on Wednesday after being named FIFA's chief of global football development, ending any chance of a move to manager-less Bayern Munich.

FIFA said the former Arsenal and Monaco manager would be responsible for the growth of the game "for both men and women around the world", and would also be the "leading authority on technical matters", including potential changes to the sport's laws.

It added that Wenger, would also be tasked with coach education and aiding a program designed to help former players enter management.

"I very much look forward to taking on this extremely important challenge," Wenger said in a statement.

"Not only because I have always been interested in analyzing soccer from a broader perspective but also because FIFA's mission as world soccer's governing body is truly global."

Rumors of Wenger making a shock return to coaching had intensified over the weekend after the 70-year-old denied claims by Bayern Munich that it had turned down his offer to take over at the German champion after the firing of Niko Kovac.

Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge then said there had been a "misunderstanding" and that the Bundesliga giant would speak to Wenger "in the near future".

However, it is the new FIFA role that brings the Frenchman back to the game for the first time since 2018, when he left Arsenal after 22 years in charge.

Wenger made the Gunners one of the strongest sides in Europe, winning three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups and taking his team to the 2006 Champions League final.

His also won the French league in 1987 with Monaco, adding the French Cup four years later before departing for Japan in 1995.

"I am delighted to welcome him to the team. Since I arrived at FIFA, we have placed football at the center of our mission, striving to learn from those who know the sport inside out," said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

"Arsene is someone who, with his strategic vision, competence and hard work, has dedicated his life to football."

Bringing in famous faces has been a key part of Infantino's tenure at the head of FIFA.

Wenger arrives following the departures of Dutch legend Marco van Basten as technical chief last year and, in June, Croatian great Zvonimir Boban, who quit as deputy secretary-general to become AC Milan's "chief football officer".

Agence France-Presse

]]> 2019-11-15 07:57:48 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/15/content_37523368.htm Local challenger out to thrill home fans at 11-bout Beijing show's main event

With a card boasting an array of exciting local talent and a movie-star heroine, global martial arts promotion the One Championship is packing a serious punch as it returns to Beijing this weekend.

After a four-year hiatus, Saturday's 11-bout card in the capital's Wukesong Arena is a perfect opportunity for China's best kick-boxers and mixed martial artists to prove their caliber against world-class opponents.

The main event will introduce China's Wang Wenfeng, aka Metal Storm, to the world as the 26-year-old challenges champion Dutch-Moroccan fighter Ilias "Tweety" Ennahachi for One's flyweight kickboxing title in his debut for the Singapore-based promotion.

Chinese kickboxer Wang Wenfeng poses alongside opponent Ilias Ennahachi during an open workout session in Beijing on Wednesday ahead of their One Championship flyweight world-title fight at Wukesong Arena on Saturday. Provided to China Daily

If he succeeds, Wang will become the first Chinese male to win a major MMA world title, having dominated domestic promotions' kickboxing and Muay Thai series.

Wang, representing Wuhan-based Xingbo Shengshi Fight Club, is confident that he can keep the golden belt in China - and is hoping for just a little extra help from an adrenalin-pumped home crowd.

"It's a big honor as well as a great opportunity to be able to challenge for a world title in my One Championship debut. I will make the best out of it to try to keep the belt in Beijing. I believe I can," Wang told media after an open workout in Beijing on Wednesday.

In the opposite corner, Wang will encounter against a ferocious striker in Ennahachi, who is making his first defense after capturing the 135-pound crown in August with a stunning left-hook knockout of Petchdam Petchyindee Academy.

The five-round fight in Beijing will be the duo's third encounter after they claimed a victory each from a pair of previous battles - in 2014 in the Netherlands, won by Ennahachi, and a 2017 rematch in Wuhan, won by Wang via split decision.

"The third time is where I will show that I am just much better than he is. Everyone knows, everyone saw. I'm not going to hold back this time," said the 23-year-old Ennahachi.

Ennahachi's hard-punching style, which saw him win five of his previous six fights by knockout, has made the clash against Wang an intriguing treat for fans as the Chinese is known for his clean and precise technique, often unleashing devastating three-punch combinations, according to a combatpress.com analysis.

The co-main event will decide the promotion's inaugural light heavyweight kickboxing champ. It pits Tarik Khbabez, another Dutch-Moroccan whose current six-fight winning streak includes four One wins, against Ukrainian Roman Kryklia, who is making his One debut after winning his last eight fights under the banner of Chinese promotion The Kunlun Fight.

The Beijing card also features one of the most anticipated new stars on the women's MMA scene in Indian wrestler Ritu "The Indian Tigress" Phogat, who will make her One debut in an atomweight contest against South Korea's "Captain Marvel", Kim Nam-hee.

Phogat has already enjoyed some fame in China as one of the characters in hit movie Dangal, a sports biopic inspired by her Olympic wrestling coach father, and she is now keen to prove her pedigree in the ring.

"I am really excited and a little bit nervous for my debut," said Phogat at the open workout.

"I know I have many fans already in China so I can't wait to show them how good a fighter I am in this new combat discipline for me," said the 25-year-old, who won a silver medal in the 48kg at the 2017 Under-23 Wrestling World Championships.

To prepare for her MMA debut, Phogat moved to Singapore to train at the renowned Evolve gym, where she has trained with multiple Muay Thai and Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champions to bring her striking and submission skills up to par with her grappling ability.

Her ultimate goal is to become India's first mixed martial arts world champion within two years, she said.

As well as Wang, there will be more local flavor on the card in the form of One debutant Meng Bo and Miao Litao. Meng, a two-time Chinese national MMA champion, will square off against Argentine veteran Laura Balin in another women's atomweight bout.

She has been tipped to coax a tapout from Balin, having accumulated five submission wins in fights for domestic promotions.

Miao will face off against Filipino fighter Jeremy Miado in a men's strawweight bout in the card's opening contest. If Miao defeats Miado, he could find himself added to the list of contenders for the One strawweight belt, which is currently held by Joshua Pacio of the Philippines.

]]> 2019-11-15 07:57:48 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/15/content_37523367.htm

With people's enthusiasm for ice and snow sports continuing to grow as the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics approach, China is endeavoring to meet the increasing demand for professional workers in the industry.

As part of these efforts, an increasing number of education institutions are offering training in ice and snow sports facility maintenance and management, according to new information endorsed by the Ministry of Education.

One of those is the Institute of Ice and Snow at Zhangjiakou University, located some 200 kilometers northwest of Beijing, which has developed a series of courses that cover a diverse range of topics such as sports knowledge, multi-cultural communication and first aid.

Dong Jianming, dean of the institute, said the school aims to cater to the ever-increasing need for professional staff to work at the 2022 Games and beyond.

"The upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Beijing have presented us with an unprecedented opportunity to foster more talent in China's growing ice and snow industry," he said.

Zhangjiakou, in Hebei province, will co-host the 2022 Games and stage the likes of snowboarding, freestyle skiing, cross-country skiing and ski jumping.

Ski resorts and ice rinks are suddenly in vogue in China, with more and more young people trying their hand at winter sports.

"What appeals to me most about skiing is the speed, freedom and sense of accomplishment that comes from conquering difficult slopes," said Beijinger Cao Yu, an internet worker who has skied on several resorts near the capital, including Chongli's Genting Secret Garden and Nanshan.

Compared to his experiences in the United States, Cao reckons that China "might still lag behind in terms of facilities like snow quality, the length of slopes and the size of the resorts, but it is improving every year".

In Beijing, many parents regularly drive for hours to take their kids to resorts in remote suburbs or neighboring Hebei province.

Figures from market researcher International Data Group show the number of Chinese skiers reached 23.45 million in 2019, an annual increase of 21.5 percent.

China is aiming to involve more than 300 million people in winter sports by 2022 as part of an ambitious government-backed plan.

According to Dong, the large-scale cultivation of talent for the winter sports industry is a complex, long-term process that organizations like his own institute cannot undertake on their own.

That is why Zhangjiakou University is planning to cooperate with other entities to provide a wider variety of educational platforms, he added.

Xinhua

]]> 2019-11-15 07:57:48 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/15/content_37523366.htm LONDON - Facing match point at 5-1 down in the third set, Rafael Nadal gave himself about a one-in-a-thousand chance of turning things around against Daniil Medvedev at the ATP Finals.

Those odds turned out to be more than good enough for the top-ranked Spaniard.

Nadal saved that match point with a perfect drop shot and then rallied to beat Medvedev 6-7(3), 6-3, 7-6(4) on Wednesday, keeping alive his chances of advancing from the group stage.

"Today is one of those days that one out of a thousand you win and it happened today," Nadal said.

Rafael Nadal celebrates winning his group-stage match against Daniil Medvedev at the ATP Finals in London on Wednesday. Reuters

"In that moment (facing match point), what you think is probably in five minutes you are in the locker room, because that's the more normal thing. In that moment, you play with not much pressure because you have almost lost."

Nadal looked headed for a second straight defeat at the season-ending tournament but won five games in a row to go 6-5 up in the decider. In the tiebreaker, Medvedev missed a routine forehand to hand Nadal a match point and then sent a backhand just wide. That shot was initially called in but was overturned by Hawk-Eye after Nadal challenged the decision.

The win gives Nadal a 1-1 record after two round-robin matches, while Medvedev fell to 0-2.

In the late match, Stefanos Tsitsipas beat defending champion Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-2 for his second straight win, a result that guarantees him a place in the semifinals.

The other three players all still have a chance of advancing.

Tsitsipas, who is making his debut at the tournament for the world's top eight players after a breakthrough season, broke Zverev for a 5-3 lead in the first set and then twice more to go 5-1 up in the second.

With dozens of Greek flags being waved around London's O2 Arena, Tsitsipas then served out the match with an ace.

"Once again, it was not just me out there, but a whole bunch of excited people that came to support me," said Tsitsipas, the first Greek player to qualify for the event. "It was a crew situation."

Zverev could still advance with a win over Medvedev on Friday, and he also lost his second round-robin match last year on his way to the title.

"Things are still in my hands, and I'm looking forward to it, because I can still decide whether I'm here on Saturday or not," the German said. "There is nothing I can do about today now. He played a fantastic match, I thought. I played really bad."

Tsitsipas said he was playing with a pain-killing injection in his foot because of an injury but pledged to treat his match with Nadal as a must-win situation even though he's already through to the semifinals.

"I'm going to try to give my soul, and I think it's also a very good challenge for me in order to prepare for more difficult matches in the semifinals and the final potentially, so this match is going to give me a lot," he said. "It's going to educate me, and I'm going to try to get and absorb as much as I can from that."

In a rematch of this year's US Open final, Nadal came out looking much sharper than in his opening loss to Zverev and broke Medvedev twice in the second set.

But the Russian raced into a 4-0 lead in the third set and had two more break points in the next game. However, Nadal held and then saved a match point at 30-40 in his next service game with a backhand drop shot at the net.

Medvedev then started making more mistakes while Nadal played like a man with nothing to lose, going for winners all over the court.

"Rafa fought his best, because he could just say 'OK, it's over at 5-1 and just give me the point,' but we all know Rafa is not about this," Medvedev said. "I just need to close out such matches."

Nadal's preparations for the ATP Finals were hampered by an abdominal injury that forced him to pull out of the Paris Masters semifinals this month. But he insisted he feels fine physically, and is gradually finding his best game after an error-strewn performance against Zverev.

"I have been playing a better level of tennis than the first day in general terms," Nadal said. "Then to win this match is a combination of a lot of things: luck, some mistakes of Daniil, some good moments by myself at the end."

Nadal's win also strengthens his grip on the year-end No 1 ranking, as it means Novak Djokovic has to win the tournament to have any chance of overtaking him.

Djokovic had to beat Roger Federer on Thursday just to advance to the semifinals.

Associated Press

]]> 2019-11-15 07:57:48 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/15/content_37523365.htm Bob and Mike Bryan, the greatest doubles pair in the history of tennis, have announced they will end what they describe as a "magical ride" in 2020 after one more crack at the US Open.

The 41-year-old Californian twins, famous for their trademark chest-bump celebration, will bid farewell at Flushing Meadows, scene of their Grand Slam debut in 1995.

The 41-year-old Americans announced their plans at the season-ending ATP Finals, which they qualified for but decided not to enter.

Playing almost exclusively with each other throughout their 25-year careers, the Bryans captured a professional-era-record 118 titles, including 16 Grand Slam crowns, 39 ATP Masters 1000s and the ATP Finals title four times.

The Bryans also won Olympic gold at London 2012 and were part of the US Davis Cup-winning team in 2007.

Mike claimed two more Grand Slam titles with Jack Sock in 2018 after Bob was sidelined with a hip injury.

"Mike and I chose to finish our 2019 season after the US Open, even knowing there was a strong chance we'd qualify for the ATP Finals," Bob said in an ATP statement on Wednesday.

"After much discussion, we decided that it would be best to rest our minds and strengthen our bodies in preparation for 2020 which will be our final season on the ATP Tour.

"For the last 21 years, we have been so grateful for the opportunity to live out our dreams of playing professional tennis. It has truly been a magical ride."

Reuters

]]> 2019-11-15 07:57:48 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/14/content_37522901.htm LONDON - Dominic Thiem landed one too many punches even for Novak Djokovic to handle.

]]> Austrian advances to semis, leaving Novak needing to beat old foe Federer

LONDON - Dominic Thiem landed one too many punches even for Novak Djokovic to handle.

In a seesawing crowd pleaser that lasted nearly three hours and featured a handful of momentum shifts in the third set, Thiem outlasted Djokovic 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (5) on Tuesday to become the first player to advance from the group stage at the ATP Finals.

"It was maybe the best match I ever played," said Thiem, a two-time French Open runner-up. "It was a real classic and epic match which will happen from time to time at these big tournaments. It had everything - he was up; I was up. He was playing amazing points. Me, I was playing amazing points."

Djokovic twice rallied from a break down in the third set and led 4-1 in the tiebreaker, but Thiem then won five straight points - taking his total number of winners to 50 for the match - before converting his second match point.

"I don't think I have experienced too many matches like this where my opponent just goes for every single shot," Djokovic said. "I mean, he was unbelievable."

The result leaves Djokovic facing a winner-takes-all match against Roger Federer - in a highly anticipated rematch of this year's Wimbledon final - to decide who will join Thiem in the semifinals.

Federer beat Matteo Berrettini 7-6 (2), 6-3, which means he and Djokovic both have 1-1 records before meeting in their last round-robin match.

Thiem is 2-0 after wins over Federer and Djokovic, and Berrettini is out of contention at 0-2.

The Djokovic-Federer match was always going to be the highlight of the group stage at the season-ending tournament - where they have 11 titles between them - but now it becomes even more of a blockbuster with a semifinal spot directly at stake.

Federer also has the added incentive of avenging that Wimbledon defeat, when the Swiss star missed two match points before losing 13-12(3) in the decider.

"Actually, it's good for me to play him again, and maybe that all helps to get a chance to get him back," Federer said.

"Maybe it took me a few days, couple weeks at most, to get over the Wimbledon loss. We'll find out, but I think it's all flushed away from my side. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then."

Federer has failed to reach the semifinals only once in his previous 16 appearances at the ATP Finals, in 2008, while Djokovic is trying to equal the Swiss star's record of six titles.

Thiem, for his part, has now beaten Djokovic in four of their last five meetings - although the previous three wins came on clay, his favorite surface.

In the best match of the tournament so far, Djokovic needed to play near flawless tennis in the first set, making just two unforced errors, to hold off the Austrian.

At 65 minutes, the first set alone was longer than Djokovic's entire straight-sets win over Berrettini on Sunday.

But Thiem's aggressive shot-making started paying dividends after that, as he broke Djokovic to take a 2-0 lead in the second set and then again to start the third.

However, Djokovic got back to level at 3-3 and then thought he had earned a match point in the 10th game of the third. With the score at 30-all, Thiem's forehand was initially called wide before a Hawk-Eye review showed that it had clipped the line.

Thiem held for 5-5 and then broke Djokovic at love - only for the Serbian to break back immediately when the Austrian served for the match.

When Djokovic sent a forehand into the net to end it, Thiem fell onto his back on the court before Djokovic gave him a thumbs-up.

"He just played very courageous tennis ... He went for broke," Djokovic said. "I have to put my hat down and congratulate him, because he just played a great match."

The early match wasn't nearly as dramatic.

Federer earned the only break point of the first set at 6-5, but Berrettini saved it with a forehand volley. In the tiebreaker, the 23-year-old Italian double-faulted to hand Federer a 5-2 lead and netted a forehand service return on set point. Federer broke Berrettini to open the second set but trailed 15-40 in the eighth game, having to save three break points in total before holding with an ace.

He broke again to seal the win.

Wednesday's action pitted Rafael Nadal against Daniil Medvedev in a rematch of this year's US Open final, with defending champion Alexander Zverev playing Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Associated Press

Dominic Thiem can't quite believe it after beating world No 2 Novak Djokovic－6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6(5)－in a thrilling encounter at the ATP Finals at London's O2 Arena on Tuesday. Action Images Via Reuters

]]> 2019-11-14 08:00:12 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/14/content_37522900.htm Former world No 1 Kim Clijsters could struggle to compete with the top players when she returns to the WTA Tour in 2020 because the sport has become more physically demanding during the eight years she spent in retirement, Naomi Osaka's former coach said.

The popular Belgian won four Grand Slam titles before hanging up her racket for a second time in 2012, but in September the 36-yearold announced that she would come out of retirement again because of her love for the sport.

"It's hard to say what I expect from Kim as I don't know how she is physically. Tennis really got way more physical the last few years on the WTA Tour," said Sascha Bajin, who guided Osaka to two Grand Slam titles and was named 2018 WTA coach of the year, in an interview on the WTA website.

"For sure, she can still turn matches with her championship mindset and playing the right ball in big moments, but I really don't know if that's going to be enough to compete in this modern age."

Clijsters, who first retired in 2007 to start a family, had planned to resume her career in January but then delayed her comeback after suffering a knee injury.

Bajin believes Clijsters has the advantage of experience if she decides to chase a fifth singles Grand Slam title.

"I can't wait to actually see it... it's easier for someone to climb back to the top once you've been there. You know what you have to do," Bajin added.

"The biggest challenge is going to be competing again on a daily basis... bringing it every day.

"I think I want to say yes she can win another Slam but at the same time I'm not sure... it's not going be easy but if she's coming back she can have great success."

Sven Groeneveld, who has coached many top players including Monica Seles, Caroline Wozniacki, Maria Sharapova and Sloane Stephens, reckons it will take time for Clijsters to get up to pace.

"I expect that Kim will bring an energy and competitiveness that will be hard to match by anybody... her biggest challenge will be to start competing again for a duration of a match and full tournament," the Dutchman said.

"There's no substitute for real competition and the body and game will adapt gradually."

Reuters

]]> 2019-11-14 08:00:12 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/14/content_37522899.htm LONDON - Former world No 1 Andy Murray is excited to see what he can achieve over the next couple of years after returning to the tour following hip-resurfacing surgery, but he will not be setting any lofty targets.

The 32-year-old Briton looked on the verge of ending his career at the start of the year but, after undergoing surgery in January, he has returned in impressive fashion.

After initially playing doubles at Queen's Club, where he won the title alongside Feliciano Lopez, and Wimbledon, Murray has exceeded expectations on the singles court and won the European Open title in Antwerp last month, beating Stan Wawrinka in the final.

Murray, ranked 125th, will end his season at the Davis Cup Finals in Madrid next week before turning his thoughts to next year's Australian Open, having thought this year's appearance at Melbourne Park was probably his last.

"I'm very lucky I get that chance again in January if I stay fit in the next couple of months and it'll be fun to see what I can do," Murray told British media on Tuesday.

"It has been an up-and-down few years but I feel like I'm coming through the other side of it and excited to see what I can do over the next couple of years.

"It's difficult to say exactly where I am. I'm not where I was when I was 25 but I don't expect to be and don't need to be (in order) to be competitive at the highest level. That's why I'm excited."

Murray's Antwerp triumph, his first since March 2017, has given him the belief that he could beat the likes of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic - a notion that would have seemed impossible a few months ago.

"I know if I played against the top players tomorrow there would be a very small chance of me winning that match," he said. "But I do feel I could win.

"That's one of the performance goals I want - when I go out on court against all of the players I want to feel like I have a chance of winning."

Murray, whose wife Kim gave birth to their third child a few weeks ago, says the main priority is to continue playing pain free and enjoying the battle.

"I'm not going to set a target of top 10 or trying to make the semis of a Grand Slam because I've done all of that before and I don't need that," he said.

"So if I'm 30 in the world or 70 in the world but I'm still enjoying it and still enjoying the preparations and training and I feel competitive, then that would be success for me."

Reuters

]]> 2019-11-14 08:00:12 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/14/content_37522898.htm Former world No 4 and Australian Open runner-up Dominika Cibulkova announced her retirement on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old Slovakian claimed eight WTA singles titles and entered the top four in 2017. Her biggest title came in 2016 when she defeated then world No 1 Angelique Kerber to win the WTA Finals.

Cibulkova, who has not played since this year's French Open, became the first Slovakian woman to reach a Grand Slam singles final in 2014 when she lost to China's Li Na at the Australian Open.

She said she had made up her mind about retirement at Roland Garros, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the first round.

"It was strange because I knew, and no one around me except my team knew it would be my last tournament," she said. "At that point, I was 100 percent sure. I wasn't doubting or thinking 'maybe yes or no.'

"I knew I wanted to do it like this, for this to be my last tournament. I went home and was happy with my decision. It's hard to make it, but once you do, you feel more free."

Reuters

]]> 2019-11-14 08:00:12 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/14/content_37522897.htm Li Ke has been playing his way into Chinese fans' affections since becoming the national team's first ever naturalized star, but admits he still has some work to do to gain head coach Marcello Lippi's total trust.

]]> London-born midfielder determined to play his way into Lippi's starting XI

Li Ke has been playing his way into Chinese fans' affections since becoming the national team's first ever naturalized star, but admits he still has some work to do to gain head coach Marcello Lippi's total trust.

The London-born Beijing Guo'an midfielder is hoping to make his fifth appearance in the red jersey when China takes on Syria in a crucial 2022 World Cup qualifier in Dubai on Thursday.

Having made his debut by starting in a 2-0 friendly win over the Philippines in June, Li, aka Nico Yennaris, has made two appearances off the bench in China's three qualifiers so far and failed to see any game time in the last outing - the 0-0 stalemate in the Philippines that leaves Lippi's second-place side trailing leader Syria by two points in Group A.

Now, the former Arsenal and Brentford player is hoping some good old-fashioned hard graft can help him nail down a regular starting berth.

"For me, I go to the national team and I try to just train hard hope the coach to select me. Because it has been a group that's been together for a long time. A lot of these players went to the Asian Cup with the coach, so he knows the players very well, but he doesn't know me so well," Li told People's Daily before the squad set off for Dubai last Wednesday.

"So I'm just going in there, work hard, do what I can to get into the starting lineup. If he selects me, I just want to do my best and have a good performance."

China's other naturalized star, Guangzhou Evergrande's Brazil-born striker Ai Kesen, aka Elkeson, has bagged three goals in the qualifiers to date.

Li insists it's not been a case of comparing notes with Ai Kesen on their change of citizenship, but instead he's simply focused on bonding with the squad as a whole.

"Me and Elkeson spoke, but we didn't speak about the naturalization, because we just get on with our job and focus on the game and what we have to do," Li said.

"There are more players in the national team. You know, I'm starting to build better relationships with the players there every time."

Having opened its Group A campaign with 5-0 and 7-0 routs of the Maldives and Guam respectively, a 0-0 draw against the Philippines put a slight dampener on the renewed optimism in the camp.

Therefore, victory or even a draw against a so-far perfect Syria squad would be a big boost to China's chances of securing a spot in the 12-team second round of Asian zone qualifying - comprised of the eight group winners and the four best second-place finishers.

"We cannot add more pressure to the game, because it's Syria and we just have to do want we do best," added Li.

"As long as we perform and we give our all, the result will take care of itself. The preparation is the same as any other game. We go the training camp and we work hard. We train well for ten days or however long together."

It's been a busy year for Li, who arrived at Guo'an in January and has since enjoyed an encouraging season with the capital club, which is still in the hunt for the Chinese Super League title along with leader Evergrande and defending champion Shanghai SIPG.

As well as adapting to a new league and a new culture, the 26-year-old admits that adding international soccer to his schedule has posed extra challenges.

"International football is different from club football," said Li. "The system that we play is different. For me, I just see it as another game, but we play against the best players in that country.

"You have to be ready to fight from the beginning. It's difficult to play against the best players of each country who are of good standard.

"I'm not saying that club football is not good... it's always gonna be a different challenge.

"For me, honestly, to be involved in a World Cup qualifier is a great achievement. My goal is to help the team the best I can to qualify. That's the goal for everybody. If we can do this, it will be amazing."

Lippi has not had the luxury of reporting a clean bill of health for Thursday's test.

Defensive stalwart Zhang Linpeng is rated doubtful after injuring his leg in training on Tuesday, while fellow defender Li Lei also picked up a knock in a friendly against a local team in Sharjah on Sunday.

Star striker Wu Lei admitted to feeling "a little bit tired" after playing in Espanyol's 3-1 defeat at Atletico Madrid on Sunday night, but vowed that will not affect his "physical and mental condition".

"As a Chinese national team player, I'm confident about the next match," added Wu. "I'm not focused on outside factors such as a team's ranking, fans' expectations and other pressures. We still have a lot of games to play. The most important thing is to remain confident.

"Coach has always emphasized - not just for the next game - the difference between the international games and the club matches. The coach always said that we have to have a quicker pace.

"After a year of playing in Europe, my biggest impression is that the European leagues play at a much faster pace.

"It's very important to maintain a quick pace when facing strong national teams. Lippi has told us that he's satisfied with the team's training so far."

Naturalized Team China player Li Ke (right) shares a light moment with teammates during training in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday ahead of Thursday's World Cup qualifier against Syria in Dubai. Right: China’s head coach Marcello Lippi adopts a handson approach during the session. Xinhua

]]> 2019-11-14 08:00:12 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/14/content_37522896.htm

Despite the positive effect naturalized duo Ai Kesen and Li Ke have had on Team China's World Cup qualification campaign so far, recent reports that the country could grant citizenship to up to 50 foreign-born players sent alarm bells ringing among fans.

Numerous media outlets reported that the Chinese Football Association is planning to extend its quota of naturalized players to 50, prompting concern that such a policy would be damaging to the next generation of homegrown hopefuls.

However, on Tuesday, the CFA denied the rumors in a statement posted on Weibo, which read: "The basis for signing foreign players in Chinese professional leagues and naturalized-player policies are that they benefit the healthy development of the leagues, that they boost the growth of Chinese homegrown players and that they facilitate Chinese soccer youth training.

"Based on the need for the stable and healthy development of Chinese professional soccer leagues, the foreign-aid policy will not undergo big changes. The CFA never discussed if it will withdraw policies like the restrictions on the number of foreign players.

"In terms of the naturalized player regulations, the CFA will formulate policies by following the principle of being cautious and we will strictly limit naturalization. The media reports about the 50-player quota were completely untrue."

So far, just two naturalized players, Brazil-born Ai Kesen and England-born Li Ke, have been called up for national duty, while a number of Chinese Super League clubs, including current CSL leader Guangzhou Evergrande, are reportedly in the process of trying to add more imports to their squads.

According to Xinhua, CFA president Chen Xuyuan said that a total of nine naturalized players had been registered by August.

"It's quite a struggle personally for me to consider to use naturalized players on the national team as I originally disagreed with this idea," president Chen said after his election in August.

"That's a compromise we had to make to realize our immediate goal of qualifying for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

"However, it's not going to be part of our long-term strategy and we will only field a limited number of naturalized players as key supplements to our homegrown roster."

According to the CFA's current policy, CSL clubs are permitted to register a total of six imported players per season, can name four of those in their match-day squads but can only field a maximum of three simultaneously in games.

]]> 2019-11-14 08:00:12 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/14/content_37522895.htm Basketball

Franklin to the fore as Shanxi sinks Sharks

Jamaal Franklin scored a game-high 36 points to help the Shanxi Brave Dragons beat the Shanghai Sharks 106-87 in Tuesday night's CBA action in Taiyuan, Shanxi province.

Eric Moreland had eight points, 11 rebounds and three assists, while Yuan Shuai scored 20 points. James Nunnally (21 points) and Dong Hanlin (19) top-scored for the Sharks.

Elsewhere, Guo Ailun had 31 points and seven rebounds as Liaoning Flying Leopards defeated the Nanjing Monkey Kings 126-107.

Former NBA player Lance Stephenson lost some front teeth in a brutal collision with Bayi's Tian Yuxiang last Sunday, but the American recovered sufficiently to notch 30 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Lee joins long list of wounded Warriors

Yet another member of the Golden State Warriors is injured, with two-way guard Damion Lee now out because of a broken right hand.

The injury occurred during Golden State's 122-108 home loss to the Utah Jazz on Monday night.

Lee underwent an MRI exam on Tuesday that revealed a non-displaced fracture of the fourth metacarpal. The team said he will be reevaluated in two weeks.

Lee joins a long list of injured players on the depleted Warriors, who are 2-9 following five straight trips to the NBA Finals.

Stephen Curry had surgery on his broken left hand and will need another procedure next month to have pins removed. He expects to be playing again come spring.

Klay Thompson is recovering from surgery on his knee and could miss the entire season.

"It's challenging. It's been kind of the theme so far. It's not exactly ideal but it's the reality," said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr of his reduced roster. "You don't spend a whole lot of time lamenting anything. You just keep going."

Baseball

MLB probes Astros cheating allegations

Major League Baseball has expanded its investigation into the Houston Astros after The Athletic website reported the team stole signs during home games in 2017 by using a camera positioned in center field.

The report on Tuesday quoted pitcher Mike Fiers, who played for the Astros that season, and three other unidentified people with the club. The Astros won the World Series that year. Two sources told The Athletic that Houston used the system into the playoffs while another source said it ended before the postseason.

The website said the process was started by a struggling hitter and a coach, neither of whom was identified. The camera at Minute Maid Park was connected to a television monitor in the tunnel between the Astros' dugout and clubhouse, according to the The Athletic, and team employees or players would communicate expected pitches by banging a trash can to signal offspeed pitches.

The Astros said in a statement the team "has begun an investigation in cooperation with Major League Baseball" and declined additional comment.

Baldelli and Shildt win Manager of Year awards

Rocco Baldelli of the Minnesota Twins was named American League Manager of the Year, and Mike Shildt of the St. Louis Cardinals won the National League honor, MLB Network announced on Tuesday.

The 38-year-old Baldelli is the youngest person to win the top manager honor. The Twins went 101-61 and won the AL Central title under Baldelli in his first season on the job.

"What I can say is nobody takes on the responsibility of working in baseball or doing a job like this for personal accolades," Baldelli said. "I do everything that I can but it doesn't matter necessarily. You need an entire group."

The 51-year-old Shildt is the first winner of the manager award to not have professional playing experience. His Cardinals won the NL Central with a 91-71 record.

"My personal goal was to play in the big leagues and I got to college at UNC Asheville and realized that was not going to happen," Shildt said. "I was a below-average college player and I set my sights on being the best coach I could be and the journey has led me here."

Athletics

American athletes slam Diamond League cuts

USA Track and Field's athletes grouping on Tuesday lashed out at World Athletics' plans to cut several events from next year's Diamond League series, accusing the sport's global governing body of being "out of touch".

In an open letter to World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe, USATF's athletes advisory committee called on the global body to reverse plans to axe the triple jump, the 200 meters, steeplechase and discus from the Diamond League program.

The IAAF, which changed its name to World Athletics this week, announced the overhaul on Nov 6, claiming the moves would help streamline Diamond League events in an effort to make meetings more attractive for television audiences.

However, the moves have been greeted with howls of protest across the athletics world, while American triple jump star Christian Taylor has announced the launch of a global group aimed at giving athletes a bigger say in the sport.

Soccer

Injured Salah ruled out of Egypt's qualifiers

Mohamed Salah has been ruled out of Egypt's African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Kenya and Comoros with an ankle injury.

Egypt released a statement on its official Twitter account on Tuesday confirming the Liverpool star will miss the games, along with a picture of the striker with a protective boot on his left ankle.

Egypt hosts Kenya in its opening Group G qualifying match on Thursday and visits Comoros on Monday.

Salah has scored six goals for Liverpool this season and was on target in Sunday's 3-1 win over Manchester City, which took his side eight points clear of second-place Leicester City at the top of the English Premier League.

However, the 27-year-old has been unable to complete 90 minutes in the Premier League since hurting his ankle at the start of October.

Xinhua - Agencies

]]> 2019-11-14 08:00:12 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/13/content_37522676.htm LIVERPOOL, England - Liverpool has lived through too many false dawns to take a first top-flight title in 30 years for granted, but in overpowering Manchester City 3-1 to open up an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League, the Reds showed why the long wait looks set to end.

]]> Runaway leader Liverpool already looking like champion in waiting

LIVERPOOL, England - Liverpool has lived through too many false dawns to take a first top-flight title in 30 years for granted, but in overpowering Manchester City 3-1 to open up an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League, the Reds showed why the long wait looks set to end.

Only City's brilliance kept Jurgen Klopp's men waiting last season when even the third-highest points tally in the league's history still saw the Reds miss out on the title by a single point.

That disappointment has broken Liverpool sides of the past who have finished second best and quickly regressed.

But Klopp's outfit is a different mold - a mix of strength and blistering speed, blended with the inspiration of a fanbase that has waited too long to see another title challenge falter.

"At Anfield yesterday you could not escape the stirring evidence of a team on a mission," said The Times newspaper.

"Even those of a Manchester City persuasion could not fail to see opponents more ruthless than last year, even more committed to this challenge."

Ruthlessness was the difference between the two sides. Where Fabinho, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane produced differing finishes each of their own special quality, City's difference makers were wayward.

Sergio Aguero is still to score at Anfield and the usually clinical Argentine may not get a better chance than they one he dragged wide with just goalkeeper Alisson to beat just before halftime.

Raheem Sterling thrived off the jibes of the fans he left to join City four years ago as he twisted, turned and teased England teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold but always found an extra Liverpool body in the way to thwart him.

The course of the game and the title race could have been very different had Alexander-Arnold been penalized for a handball inside his own area 22 seconds before Fabinho stuck the first dagger into City's hearts just six minutes in.

When Salah stooped to head home Andy Robertson's brilliant in-swinging cross seven minutes later, Liverpool had scored with their first two attacks.

City stumbling

While the European champion's efficiency was exceptional, the holes in City's defence were entirely predictable.

A failure to replace captain Vincent Kompany after his departure to take charge of Anderlecht has been compounded by a long-term knee injury to Aymeric Laporte to leave Pep Guardiola scrambling for solutions.

Another untimely injury left the Catalan without first-choice goalkeeper Ederson and the Brazilian's backup Claudio Bravo should have done better to prevent Mane's diving header at the back post extinguishing any hope of a City comeback early in the second half.

The makeshift back four of Angelino, making just his second Premier League start, an out-of-position Fernandinho, John Stones and Kyle Walker was never likely to resist the force of Liverpool's front three.

Defiant in defeat, Guardiola lauded his players for the way they penned Liverpool in for the final half hour even with the game gone at 3-0 as Bernardo Silva pulled a goal back.

"There is still seven months to go. If Liverpool win the title, I will be the first to congratulate them for how good they are," said Guardiola.

"We want to fight until the end."

City finds itself in the unusual position of fourth, nine points behind and with the danger of seeing the gap grow rather than cut in the coming weeks.

Frank Lampard's high-flying young Chelsea side visits City's Etihad Stadium after the international break, while a clash with second-place Leicester awaits in December after a Manchester derby and a trip to Arsenal.

"Other people 100 per cent said already from now on Liverpool can only lose it, but that's a very negative approach," said Klopp, whose team has dropped just two points in its last 21 league games.

"The pressure or whatever is not there yet. Maybe it will come, but in the moment it is just opportunity and go for it, do the work, throw all in what you have and then let's see what happens."

With greater expectancy will come greater pressure, but this Liverpool team has all the hallmarks of a champion in waiting.

Agence France - presse

]]> 2019-11-13 07:47:35 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/13/content_37522675.htm

The day after Liverpool beat Manchester City in a crunch match where VAR decisions were hotly disputed, the Premier League leader's coach, Jurgen Klopp, and other top soccer figures suggested improvement is needed to the fledgling system.

Klopp, his City opposite number Pep Guardiola, Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, and Thomas Tuchel of Paris Saint-Germain all attended a UEFA coaches forum in Nyon, Switzerland, on Monday, where the Video Assistant Referee system was a hot topic.

"It is clear it's a process where they have to keep on improving," Klopp said.

"It can be improved, a lot of things have to be done by human beings and we are not 100 percent (either).

"There is space for some mistakes, nobody asks for perfection, just to have the right decision, that's all."

His comments were made a day after the marquee game of the Premier League season so far saw a controversial VAR call after six minutes when City could easily have had a penalty when the ball ricocheted around the Liverpool area and hit Reds defender Trent Alexander-Arnold on the arm.

Not only did VAR fail to overturn the referee's decision not to award City a penalty, but they were doubly punished 22 seconds later when Fabinho fired home a brilliant strike to give the Reds a 1-0 lead.

UEFA's deputy general secretary Giorgio Marchetti called for time for the new system to bed in.

"Now we have VAR, it's quite useful that coaches and representatives of referees can speak together," Marchetti said.

"Let's not forget VAR is very young and it's a revolution in the game. What we all need is uniformity.

"There are points which need to be fine-tuned, but you have to look at the positive points that VAR brings."

]]> 2019-11-13 07:47:35 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/13/content_37522674.htm With a first name that's a headline-writer's dream and a surname that would twist the tongues of even the best sports announcers, Thailand's Jazz Janewattananond (pronounced Jane-wa-taar-na-non) has become one of the most talked-about young talents to burst onto the golf scene in the past 12 months.

Aged 23, Jazz (a nickname bestowed on him by his music-mad dad) has already won two co-sanctioned Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour tournaments, as well as notching 10 other top-10s.

He is now just nine places off the world's top 50, and those who have followed his progress since he emerged as a wide-eyed 14-year-old kid will vouch that he has the talent, determination and swagger to be Asian golf's next big star.

As a case in point, a day after securing his third and probably biggest victory yet at the SMBC Singapore Open in January, where he defeated a field which featured Sergio Garcia and Paul Casey, Jazz went straight to the gym and practice range upon his return to his hometown of Hua Hin.

"I got home, had dinner with my family and then went back out to practice," said Jazz, whose actual first name is Atiwit.

Presidents Cup International Team captain Ernie Els is among his growing list of admirers.

"I've played with him in Malaysia. I'm really impressed with his game - very controlled, a good putter and good attitude," said Els.

A commendable tied-for-14th finish at the PGA Championship at Bethpage Black in May, where he entered the final round in a tie for second, gave American fans a first glimpse of Jazz's potential.

Later in August, he finished two rungs outside the top eight qualifying spots, which would have secured an automatic place in Els' squad to face the United States in Melbourne in December.

As a scrawny kid who was easily outmuscled and outpaced, Jazz failed to find success in swimming and soccer before giving golf a try thanks to the encouragement of his father, who is a Thai judge.

"My dad had overseas friends visiting and they played golf. I remember getting into a buggy and I wanted to drive but dad told me to start hitting golf balls," said Jazz, who stands at 1.75 meters (5-foot-9) and weighs just 68 kilograms.

"I began hitting balls when I was about eight and then started playing in one-day tournaments. I liked the competition aspect and kept going and got pretty good."

At 14 years of age, he became the youngest ever player to make a cut on the Asian Tour, at the 2010 International tournament on home soil, prompting Jazz to start to think seriously about turning professional.

"My sisters and cousins are doctors, or currently studying to become doctors. There are almost 10 who are doctors or judges in the family - except me. I'm guess I'm the weird one," he laughed.

With his parents' blessing, Jazz joined the professional ranks a day before turning 15 and cut his teeth on the Thai circuit and Asian Tour. With his mother chaperoning him whenever he traveled abroad, which was a requirement by law, he found some success early on, posting 10 top-10 finishes on the Asian Tour before losing his card at the end of 2016.

That prompted Jazz to spend two weeks in a Buddhist monastery where he learned to become a monk - a ritual common among young Thais as a mark of respect to their parents.

A few months later at the 2017 Bangladesh Open, Jazz found his winning rhythm with a first win on the Asian Tour. He credited his time in the monastery for the success.

"I prayed and chanted every day in the temple. I felt really peaceful. Golf used to be everything but now I'm just happy I get to play in tournaments," he said.

Ultimately, he dreams of joining compatriot Kiradech Aphibarnrat on the PGA Tour.

"That's my goal... hopefully in the near future," he said. "Kiradech is my inspiration. I stayed with him at The Open last year, got close to him and practiced with him. He's the first Thai on the PGA Tour and he always says I can do it too. A lot of young guys are playing golf now because of him. He's like a big brother and shows me things."

Unlike some young prodigies, it seems unlikely that complacency will set in for Jazz, who has no qualms about putting in long hours on the practice range.

"It's my job, my life and I enjoy it," he said. "I'll do this for the rest of my life. I want to be a regular on the PGA Tour, playing there week in, week out. That's where I want to be."

The writer is senior director of communications of the PGA Tour and is based in Kuala Lumpur.

]]> 2019-11-13 07:47:35 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/13/content_37522673.htm With China needing a miracle to qualify for the regular Olympic basketball tournament, Yi Jianlian is being tipped to take a more realistic shot at the Games - in the 3x3 discipline.

]]> Hoops star tipped to join China's 3x3 squad in bid to realize Olympic dream

With China needing a miracle to qualify for the regular Olympic basketball tournament, Yi Jianlian is being tipped to take a more realistic shot at the Games - in the 3x3 discipline.

The failure to secure Asia's only direct berth to the Tokyo Olympics at the FIBA World Cup earlier this year looked to have ended the veteran forward's dream of competing at a record fifth Games.

However, recent comments from a Chinese Basketball Association official suggest the former NBA player might suit up in Tokyo after all, as part of 3x3's Olympic debut.

"If he has the interest and wants it to happen, it's technically possible that we recruit him on the national roster," Chai Wensheng, director of the CBA's 3x3 department, told sina.com at a recent event in Shanghai to announce the national team's new sponsor.

"We definitely would love to have a player like Yi, whose level is without question.

"But he needs at least two months to adapt to the 3x3 game, given the difference in rules and the faster pace of the discipline. It's a big challenge."

FIBA rules permit each participating nation to register a maximum of two players without 3x3 rankings on its four-member Olympics roster, opening the door for the likes of Yi to make the shift, said Chai.

Both China's men's and women's 3x3 national teams have qualified for the eight-squad Olympic tournaments in Tokyo directly through the FIBA rankings, which are calculated by totaling players' individual ranking points gained at FIBA-sanctioned events.

China's five-a-side team is on the brink of missing out on the Olympics for the first time since 1984 after it failed to advance to the second group stage at the home World Cup in September, losing the sole Tokyo qualification ticket to Iran.

Now China has to defy long odds against a number of global heavyweights, such as Greece, Lithuania and Canada, in a 24-team qualifying tournament next June for the remaining four tickets, which will be awarded to each of the six-team group winners.

Yi, who is now competing with the Guangdong Southern Tigers for a 10th league title in the 2019-20 CBA season, has yet to respond to the potential 3x3 call-up.

However, his interest in helping grow the smaller, faster and younger 'streetball' version of the game is clear.

The 32-year-old former NBA player's annual youth training program has featured 3x3 tournaments since 2011, while he has often voiced his support for the discipline.

"The 3x3 game has always been popular at the grassroots level. The increasing number of teams signing up for the national tournament is proof of its growing participation rates. Its Olympic inclusion will for sure draw greater attention," Yi said during the 2018 CBA 3x3 League finals.

The national league's 2019 3x3 season reached out to 300 cities across the country, involving over 100,000 players in two age groups, for both men and women, before concluding with the national finals in July.

Aimed at making the Games more appealing to young people, the International Olympic Committee voted in June 2017 to add the 3x3 game to the Olympic program, starting with the Tokyo 2020 edition.

Each 3x3 game lasts a maximum of 10 minutes (21 points is the winning threshold for a team), with a 12-second shot clock. It is played with no halftime, quarters nor timeouts, and is typically accompanied by non-stop pop music.

The accessible nature of the high-energy discipline, which can be staged at shopping malls, city squares and landmarks, helps bring basketball more directly to the public, according to Chai.

"For us the goal is to compete for a podium finish at the Olympics to further boost the discipline's popularity in the future," said Chai, a former team manager of the country's 5x5 national squad.

Considered more of a fun sport than regular basketball, 3x3 saw its profile significantly enhanced in the world's most populous nation after the Chinese women's squad won the inaugural FIBA 3x3 World Cup, beating Hungary 19-13 in the final in Amsterdam in June.

The historic triumph was the first major international basketball title won by any Chinese team.

"China has been a pioneer when it comes to 3x3 development and a very successful one too," FIBA executive director David Crocker said at this year's 3x3 Asia Cup in Changsha, Hunan province.

"In both the grassroots community and elite level, China has put in tremendous effort to make it happen. We have no doubt that, in the long term, China will constantly be a strong force for development, and also a regular medal winner on the global stage."

]]> 2019-11-13 07:47:35 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/13/content_37522672.htm LONDON - After being thoroughly outplayed by defending champion Alexander Zverev at the ATP Finals, Rafael Nadal refused to make any excuses.

The top-ranked Spaniard wouldn't blame the abdominal problem that forced him to pull out of the Paris Masters semifinals just nine days earlier, or a hand injury that kept him sidelined before that. And he bristled at the notion that his recent marriage could be a factor in a sub-par performance.

Something was clearly off for Nadal, though, who lost 6-2, 6-4 to a player he had a perfect 5-0 record against before Monday's match at London's O2 Arena.

Nadal dropped his serve three straight times, didn't force a single break point, and his normally powerful forehand was responsible for more than four times as many unforced errors (13) as winners (3).

Still, Nadal insisted there was nothing wrong with him physically.

"I did not feel pain in the abdominal at all," he said. "So the physical issue was not an excuse at all. The only excuse is I was not good enough tonight."

Nadal hasn't finished a tournament since winning the US Open in August, also pulling out of Shanghai because of a hand injury. That lack of playing time certainly didn't help coming into an event featuring only the top eight players in the world, rather than lower-ranked early opponents.

He still has to face Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev in round-robin play, and probably has to beat both in order to reach the semifinals.

"Knowing that I would not be at my 100 percent in terms of feelings, in terms of movement, in terms of confidence or hitting the ball, I needed my best competitive spirit this afternoon, and I was not there in that way," Nadal said. "I need to play much better in two days."

The Spaniard then got a bit testy when a journalist asked whether his October marriage to longtime girlfriend Maria Francisca Perello has changed his outlook on the game at all.

"Honestly, are you asking me this? Is that a serious question or a joke?" Nadal bristled. "It is a big surprise for me that you ask me this after I have been with the same girl for 15 years and having a very stable and normal life. Doesn't matter if you put a ring on your finger or not."

For Zverev, this latest win means he has beaten each of tennis' Big Three in his last three matches at the ATP Finals.

The German defeated six-time champion Roger Federer in last year's semifinals and then five-time winner Novak Djokovic in the final.

"It's definitely a place and a court that I love, and that brings maybe the best out of me," the seventh-seeded German said.

Nadal has a history of being far from his best at the Finals, which comes at the end of a grueling season that often takes its toll on the Spaniard because of his ultra-physical playing style. He has qualified for the event for 15 years in a row but has pulled out of it on six occasions because of injuries. He has never won the title, reaching the final twice.

But he showed up in southeast London hoping to stave off Djokovic for the year-end No 1 ranking.

Djokovic won his opening match on Sunday and this loss cuts Nadal's lead over the Serbian to just 440 points in the rankings table - each round-robin win is worth 200 points - with a total of 1,300 more points up for grabs for each player.

Earlier, Tsitsipas earned his first career win over Medvedev - a victory that clearly meant a lot to the Greek, not only because Tsitsipas was 0-5 against the Russian before winning 7-6 (5), 6-4, or that it came in his ATP Finals debut.

But mainly because two of the biggest rising stars in tennis simply don't like each other that much.

"It's a victory that I craved for a long time now, and it's great that it came at this moment," Tsitsipas said. "Our chemistry definitely isn't the best that you can find on the tour. It's not that I hate him but we will not go to dinner together."

The grudge dates to their first meeting, in Miami last year, when Medvedev berated Tsitsipas for not apologizing after hitting a net cord during a point, a spat that ended with both players trading insults on court.

"After that, I think I didn't win a single game. He did get into my head, and I was very frustrated that it did go this way," Tsitsipas said. "He started telling me that I should apologize, that what I do is unsportsmanlike. I did get (angry) and said what I said, which I do regret, but at the time I was very frustrated."

On Monday, the sixth-seeded Greek earned the only break of the match to lead 5-4 in the second set and clinched the win with a forehand overhead at the net.

"He was better today, but I felt like I was missing some things," said Medvedev, the US Open runner-up. "This frustrates me after. I do think it would frustrate me against any other opponent. I hate to lose against anybody."

Associated Press

Germany's Alexander Zverev follows through on a serve during his 6-2, 6-4 group-stage victory over Spain's Rafael Nadal at the ATP Finals in London on Monday. Action Images Via Reuters

]]> 2019-11-13 07:47:35 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/13/content_37522671.htm Snooker

Ding's difficulties continue in Belfast

China's No 1 Ding Junhui fell at the first hurdle at the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast on Monday, crashing to a 4-2 first-round loss against England's David Lilley.

The 32-year-old Ding trailed 3-0 but mounted a mini-comeback to make it 3-2. However, newly turned pro Lilley, 44, wrapped up victory in the sixth frame with a break of 71.

Ding, the winner of 13 ranking titles, has suffered an alarming slump in form of late. He was also beaten in the first round of last month's English Open and lost in the last 16 of the World Open in Yushan, Jiangxi province.

The former world No 1 is now ranked 16th, with his 19-year-old compatriot Yan Bingtao only two places behind.

Yan won his first ranking event at July's Riga Masters in Latvia and safely negotiated the first round in Belfast with a 4-2 win over Englishman Andy Hicks.

Olympics

Noguchi first Japanese to carry Tokyo flame

Former Olympic women's marathon champion Mizuki Noguchi has been chosen as the first Japanese torchbearer of the Olympic flame on its journey to next year's Tokyo Games, the organizing committee announced on Monday.

Noguchi, who won gold at the 2004 Athens Games, will be the second torchbearer in the Greek leg of the relay. She will receive the flame on March 12 following a lighting ceremony in Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games.

The ceremony begins an eight-day torch relay through Greece, before the flame is handed over to Games organizers in Athens on March 19.

The Japan leg of the torch relay will begin in Fukushima prefecture on March 26, and will pass through each of the country's 47 prefectures en route to the opening ceremony in the capital on July 24.

Soccer

Gunners warn Emery results must improve

Unai Emery has received the backing of the Arsenal board, but has been warned that results must improve.

The Spaniard has come under mounting pressure after just two wins from Arsenal's last 10 Premier League games.

A 2-0 loss at Leicester City on Saturday saw the sixth-place Gunners fall eight points behind the Premier League's top four.

However, the north London club's head of football, Raul Sanllehi, and managing director Vinai Venkatesham insist Emery remains the right man for the job.

"We are as disappointed as everyone else with both our results and performances at this stage of the season," Sanllehi and Venkatesham told Arsenal staff at a meeting on Monday.

"Things need to improve to meet our objectives for the season, and we firmly believe Unai is the right man for the job, together with the backroom team we have in place."

England drops Sterling over team 'disturbance'

Raheem Sterling will not be considered for England's European Championship qualifier against Montenegro after emotions ran high when the team gathered on Monday following Manchester City's loss to Liverpool.

A day after the Premier League's top two teams met at Anfield, where City's Sterling clashed with Liverpool defender Joe Gomez near the end of the Reds' 3-1 win, both players apparently became involved in another heated exchange when the England squad convened at the national training center at Burton upon Trent.

The Football Association said in a statement that Sterling will not be considered for the game on Thursday against Montenegro at Wembley "as a result of a disturbance in a private team area at St. George's Park today. He will remain with the squad".

England manager Gareth Southgate said it was the right call.

Baseball

Alonso, Alvarez win Rookie of Year awards

Pete Alonso, the most productive rookie home-run hitter in baseball history, and Yordan Alvarez were landslide winners of baseball's Rookie of the Year awards on Monday.

Alonso of the New York Mets trotted away with the National League honor after smacking 53 homers to break the rookie mark set by Aaron Judge (52) of the New York Yankees two years ago.

Alvarez had a franchise-rookie-record 27 homers in just 87 games for the Houston Astros en route to unanimously winning the American League award.

Alonso, an All-Star first baseman, received 29 of 30 first-place votes for 148 points and easily won over second-place finisher Mike Soroka (82) of the Atlanta Braves and third-place shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. (26) of the San Diego Padres. The right-handed Soroka received the other first-place vote.

Xinhua - Agencies

]]> 2019-11-13 07:47:35 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/12/content_37522387.htm LIVERPOOL, England - Even Jurgen Klopp cannot quite believe Liverpool's lead over Manchester City this early in the season.

]]> Anfield victory pushes Liverpool nine points clear of Guardiola's City

LIVERPOOL, England - Even Jurgen Klopp cannot quite believe Liverpool's lead over Manchester City this early in the season.

"That's crazy, nine points," the Liverpool manager said. "You cannot imagine that something like this can happen."

It's very real after Liverpool beat City 3-1 on Sunday thanks to goals from Fabinho, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane at Anfield.

"Other people 100 percent said already that from now on Liverpool can only lose it," Klopp said. "Well that's a very negative approach, but you can see it like this. We don't care."

Only 12 games have been played, with another 26 to go in the pursuit of a first title since 1990 for the 18-time English champion.

Klopp is not getting carried away despite Liverpool's top spot.

"But it's not important because who wants to be first in early November?" Klopp said. "You want to be first in May."

For the past two seasons that final position has been held by City. Now the two-time defending champion heads into the international break down in fourth place.

The side immediately above them is not so unexpected, even if Chelsea's ability to reinforce the squad was hampered by a transfer ban. But it's the presence of Leicester in second place, reviving memories of its incredible 5,000-1 shot title win in 2016, that is shaking up the league. Both the Foxes and Chelsea trail Liverpool by eight points.

That leaves record 20-time champion Manchester United far from sight of the Champions League places, even after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side beat Brighton 3-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday.

United is nine points adrift of neighbor City in seventh place. Wolves are only behind United on goal difference after beating Aston Villa 2-1 in a local derby on Sunday.

Fast start

Liverpool netted twice in the opening 13 minutes.

City had just been denied a penalty, for a handball claim against Trent Alexander-Arnold, when Liverpool launched a swift counterattack and a thunderous Fabinho strike from distance beat Claudio Bravo, who was filling in for the injured Ederson.

City's makeshift defense was breached again in the 13th minute, again from a rapid move down the left. When Andrew Robertson sent a cross into the penalty area, Salah nipped ahead of Fernandinho to head past Bravo.

Any prospect of a comeback appeared to be extinguished six minutes into the second half when City was picked apart from another cross.

Mane got on the end of Jordan Henderson's delivery from the right, heading in at the back post.

City's only goal came in the 78th from Bernardo Silva's low strike, but City coach Pep Guardiola wasn't blaming his players. Far from it.

"Today we showed in the most difficult stadium right now in the world the reason why we are the champions," Guardiola said. "One of the most proudest performances I've ever lived as a manager in my career in this stadium."

United's win at home to Brighton was only its second in seven league games.

Andreas Pereira fired United ahead in the 17th minute before a Davy Propper own-goal two minutes later made it 2-0.

Marcus Rashford struck off the underside of the bar in the 66th just after Lewis Dunk had reduced the deficit to complete the 3-1 win.

"It's our best performance of the season," said United boss Solskjaer. "Exhilarating, entertaining and great to see the boys enjoy themselves."

Associated Press

Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk towers above Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne to reach a header during Liverpool's 3-1 English Premier League victory at Anfield in Liverpool on Sunday. Reuters

]]> 2019-11-12 07:52:06 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/12/content_37522386.htm Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly left Allianz Stadium before the final whistle of Juventus' 1-0 Serie A win over AC Milan on Sunday after being substituted for the second match in a week.

Paulo Dybala replaced Ronaldo on 55 minutes with the Argentina striker going on to score the winning goal 22 minutes later to keep Juve top of Serie A, a point ahead of Inter Milan.

Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo looked glum as he came off and directed some words at coach Maurizio Sarri before heading to the changing rooms. Sky Sport Italia reported that the 34-year-old had left the stadium three minutes before the match finished.

However, Sarri said he did not know whether Ronaldo had left early.

"Disrespectful to his teammates? Like I said, I don't know," said Sarri, who arrived at Juve from Chelsea in the summer, succeeding Max Allegri. "If it's true that he left before the end it is a problem to be resolved with his teammates.

"I have no problem with Cristiano, he should be thanked because he made himself available despite not being in the best condition," said Sarri.

"In the last month he has had discomfort in his knee and this is a little problem for him."

Ronaldo had reacted furiously after been substituted in his team's 2-1 midweek win against Lokomotiv Moscow which saw Juve advance to the Champions League last 16.

"The important thing is that he made himself available. If he gets angry when he comes out, this is part of the game," continued the Juventus coach.

"It's only natural a player is going to be irritated about leaving the pitch, especially when he worked so hard to be there.

"All players who are trying to give their best will have at least five minutes of being annoyed when they are substituted, but a coach would in general be much more worried if he didn't seem upset."

Agence France - presse

]]> 2019-11-12 07:52:06 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/12/content_37522385.htm Robert Lewandowski looked like the happiest man on Earth after his history-making strikes for Bayern Munich on Saturday.

The prolific Pole hugged teammates and coaching staff after netting his 15th and 16th goals of the season in the 4-0 drubbing of Borussia Dortmund at Allianz Arena to surpass a Gerd Mueller record that had stood for over 50 years.

German legend Mueller had netted 15 times in Bayern's first 11 games in the 1968-69 season, with Lewandowski, who has 23 goals in all competitions this season, becoming the first player in Bundesliga history to score in 11 consecutive matches.

The 31-year-old also extended another streak on Saturday, with his 16th goal in 11 Bundesliga matches against former club Dortmund.

Afterwards, Bayern caretaker coach Hansi Flick hailed Lewandowski as the world's best striker, while club legend Lothar Matthaeus said he "can't see anyone at the same level at present".

"He has arrived in Munich with all of his heart at last. I am sure he is going to end his career in Munich," Matthaeus added.

"His wife is pregnant with their second child, things could not be better for him with the success he has achieved on the pitch."

In August, Lewandowski extended his Bayern contract to 2023, helping to dispel speculation that the forward was angling for a move to Real Madrid in a bid to fulfill his dream of winning the Champions League.

Mueller's 40-goal Bundesliga single-season (1971-72) record will surely be next on Lewandowski's hit list.

"I thought Gerd Mueller's record was made for eternity. But Robert is the first one able to reach that level and pose a threat to his historic record," said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who added it was "amazing" to see Lewandowski bagging "one to three goals in every game".

However, a forthcoming hernia operation, reportedly scheduled for the winter break, could put the brakes on Lewandowski's incredible form in front of goal.

Flick confirmed the necessity of the medical intervention but said it is up to his striker to decide about the timing. The surgery usually requires a break of between 10 days to two weeks.

Next up for Lewandowski are Euro 2020 qualifiers for already-qualified Poland against Israel and Slovenia.

]]> 2019-11-12 07:52:06 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/12/content_37522384.htm The renewed sense of optimism surrounding Team China will face its sternest test yet in Thursday's 2022 World Cup qualifier against Syria in Dubai.

]]>

Amid encouraging signs, Syria clash seen as crucial to qualification hopes

The renewed sense of optimism surrounding Team China will face its sternest test yet in Thursday's 2022 World Cup qualifier against Syria in Dubai.

Boosted by the addition of naturalized players Ai Kesen and Li Ke, Marcello Lippi's side got its campaign off to a flying start with 5-0 and 7-0 drubbings of the Maldives and Guam respectively.

Last month, however, a 0-0 draw against the Philippines provided something of a reality check and placed extra pressure on Lippi's men to earn at least a point against Group A leader Syria.

With Syria perfect so far in qualifying, victory in Dubai would be a major boost to second-place China's chances of securing a spot in the 12-team second round of Asian zone qualifying, comprised of the eight group winners and the four best second-place finishers.

After initially assembling in Guangzhou, the Chinese squad departed for Dubai last Wednesday and is now training in nearby Sharjah.

The players are no strangers to the United Arab Emirates, which hosted this year's AFC Asian Cup earlier this year. However, Beijing Youth Daily reported that the hot weather and jet lag appeared to have taken a toll on Lippi's players as they struggled through a highintensity session last Thursday.

The newspaper reported that Lippi has been emphasizing the notion that every single member of his squad has a chance to face Syria and no one is automatically assured of a starting berth.

On Sunday, a largely second-string China XI beat a local Sharjah team 6-1 in a behind-closed-doors friendly.

The lack of a clean sheet left some fans on social media expressing concern that China's defense may not be resilient enough to keep out Thursday's opponent, which only narrowly failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup after being beaten in a two-legged playoff by Australia.

Defender Li Lei, however, reported that the preparations for the Syria game are going well.

"The first two days in the city we were trained really hard," said Li. "The facilities and training conditions here are really good. And the players were excited when they stepped onto such a good pitch.

"It's vital that we reach the 12-team second round, but we shouldn't burden ourselves too much. All we need to do is to perform as we've trained, and then we will have a good result.

"We have been preparing and devising specific tactics based on the rival's characteristics. Led by the head coach, we will try to win the match. Ever since we reassembled, the head coach has been emphasizing the intensity of the match.

"We have to put pressure on them, instead of waiting for their pressure. Through the training and the matches we've played, we have a better understanding of what the coach is asking of us. We have to play strictly according to his directions - playing faster and at a quicker pace."

Team China will again look to Guangzhou Evergrande's Brazilborn forward Ai Kesen, aka Elkeson, and Espanyol striker Wu Lei to make the difference on Thursday.

Having begun his Team China career with three goals in his first two games, Ai Kesen's lackluster showing against the Philippines, which was attributed to tiredness, was a concern for fans.

Ai Kesen's Evergrande has faltered of late as it tries to seal a record-extending eighth Chinese Super League title, with the club's head coach Fabio Cannavaro temporarily relieved of his duties and then quickly reinstated in somewhat farcical fashion. The uncertainty at Evergrande has added to concerns that Ai Kesen is neither in peak condition nor the best frame of mind for the Syria clash.

"What we should do now is cooperate with the coach and train hard according to his directions," said the forward before setting off for Dubai.

"We have to be fully prepared for the match, after all Syria is our strongest rival in Group A. We need to produce a great performance and hope we can win the game."

Wu's club situation in Spain is also not ideal. The former Shanghai SIPG star set off for Dubai following Espanyol's 3-1 defeat at Atletico Madrid on Sunday night - a loss which leaves the Barcelona-based side second-from-bottom in La Liga.

Apart from a solitary goal in a Europa League group game at CSKA Moscow, it has been a tough second season for Wu at Espanyol, which fired coach David Gallego last month and replaced with him former Sevilla boss Pablo Machin.

Having been in and out of the starting XI this season, Wu saw 59 minutes of action against Atletico before being benched immediately after the host had made it 2-1.

The 27-year-old Wu reportedly joined Team China's training on Monday afternoon after a short rest period.

]]> 2019-11-12 07:52:06 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/12/content_37522383.htm

China Under-19 head coach Cheng Yaodong delivered a damning assessment of the country's youth ranks after his team failed to qualify for the AFC U-19 Championship for the first time in 25 years.

A 4-1 defeat to South Korea in Yangon, Myanmar, ended China's chances of reaching next year's tournament.

With two wins and a defeat, China finished second in Group I but failing to secure a qualification spot as one of the four best runners-up.

"Since the coaching team took over the team three months ago, we've gradually become more familiar with the squad and prepared them for this qualifier. We have to say, the result is expected," said Cheng.

"We were stronger than the first two opponents and performed to our strengths. Even for the third game, I still believe our players tried hard... but we have to admit that the South Korean team was much stronger than us.

"South Korea's youth training level is not only leading Asian soccer, it has been also very strong worldwide."

And Cheng cannot see China closing the gap any time soon.

"For now, Chinese soccer has no advantages compared to other Asian teams," added the coach. "If we organize ourselves well, we might have an outside chance to beat a strong Asian team.

"But if we only count on the current generation of young players, it will be very tough for us. After all, soccer is about a squad's strength in depth.

"Even now we do not have a great foundation, and we still have to try hard to develop Chinese soccer."

The Under-19 team that was defeated on Sunday was the same side that lost 3-0 to a South Korea Under-18 side at May's Panda Cup tournament in Chengdu.

The Koreans were ultimately stripped of the title after one of their players posed for a photograph with his foot on the trophy, interpreted as an act of arrogance and disrespect.

The episode left a bitter taste for the Chinese squad, however even with that incident providing motivation, China could not avenge that humiliation.

Sunday's historic low has caused shock waves back home, with an article on chinanews.com summing up the sense of doom and gloom. It read: "This generation of players, who were born in 2001, grew up in an era when Chinese soccer's youth development stagnated.

"Considering such an environment, the result is now very obvious. This shows that Chinese soccer is paying its debt. As for when the debt will be paid off, that will only come the next time that China's youngsters qualify for the AFC U-19 Championship."

]]> 2019-11-12 07:52:06 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/12/content_37522382.htm LONDON - Dominic Thiem keeps getting the better of Roger Federer.

Thiem beat Federer 7-5, 7-5 on Sunday in their opening match at the ATP Finals for his fifth win in seven meetings with the Swiss great - and third straight this year.

"To beat him, everything has to fit together. Today I think that was the case again," Thiem said. "Every time, only playing against him is a big honor. Beating him is even better."

Thiem broke in the opening game of the match and again for a 6-5 lead in the first set after Federer had leveled at 2-2.

The second set went with serve until Thiem broke at love for another 6-5 lead. Federer, a record sixtime champion at the ATP Finals, then missed two break points in the next game before netting a backhand return on Thiem's second match point.

Thiem also beat Federer at the Madrid Masters and in the Indian Wells final this year, but lost to him in the group stage at last year's ATP Finals.

For Federer, the loss means there's no room for another slip-up in his next two round-robin matches, against Novak Djokovic and Matteo Berrettini. He'll probably have to win both in order to reach the semifinals.

"It's a normal tournament from here on forward," Federer said. "Not allowed to lose anymore for me. That's how it is every week of the year for the last 20 years, so from that standpoint there is nothing new there."

Djokovic had a much easier start to the tournament, easing past Berrettini 6-2, 6-1 in their first round-robin match.

But despite a near flawless performance, Djokovic still found a way to berate himself.

Leading 4-0 in the second set against the Italian, Djokovic hit a backhand wide to concede a break and then turned toward his player's box and shouted out his frustration.

It was a clear sign that even at the end of another grueling season, Djokovic won't tolerate any dips in his game as he pursues a record-equaling sixth ATP Finals title.

"There's no other reasonable explanation (to that reaction) than trying to play as perfect as possible," Djokovic said. "But I guess that's me, you know."

It was certainly the same Djokovic that the O2 Arena crowd in London has become used to seeing. However, the second-ranked 32-year-old Serbian only needed to hit a total of 10 winners in the match as Berrettini's 28 unforced errors handed him an easy victory to start round-robin play.

Associated Press

]]> 2019-11-12 07:52:06 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/12/content_37522381.htm Badminton

Chen and mixed pair fight to Fuzhou golds

Chinese shuttlers repeated last year's performance at the BWF Fuzhou China Open in Fujian province by claiming the women's singles and mixed doubles titles on Sunday.

Defending champion Chen Yufei overcame Nozomi Okuhara of Japan 2-1(9-21, 21-12, 21-18), while mixed pair Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping beat world No 1 compatriots Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong.

The 21-year-old Chen allayed fears that a medical timeout in the third set was due to a recurrence of an injury that forced her to withdraw from last month's Denmark Open.

"I didn't twist my ankle again. It was just because of a scratch on my foot," Chen said.

In the men's singles final, Japan's world No 1 Kento Momota defeated Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei 2-1(21-15, 17-21, 21-18).

Japanese duo Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota overcame South Korean pair Lee So-hee and Shin Seung-chan 2-0 in the women's doubles final, while Indonesia's Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo won the men's doubles competition.

Table Tennis

China's women reign at Team World Cup

China defeated Japan 3-0 in the women's final at the 2019 Table Tennis Team World Cup in Tokyo on Sunday.

This year's tournament is serving as a test event for the Tokyo Olympics, adopting the same best-of-five format as the Games, with one doubles contest followed by four singles matches.

Chen Meng and Liu Shiwen defeated Kasumi Ishikawa and Miu Hirano 3-0(11-7, 11-9, 12-10) in the opening doubles clash to get China off to a flier.

A hard-fought 3-2(8-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 12-10) win for 19-year-old Sun Yingsha against Japan's Mima Ito doubled China's lead before Liu secured gold by easily seeing off Hirano 3-0(11-3, 11-8, 11-5).

Earlier in the day, the Chinese men's team also topped the podium by beating South Korea 3-1.

Rugby

Magnificent sevens book Tokyo ticket

The Chinese women's sevens team sealed a spot at the Tokyo Olympics by beating Hong Kong 33-0 in the final of the Asian qualification competition in Guangzhou on Sunday.

No Chinese rugby team, male or female, has ever competed at an Olympics before.

With eight of the top Asian teams fighting for only one ticket to the Tokyo Games, China utterly dominated all five of its matches, conceding just seven points in total.

Team China swatted aside Thailand 34-0 in the semifinals after topping its group by trouncing South Korea 49-0, Hong Kong 42-7 and Sri Lanka 55-0.

Rugby Sevens will make its second appearance in the Olympics following its debut at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Basketball

Jilin stuns Guangdong, Zhou stars for Xinjiang

Dominique Jones powered the Jilin Northeast Tigers with a triple-double to topple the defending champion Guangdong Southeast Tigers 120-115, while Zhou Qi scored a career-high 35 points as the Xinjiang Flying Tigers defeated the Fujian Sturgeons in the fourth round of Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) action on Sunday.

Jones had 49 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for the host in Changchun, while Guangdong's Yi Jianlian registered a game-high 14 rebounds and scored 27 points.

In Jinjiang, Team China international centers Zhou and Wang Zhelin faced off, with Zhou just edging their battle with 35 points for Xinjiang, eight more than Fujian's Wang. Both grabbed nine rebounds apiece.

The victory means Xinjiang stays perfect, with four wins, while Fujian remains winless.

Miami bans Waiters over in-flight incident

Miami Heat reserve guard Dion Waiters was suspended for 10 games without pay on Sunday by the NBA club for "conduct detrimental to the team" after an airplane incident.

The ban began with the Heat's loss on Friday at the Los Angeles Lakers and will sideline the 27-year-old American until a Dec 1 game at Brooklyn.

Waiters, who signed a four-year deal worth $52 million with the Heat in 2017, had also been suspended for Miami's season-opening victory last month over Memphis, costing him $83,448.

According to multiple reports, Waiters was involved in an incident on the flight from Phoenix to LA on Thursday night, supposedly involving the ingestion of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

NBA drug policy prevents teams from commenting on such matters, but the Heat issued a statement on Sunday announcing the ban on Waiters.

Xinhua - Agencies

]]> 2019-11-12 07:52:06 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/11/content_37522148.htm Club hopes superstar's successor will come from famed La Masia academy

BARCELONA, Spain - Even though Lionel Messi is still going strong, Barcelona's club president has already started to look ahead to that unwanted day when the club's all-time great steps off the Camp Nou field for the very last time.

Josep Bartomeu told Associated Press in an interview on Friday that Barcelona is "preparing this post-Messi era".

"In the next coming two or three seasons our leader will continue to be Leo Messi," Bartomeu said at Camp Nou Stadium. "But it's true that there are other young players who are coming. Players coming from abroad, but also players coming from our La Masia (academy). And we are very happy because we are preparing this post-Messi era."

Messi is Barcelona's all-time leading scorer with 609 goals in 697 games and has led it to 34 trophies. He remains the team's undisputed leader, its best scorer and passer of the ball.

His place in the hearts of Barcelona's fans is arguably only shared by Johan Cruyff, the former player and coach credited with establishing Barcelona's attacking style that Messi has exploited to perfection.

One-club man

While confident over the future, Bartomeu and fans also have concerns over how the Catalan club will cope when the 32-year-old Messi starts to slow down. Bartomeu said that goal No 1 for the club's transition plan is to ensure that Messi retires in a Barca shirt, and also stays linked to it after his playing days are over.

"Leo Messi's contract finishes in 2021. But surely it will be the will of all parties involved, if he feels strong and with ambition, to extend this contract indefinitely," Bartomeu said.

"I always make a comparison with Pele. Pele was a man of a single club (Santos, in Brazil)... I have no doubts that after Messi finishes his career as footballer he will remain linked to this club for the rest of his life."

With striker Luis Suarez, defender Gerard Pique and midfielder Sergio Busquets all over 30, Barcelona is faced with the task of replacing a generation of winners.

Building bridges

Bartomeu cannot run for re-election in 2021 when his term runs out according to club regulations. To lay the foundation for the team's future, he has brought in players to complement its homegrown talent.

Bartomeu said that while having big hopes for Antoine Griezmann and academy product Ansu Fati, he is confident that Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong "is going to establish an era of his own at Barca" and carry on its emphasis on precision-passing midfielders.

The 56-year-old Bartomeu is an executive in a company that manufactures jet bridges for airports. As a club executive, he oversaw Barcelona's soccer operations from 2010-14, a period which included the last two years of Pep Guardiola's extremely successful coaching stint and Tito Vilanova's fight against throat cancer that finally took his life.

Bartomeu became club president in 2014 when Sandro Rosell resigned. He won re-election a year later.

Under his presidency, Barcelona has won the Champions League, four Spanish league titles and four Copa del Rey crowns.

He has continued fostering the economic expansion of the club, which announced in September that it is on course to become the first sports team in the world to surpass 1 billion euros ($1.15 billion) in revenue this season. Bartomeu plans for his legacy to also include the remodeling of Camp Nou, already Europe's biggest stadium with seating for 99,000.

Neymar debacle

Bartomeu has been criticized for not stopping Neymar from leaving for Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, robbing Barcelona of its heir apparent to Messi.

As for Barca's failed attempt to buy back Neymar from PSG this summer, Bartomeu appeared ready to move on.

"After what happened this past summer, (Neymar) is still with PSG," Bartomeu said. "So we must have the utmost respect toward a club and its players."

Barcelona's costly efforts to replace Neymar have yet to pay off on the field. The club broke its transfer record by paying 125 million euros, plus add-ons, for Philippe Coutinho, only to loan him out this year. It spent another 105 million euros, plus add-ons, on Ousmane Dembele, who has yet to establish himself as a starter.

"Arriving at Barca and triumphing isn't easy," Bartomeu said. "Ousmane has had bad luck with injuries, but we have lots of trust in his talent. (Coutinho's) adaptation wasn't so easy. This year we opted for a loan to Bayern Munich. But Coutinho is a world-class star."

Valverde backed

Barcelona has had a lackluster start to this campaign, the third under coach Ernesto Valverde. Its focus is on avoiding a fourth straight defeat in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Bartomeu, however, backs Valverde.

"This season we have brought in young players who have to help us get through those stages," Bartomeu said. "We think that Valverde is the ideal coach to lead this blending of a generation of players of a certain age who have been so successful with that of up-and-coming players.

"It is important to create this bond, this union, to make a new team and this new group that will carry Barca forward. And Valverde has this ability."

Associated Press

]]> 2019-11-11 07:34:03 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/11/content_37522147.htm LONDON - From a record-breaking night at Wembley, England will only want to remember one set of numbers.

The "77,768" flashing on the big screens during the second half of Saturday's game against Germany confirmed the biggest-ever crowd either of these teams have played in front of.

"It's unbelievable," England striker Ellen White said after her side's 2-1 defeat. "The support, the noise, the atmosphere. We are really sorry we couldn't get the result."

For this was an unforgiving spotlight for the host, playing only its second game at the national stadium that is usually the preserve of male players.

Klara Buhl's stoppage-time winner for Germany handed England a fifth loss in seven games, starting with the World Cup semifinal defeat against the United States in July.

"I've got to take responsibility for those results," England manager Phil Neville said. "I'm the one that picks the team. I'm the one that sets the tactics. I train them, I talk to them, I communicate with them.

"So ultimately the buck has got to start with me and finish with me because the team always reflects the manager. At this moment in time the results aren't good enough which means that I'm not good enough."

It was a rare self-critical moment from the former Manchester United and England player, who is coming to the end of the second year of his first job in the women's game.

"You don't play into the trap," Neville said, "and we played into their trap, and they smelt blood."

White addressed the bumper crowd following the game on the pitch, after becoming the first woman to score for England at Wembley - five years after the team's debut at the stadium ended in a 3-0 loss to Germany in front of around 45,000 spectators. "I'm really sorry we couldn't get the result," she told fans.

White did turn things around for England just before halftime, canceling out Alexandra Popp's ninth-minute header with a clipped finish from close range.

But just when the Lionesses were preparing to celebrate a draw against the world's second-ranked team, Buhl struck.

The only comfort for the English was the evidence of the growing appeal of women's soccer.

"This is what the women's game has needed," said England forward Nikita Parris, who had a first-half penalty saved before White's equalizer. "We have earned the right to be playing in front of 77,000 people at Wembley because ultimately we have put hours and hours of graft and finally women's football is on the map."

Wembley was a sell-out with 86,619 tickets issued but a day of rain likely contributed to around 10 percent of fans not turning up in north London.

But the English attracted what appears to be the biggest-ever crowd for a women's friendly, anywhere.

The previous best-attended women's game was in 1999 when more than 90,000 watched the United States beat China in the World Cup final at the Rose Bowl in California.

The next largest crowd came at Wembley during the 2012 London Olympics when just over 80,000 saw the US defeat Japan.

The increased interest in the Lionesses is highlighted by the fact Wembley has added around 30,000 fans to the crowd that saw England lose to Germany at the stadium five years ago.

Associated Press

]]> 2019-11-11 07:34:03 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/11/content_37522146.htm Pac-12's annual season opener in China forging strong ties on and off the court

The thunderous sound of cheering at Shanghai's Baoshan Sport Center on Saturday provided yet more proof that the Pac-12's annual Chinese showcase is a trip well worth making for the US college basketball program.

The Colorado Buffaloes defeated the Arizona State Sun Devils 81-71 in the fifth edition of the event. It's the fifth straight year that the conference has staged an opening-week contest in China, with the Pac-12 still the only American sports league, collegiate or professional, to host a regular-season contest here.

The aim of the Pac-12 China Game is two-fold: Treating Chinese fans to high-quality hoops and forging ties through sports.

Alonzo Verge Jr of the Arizona State Sun Devils tries to break the defense of Colorado Buffaloes' Daylen Kountz (right) and D'Shawn Schwartz during the 2019 Pac-12 China Game at Shanghai's Baoshan Sport Center on Saturday. The contest, won 81-71 by the Buffaloes, marked the fifth straight year the US collegiate conference has staged an opening-week game in China. Provided to China Daily

"The tenet of our Pac-12 Global Initiative is that higher education and sports have the power to foster learning, understanding and togetherness between people and cultures," said Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott.

"This is the first time many of our student-athletes from ASU and Colorado have traveled internationally.

"We truly believe it is experiences like this that have the power to change our student-athletes' lives and open their minds to experiences beyond sports, and beyond their own corners of the world."

The week of activities also included the fifth annual China-US University Sports and Education Summit, attracting hundreds of student-athletes, coaches, scholars, experts and industry representatives to Shanghai University of Finance and Economics last Friday.

"We live in an era of internationalization, and sports are a platform for youth from all over the world to communicate," said Xue Yanqing, senior vice-president of the Federation of University Sports of China (FUSC), at the summit.

"Sports have a comprehensive influence on students. Students benefit from sports even after graduation and learn how to work with others in their careers.

"Sports are also good for students' health, and we hope sports become an intrinsic part of their lifestyles.

"The US is famous for its collegiate sports culture, which is very beneficial to students' personal development. We have to recognize sports' influence on education.

"I want to thank the Pac-12 and the US universities that have supported the work of FUSC for the past eight years."

Chinese Basketball Association chairman Yao Ming was a keen spectator at the game, with the Pac-12 committed to donate $10,000 to his youth-focused charitable organization, the Yao Foundation, for the third straight year.

"As the chairman of the CBA, Yao Ming has a vision for Chinese basketball development," said Shen Zhen, senior vice-president of FUSC.

"To level up the overall strength of Chinese basketball, we must start from the foundation of the pyramid - in high schools and collegiate basketball.

"We don't lack for talented youngsters, but what we need more of is better coaching. FUSC is working with the CBA to nurture more professional coaching in Chinese schools.

"Yao Ming supports collegiate basketball because he supports the overall development of Chinese basketball. What we want are the same."

As part of the exchange, the visiting US universities played a pair of friendlies in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, last Wednesday, with Colorado beating a unified team from Tsinghua and Suzhou universities (109-42), and Arizona State victorious over a combined Peking University/Suzhou lineup (113-64).

As the scorelines suggest, the games were tough lessons for the Chinese players, but ones that they agreed were well worth learning.

"It was a great opportunity for us to play a highly competitive game against some of the best players of the Pac-12 Conference," said Peking player Zhang Ning. "It's a very rare chance so I value it very much.

"Although it was a heavy defeat, all we wanted to do was to play our best in each attack and defense. We wanted to show the spirit of Chinese student-athletes."

Peking's Zhu Mingzhen also relished the step up in class. "We can communicate and learn from them. Through the friendly, we know there's still a lot things to be improved," he said.

Meanwhile, commissioner Scott hailed event co-organizer Alibaba Group "as a tremendous partner".

While Alibaba Sports continues to support the game in the areas of sponsorship, ticketing and marketing, long-time Pac-12 partner FUSC extended its strategic collaboration with the conference through 2020.

The Pac-12 announced before the start of Saturday game's that the University of Washington and Tulane University will meet in 2020 in the sixth edition of the China showcase.

"Since 2012, the Pac-12 has been fortunate to join forces with FUSC and to have such a great partner and friend to the Pac-12 since the beginning," Scott added.

"We value what we've been able to create with FUSC's help and guidance, and believe strongly in their mission to promote exchanges with university sports associations around the world.

"Over the past seven years, the Pac-12 and FUSC have hosted competitions and coaching clinics in China and the US, as well as facilitated educational people-to-people exchanges between our two organizations."

]]> 2019-11-11 07:34:03 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/11/content_37522145.htm Golf

Hunan teen to face pros at China Open

Chen Guxin claimed a coveted place at next year's Volvo China Open after a thrilling 1-up victory over Tong Yang in the Volvo China Junior Match Play final on Saturday.

Sixteen-year-old Chen, from Hunan province, is now raring to compete against the stars of the European Tour next April.

"I played quite well over the first nine holes, but I played some loose shots on the back nine," said Chen, who just three weeks ago finished 17th at the European Challenge Tour's Foshan Open in Guangdong province. This year's Volvo China Open in Shenzhen was won by Finn Mikko Korhonen.

In the girl's final, Su Wenlu defeated Peng Yufei on the first playoff hole to earn a place in a China LPGA tournament next year.

"There have been plenty of first times for me this week - my first time to play in the Volvo China Junior Match Play, my first playoff of my career, and my first time to win a match play event," said Su.

Boxing

Australian boxer dies in training accident

Australian boxing was in shock on Sunday after local fighter Dwight Ritchie died in a training accident at the age of 27.

Ritchie's promoter, Jake Ellis, confirmed the boxer's death in a Facebook post.

"It is with great sadness and shock to announce that the fighting cowboy, Dwight Ritchie, sadly passed away today doing what he loved," Ellis wrote.

"As Dwight's promoter and friend, it's unbearable to accept the tragic news that's just surfaced."

One of the country's brightest talents, Ritchie last fought Aussie Tim Tszyu, the son of former world champion boxer Kostya Tszyu, in August for the IBF Australasian super-welterweight title in Sydney.

He lost by unanimous decision but was to return to the ring next month for a light-middleweight fight against Tommy Browne.

Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that Aboriginal Ritchie, who had a record of 19 wins and two defeats, collapsed when sparring with another boxer in Melbourne on Saturday and could not be revived.

Soccer

Lewan leads Bayern in 'Der Klassiker' rout

Manager-less Bayern Munich thrashed Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in 'Der Klassiker' on Saturday as Robert Lewandowski continued his phenomenal scoring run with two goals at Allianz Arena.

Lewandowski's first-half header and 76th-minute tap-in mean the Polish striker has scored in all of Bayern's Bundesliga and Champions League games this season for a tally of 23 goals.

Saturday's victory moved Bayern up to third, level on points with second-place RB Leipzig and one behind leader Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Bayern is having difficulties finding a new coach, with Arsene Wenger on Saturday contradicting its claims it turned him down as Kovac's successor and slammed the club for a lack of discretion.

Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who spoke to Wenger last week, canceled a pre-match interview with Sky.

Two other big names to be linked with the vacancy, Ajax coach Erik ten Hag and Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel, have stated they will not join Bayern this season.

Barca star Suarez 'wants MLS move'

Uruguay midfielder Nico Lodeiro said on Friday that his compatriot and Barcelona star Luis Suarez wants to come to Major League Soccer and it's only a matter of time before he's playing in the US.

"He wants to come to MLS," said Lodeiro, who plays for Seattle Sounders. "He is always asking me about the US league. His dream was always to play for Barcelona, but sooner or later he'll come to MLS."

Suarez remains an undisputed starter at Camp Nou, with his contract running until June 2021. However, the former Liverpool forward has said that Barca needs to start thinking about his replacement and has not indicated he wants to extend his deal beyond its expiry, when he will be 34.

"Hopefully he'll play for the Sounders," Londeiro added. "It won't be easy to get him but I think it's only a matter of time before he comes over here."

China Daily - Agencies

]]> 2019-11-11 07:34:03 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/10/content_37521924.htm With increasing awareness and improving enforcement of laws, China is making great progress and is rising to be a global leader in the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR).

]]> Progress playing a key part in enhancing nation's overall business environment

With increasing awareness and improving enforcement of laws, China is making great progress and is rising to be a global leader in the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR).

This has become an important factor in enhancing the country's business environment, which has recently been ranked by World Bank Group's 2020 study as being 31st worldwide, up from 46th the previous year, said IP experts and foreign business legal consultants at a forum at the second China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

Minelik Alemu Getahun, assistant director general of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), noted at the forum that as cross-border crimes of IP infringement and counterfeiting are rising, international collaboration has become ever critical. China stands out as an archetype in sharing its intelligence, research knowledge, and best practice experience.

The WIPO, a Geneva-based specialized agency of the United Nations, is the co-host of the International Cooperation in Fighting against IPR Infringement and Counterfeiting Forum, together with China's State Administration for Market Regulation.

"We have seen incredible examples of IPR protection (by Chinese government and law enforcement bodies). But beyond protection, we have also seen IPR creation, in which China is definitely taking the lead," said Seth Hays, who has been chief representative of the International Trademark Association's China office since 2003, and is now a leader of the organization's Asia-Pacific office.

"International brand owners always look at business environments before making decisions on importing the products to the market or not. Research showed that of the Fortune 500 companies, over 80 percent of their value is in IP and intangible assets. So it's crucial for these companies' executives to be assured that their assets are protected," he added.

According to Du Yan, an official of the Ministry of Public Security who has been responsible for serious and extraordinary criminal cases involving intellectual property, with the help of big data, the capabilities of detecting and discovering IP crimes have been significantly enhanced.

"Intellectual property protection is critical to fostering innovation. Without protection of ideas, businesses and individuals would not reap all benefits of their IP and would invest less on research and development," said Ding Yu, an employee of Swiss conglomerate ABB Group who takes lead in the company's IP operations in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

At the expo, which has risen to be a platform for brands and companies to launch new products, increasing efforts have also been taken to guarantee the protection of IPR.

Aside from an exclusive service center set up during the six-day event to deal with IP infringement, the expo has also worked with Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration to offer exhibitors prioritized IP evaluation.

]]> 2019-11-10 09:36:03 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/10/content_37521923.htm Foreign exhibitors to the ongoing China International Import Expo (CIIE) gave their thumbs up for the elaborate organization of the grand event held in Shanghai.

The second CIIE attracted more than 3,000 companies from over 150 countries and regions in the corporate and trade expo areas. Both figures surpassed what they were in the inaugural expo last year.

Many exhibitors and visitors commended the convenient and developed traffic network at Hongqiao transportation hub, where the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the CIIE's venue, was located, saying it is a major point linking Shanghai and the rapidly developing neighboring provinces within the Yangtze River Delta region as well as the entire nation.

In addition to increasing train frequency to facilitate travel to Shanghai ahead of and during the expo, an underground passage linking Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station and the National Exhibition and Convention Center was recently opened. From the railway station, it takes only six minutes on a shuttle bus to arrive at the expo venue.

"The efficient traffic network of aviation, high-speed railway, metros and buses will help attract more purchasers from all over the country to look for their partners worldwide," said Zhao Bo, China brand and marketing head of Sealy, a mattress producer headquartered in the United States.

The company, which participated in CIIE for the second time, said it was also impressed by the capacity and efficiency of the grand event at the venue, the world's largest exhibition complex.

"We also learned that there were upgraded facilitation measures, including the use of big-data technology, to help exhibitors and their items for exhibition going through customs more smoothly this year, and we really appreciate the city's efforts in preparing for the grand expo," she said.

Takayoshi Mimura, chairman of board of Japan-based medical instrument manufacturer Terumo Corporation, said that it was what they experienced from the elaborate organization of the expo last year that made them decide to attach more importance to the preparation for this year.

"We've officially submitted an application to participate in the expo in 2020 and have decided we'll continue doing so in the following year," he said.

Some foreign media noticed that robots communicating in both English and Chinese are available for assistance at the expo venue.

Cuba's Prensa Latina News Agency reported that 20 such bilingual robots were located at the expo for the first time, providing on-site guidance and a schedule inquiry service at the seven exhibition areas to exhibitors and visitors. More than 80 translation machines, which can provide translation services between 12 languages, are also available at the expo.

The Shanghai Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau said in the past two months it had focused on releasing resources of available hotel rooms, stabilizing prices, encouraging hotels to provide city tour and shopping information in an attempt to "be able to accommodate all guests from home and abroad and ensure they have a pleasant stay".

"Domestic garbage sorting, which began to be implemented in Shanghai on July 1, was one key point during our training at the hotels. We encourage all the hotels to popularize green and sustainable lifestyle to domestic and foreign guests," Zhang Qi, deputy head of the bureau, told Xinhua News Agency.

Nearly 5,900 volunteers, including 3,000 working within the expo venue, are providing guidance, service, and assistance to visitors and exhibitors during the expo.

]]> 2019-11-10 09:36:03 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/10/content_37521922.htm Riding the wave of the country's shift from basic healthcare to innovative healthcare, global pharmaceutical businesses are using the platform of the ongoing China International Import Expo to upgrade collaboration with local governments to better serve the country's Healthy China 2030 Initiative.

Besides showcasing their most advanced innovative therapies - ranging from oncology and rare disease medication to personalized healthcare solutions - many enterprises are reaching new agreements with governments by bringing their latest therapies and technologies to meet patients' needs in the country, currently the world's second-largest pharmaceuticals market.

China's healthcare market is expected to reach 8 trillion yuan ($1.14 trillion) by 2020 and double the figure by 2030, according to the Healthy China 2030 blueprint.

Switzerland-based Roche signed a strategic collaboration with the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in Hainan province during the CIIE on Wednesday to introduce a series of innovative drugs, including the first novel proposed mechanism to treat influenza approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in nearly two decades, in the zone.

"Roche always puts patients first and spares no effort to develop innovative drugs and allow patients to have access to them as early as possible. We hope to collaborate with the country's pilot policies and mechanisms, including such a medical tourism pilot zone, to allow some patients to access the new therapies - lifesavers in many cases - in advance," said Hong Chow, CEO of Roche Pharmaceuticals China.

The company also said that it anticipates one of its CIIE blockbuster exhibition products - an immunotherapy that successfully completed phase III global clinical trials in hepatic cellular cancer in late October and for which the company is making a new drug application in the United States, Europe and China simultaneously - to make its world debut in China.

"We hope that the new drug will be launched in China as half of the worldwide 750,000 HCC patients every year are in China, and most of them are in the late-stages when diagnosed and they survive an average of less than a year after diagnosis," Chow said.

AstraZeneca announced its plan to play up Shanghai as the British-Swedish pharmaceutical multinational's global research and development base to ultimately better serve unmet medical needs of patients in China and the outside world, and establish an artificial intelligence-powered China innovation center in the city during the expo on Wednesday, part of its upgraded strategic cooperation with the Shanghai municipal government.

The upgraded global R&D center will strengthen China's role in Astra-Zeneca's worldwide network for new drug R&D, promoting the incubation of more global and local new drugs in China for the world, and the AI innovation center will utilize the latest technologies to empower new healthcare services throughout the whole process from R&D, manufacturing, and operation to commercialization, the company said.

"As China rapidly emerges as a global scientific powerhouse and China's position in our global R&D network continuously improves, we aim to develop more local and global innovative drugs in China, and Shanghai is home to an increasing number of high-tech industries," said Pascal Soriot, chief executive officer of AstraZeneca.

Tapping into the potential of intelligent medical industry, the company announced to jointly build the Wuxi International Life Science Innovation Campus together with Wuxi city government and Wuxi high-tech zone in Jiangsu province, in September, and during the CIIE the company reached multiple agreements with cross-border partners, including enterprises from India and the United Kingdom, which it worked with in the campus to build an incubation platform for early R&D and the industrialization of research achievements.

Also on Wednesday, US-based pharmaceutical company Pfizer signed three cooperation agreements, including those with the China Alliance of Rare Diseases and Microsoft Research, an institute specializing in basic and applied research, aiming to elevate the country's disease diagnosis and treatment standards in various disease areas.

"The collaboration with CARD is aimed at standardizing the medical treatment that rare disease patients can access in different regions and a better accessibility of drugs to ultimately improve their quality of life," said Wu Kun, Pfizer China Biopharma country lead.

The cooperation with the institute will produce an AI-powered system to elevate the diagnosis and treatment levels of infectious diseases and promote the reasonable use of antibacterial agents, he explained.

In October, the National Health Commission announced that the five-year survival rate among cancer patients had risen from 30.9 percent to 40.5 percent over the past decade.

Several multinational pharmaceutical enterprises said that they had benefitted from the country's streamlined innovative drug approval procedure and better drug accessibility by promoting more medicines to be included in the National Reimbursement Drug List in the past years, and they were proud to have contributed to that improvement.

]]> 2019-11-10 09:36:03 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/10/content_37521921.htm The floor space of the medical equipment and healthcare products hall at the second CIIE is significantly expanded, indicating a growing enthusiasm from multinational pharmaceuticals and healthcare companies for the Chinese market. Novartis will show how it is expanding access to medicines by actively participating in the negotiations of the country's National Reimbursement Drug List, providing high-quality generic drugs and various patient assistance programs. As a Swiss company, we also hope to leverage this expo to further strengthen exchange between China and Switzerland.

Yin Xudong, president of Novartis Group (China)

Over the recent years, China has introduced many reforms to accelerate approval of innovative medicines and as well as expanding access by including high value drugs in the National Reimbursement Drug List. Further opening up in the healthcare sector fosters business growth, and more importantly, it benefits the Chinese people by granting access to most advanced medicines to address critical illnesses such as cancer. Roche has strong presence at CIIE because it is not only a great platform to showcase our new advancements in personalized healthcare, it also facilitates collaborations within and across industries, including those between enterprises and the government and those among enterprises. We believe that CIIE will help foster a favorable global ecosystem for innovation in the future.

Hong Chow, CEO of Roche Pharmaceuticals China

We have seen a promising market in China to raise the public awareness of health, guided by the country's Healthy China 2030 Initiative. The consumption ability of Chinese customers is enhancing. Especially the young generation and the middle-income customers, they care more about their health now and in the future, which drives their consumption in healthcare section, including healthy food and exercise.

Guo Mu, president of Herbalife Nutrition in China

]]> 2019-11-10 09:36:03 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/10/content_37521920.htm As the second China International Import Expo entered its third day, new products developed or tailored exclusively for Chinese consumers entered into the spotlight.

Swiss luxury watchmaker Ulysee Nardin redesigned one of its most coveted collections, Marine Torpilleur, in celebration of its debut at the expo and the brand's historical connection with China.

Offered in a limited number of 99 items, the chronometer has a toned-down Chinese red color on its leather strap and a Grand Feu (great fire) enamel dial.

An age-old craft believed to have originated in China, dial enameling boasts tricky techniques like firing the glasslike watch base in kilns at a temperature of 800 degree Celsius repeatedly.

Ulysee Nardin was founded in the mid 19th century and acquired by luxury conglomerate Kering Group in 2014. Marine Torpilleur, which is the name of a small and fast ship of an earlier era, is also known as the "captain's watch".

The 136-year-old German company Vorwerk introduced an electronic tea machine at the expo. With six years of research and development, the machine, named the Temial, features a major technical breakthrough as it can adjust factors such as the water temperature and brewing time based on the type of tea used.

Dubbed the first of its kind worldwide, the company, famous for its electronic household products, is targeting the new product at sophisticated middle-income consumers in China, who want something better than pre-packaged milk tea.

The idea is to allow young tea aficionados to have a cup of tea anytime they want, like having a 24-hour veteran tea master on call, as the company puts it.

Mars Inc, who brought chewing gum and chocolates to the Chinese mainland three decades ago, created a rice product for the country and debuted it at the expo.

Like instant noodles, it takes just 90 seconds for the pre-flavored and packed food to be enjoyed, either by having a quick fry in a pan or by cooking it in a microwave oven.

"The inspiration is from all of the food-related posts shared by single young people on social media," said Xu Xida, China market development director of Mars Food.

The rice comes in four flavors-Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Western, and is sold under the Australian condiment brand Masterfoods owned by Mars.

]]> 2019-11-10 09:36:03 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/09/content_37521856.htm Some of China's best young boxers will share the Lunar New Year spotlight with world champions when Haikou, capital city of Hainan province, hosts Super Bouts on Feb 2.

Presented by the Mission Hills Group and co-promoted by Shanghai-based SECA and Top Rank from the US, the multi-bout card will feature titleholders from pro boxing's four major sanctioning organizations: WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO.

In the 12-round main event, WBC and WBA super lightweight champ Jose Carlos Ramirez of the US (25-0, 17 KO) will defend his titles against Viktor Postol (31-2, 12 KO) of Ukraine, with US broadcaster ESPN airing the bout live as a prelude to the telecast of the National Football League's Super Bowl championship.

A special kickboxing event featuring the best fighters from local shows will take place the night before Ramirez vs Postol, kicking off a two-day celebration to cap the Lunar New Year festivities.

Ramirez' eighth title defense will be just his second fight outside the US, while Postol is aiming to recapture the WBC title he won by knocking out Lucas Matthysse of Argentina in 2015, only to lose it nine months later to American challenger Terrence Crawford.

"Because this card will take place just before the Super Bowl, the TV audience will be tremendous," said Top Rank founder and CEO Bob Arum.

"It's the greatest night to do a boxing event. We expect a tremendous number of viewers and this is a great opportunity to put some of China's best fighters on display around the world."

Middleweight Yilixiati Ainiwaer and lightweight Yang Yongqiang will square off against world-ranked opponents should they win qualifying bouts on Nov 23 in Chongqing.

Yilixiati (16-1, 11 KO) has earned a reputation as one of China's most accomplished ring tacticians since dropping down from super middleweight at the start of this year.

The 26-year-old Urumqi native won the WBC Asian Boxing Council and the IBO Asia Pacific middleweight titles in August and is lined up for a 10-rounder against Australia's Mark Lucas (10-2, 3 KO) in Chongqing.

A victory would position Yilixiati as a potential challenger for either WBA champ Ryota Murata of Japan or WBO world titleholder Demetrius Andrade of the US.

"The 160-pound division is very competitive, with many really good fighters all over the world," said Arum.

"Yilixiati is very good, but he needs a little more seasoning and more experience before he fights the top guys."

Yang, (12-0, 9 KO), a 27-year-old from Beijing, will face JR Magboo (18-3-2, 9 KO) of the Philippines in a 10-rounder in Chongqing for the vacant WBO Global lightweight title. A triumph could earn Yang a shot at the WBO lightweight or junior lightweight title on the Super Bouts card.

Li Sheng, CEO of sports marketing agency SECA, said the Haikou event will go a long way toward providing the quality and quantity of exposure that Chinese boxers need to gain a global profile.

"We are looking forward to building a platform for Chinese boxing to help local fighters improve and advance.," said Li.

"This global broadcast and the massive public exposure will be a big boost for Chinese professional boxing, setting a path for our fighters to step out on the international stage."

This is just the beginning for Super Bouts. Organizers hope Haikou can host the show for at least three consecutive years.

Tenniel Chu, vice-chairman of Mission Hills Group, said professional boxing can deliver a big boost to the island province's sports and tourism industries.

"A world-class boxing event like this is going to be a great help in promoting Hainan's international image," said Chu.

"Mission Hills Haikou is also willing to invest in the sustainable development of Chinese professional boxing and kickboxing."

]]> 2019-11-09 07:19:08 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/09/content_37521855.htm Guangzhou's Foison Golf Club will host the first of four qualifying tournaments for the 2020 PGA Tour Series-China from Jan 7-10.

The other sites are Laguna Golf Bintan in Lagoi, Indonesia (Jan 14-17), Mission Hills Golf Club's Lava Fields in Haikou (Feb 25-28), and Thailand's Laguna Golf Phuket (March 3-6).

The Foison tournament is open only to entrants with a Chinese passport, while the other three are for international players.

The Tour will begin accepting applications for the qualifying tournaments from former PGA Tour Series-China, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Latinoamerica and Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada players on Nov 11.

Registration for everybody else will begin on Nov 14.

Each of the 72-hole stroke-play tournaments will feature 120 players, with the winners earning full exemption for the entire 2020 season.

Players finishing in second to 12th place at the Guangzhou tournament will also earn exemptions for the season, while those finishing second to 12th in the other three events will have full status through the first seven tournaments of the 2020 season.

Players finishing 13-35 will have conditional status through the season's first seven events, and after the seventh regular season tournament there will be a reshuffle based on points-list ranking.

The global qualifying tournaments carry an entry fee of $1,650, while the Chinese mainland qualifier in Guangzhou will cost 8,000 yuan.

"We have seen numerous players come to the qualifying tournaments and a year or two later they are playing - and thriving - on the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA Tour.

"It's at the qualifiers where many of these players are beginning their professional journeys, and we recognize the talent that has come through our tour over the past five seasons," said PGA Tour Series-China executive director Greg Carlson.

"The fact we play this tour in China accentuates the importance of the Chinese mainland qualifying tournament, and we will continue to identify the best up-and-coming players from China."

Foison Golf Club hosted Chinese mainland qualifier early this year and was the site of the 2016 season-ending Buick Open.

Mission Hills' Lava Fields Course, which navigates through volcanic rock, is located in Haikou, capital of Hainan province.

Indonesia's Laguna Golf Bintan is an original Greg Norman design that plays through lagoons and jungles before arriving back toward the sea.

"It's always exciting to begin thinking about a new season, and going to Indonesia for the first time begins a new chapter in our history. We look forward to welcoming a mix of new players who will emerge from these qualifiers as well as those players who are returning," said Carlson.

This year's PGA Tour Series-China global qualifying tournament winners were Singapore's Abdul Hadi and South Korea's Kim Taeho and Kim Dong-min. Jin Cheng captured the Chinese mainland qualifier.

Past qualifier champions include Americans Joseph Winslow and Jeffrey Kang (2018); China's Yang Yinong, American Charlie Saxon and South Korea's Park Sung-pil (2016); Canada's Justin Shin, American Kyle Souza and China's Huang Wenyi (2015); and Australians David Lutterus and Alex Hawley (2014).

 

]]> 2019-11-09 07:19:08 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/09/content_37521853.htm An innate ability to visualize victory is a common trait among elite athletes

Surrounded by teammates, Chelsea's Reece James (center) celebrates scoring the Blues' fourth goal in a 4-4 draw with Ajax in their Nov 5 Champions League Group H match at Stamford Bridge in London. Reuters

 

 

 

 

 

]]> 2019-11-09 07:19:08 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/08/content_37521641.htm LONDON - Nour El Sherbini was just 6 years old when she first followed her brother on to a squash court in Alexandria, Egypt.

]]> Earning more than male counterpart sends a signal to other global sports

LONDON - Nour El Sherbini was just 6 years old when she first followed her brother on to a squash court in Alexandria, Egypt.

At 8, she was competing in tournaments.

Although neither of her parents plays the sport, and despite numerous injuries, El Sherbini is now one of the world's top squash players and the youngest to gain four world titles.

Last week she notched another record by becoming the first female player to earn more prize money than her male equivalent when she won the CIB PSA Women's World Championship in Egypt.

El Sherbini, 24, pocketed $60,800 from a pot of $430,000. The men's world champion will earn $45,600 from a total purse of $335,000 in Qatar later this month.

El Sherbini said she was thrilled her country was championing women's success in the sport.

"We have to be proud that we are doing this," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a telephone interview.

"This is a big, big step for women. Hopefully other sports can see exactly what we can see in squash, and do the same thing."

The increase in prize money came after sponsor CIB pledged an additional $100,000 to the tournament pot.

Alex Gough, CEO of the Professional Squash Association, said prize money for the women's championship was at its highest level after increasing 65 percent since 2015.

But the equity between winnings for men and women's squash players contrasts to several other global sports in which women receive a fraction of what is earned by their male counterparts.

In March, the US women's soccer team sued governing body US Soccer for gender discrimination in earnings.

Last year Australian basketball player Liz Cambage tweeted that referees in the NBA were paid more than female players in the Women's National Basketball Association.

A 2017 BBC study found about 83 percent of sports rewarded men and women equal prize money - but that did not take into account other disparities such as salaries and sponsorship.

For sponsors and the media it can come down to return on investment, and squash's popularity in Egypt might be helping drive the change, El Sherbini said.

"Everyone is following squash and knows the players," she said. "We grew up watching a lot of good Egyptian players, so when we were young we wanted to be like them.

"Once I grabbed the racket I didn't leave it."

Egypt has produced world-class squash players since the 1930s. Currently four of the world's top five female players are Egyptian.

Coaches and sponsors "now believe in women," El Sherbini said. "They know we can play sports. They know we can achieve something big."

As for the big brother she followed on to the court all those years ago?

"He's no longer playing," El Sherbini laughed.

Reuters  

]]> 2019-11-08 08:36:13 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/08/content_37521640.htm

BERLIN - Arsene Wenger is reportedly in talks with Bayern Munich to potentially become its new head coach while Ralf Rangnick, another possible candidate, is said to not be interested.

Wenger, 70, gave an evasive answer when broadcaster beIn Sports directly asked him about working at Bayern, which fired Niko Kovac on Sunday in the wake of a 5-1 drubbing at Eintracht Frankfurt.

According to German daily Bild, talks have taken place between Wenger and Bayern, with club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge leading the search to find Kovac's replacement.

Wenger, who speaks fluent German, coached Arsenal from October 1996 until May 2018 and recently said he misses some aspects of coaching.

While Wenger has enjoyed his year away from soccer, the satisfaction of winning matches and preparing players is "something you miss, of course," added the Frenchman.

Meanwhile, Rangnick, currently head of sport and development at Red Bull and previously sports director at Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, has reportedly withdrawn his name from consideration.

"Ralf is not available. We don't believe that what he is all about is currently being sought by Bayern," Rangnick's manager, Marc Kosicke, told Bild.

"That's why it doesn't make sense to hold concrete talks."

Rangnick joins Ajax coach Erik ten Hag and Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel by stating they will not leave their current jobs this season.

On Tuesday, Bayern president Uli Hoeness said the club expects to name a new coach in time for its Nov 23 trip to Fortuna Duesseldorf.

Former Real Madrid and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho and ex-Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri have also been linked to the job by German media.

Former Germany assistant coach Hansi Flick took over as interim coach for Bayern's 2-0 Champions League home win over Olympiacos on Wednesday.

Flick will also oversee Saturday's Bundesliga visit of second-place Borussia Dortmund.

Bayern currently sits fourth in the Bundesliga standings, four points adrift of leader Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Agence France - presse

]]> 2019-11-08 08:36:13 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/08/content_37521639.htm International Team captain Ernie Els is raring to unleash his young guns at the Presidents Cup after adding more rookies to his squad in the form of two 21-year-olds - South Korean Im Sung-jae and Chile's Joaquin Niemann.

]]> China's Li and Pan will have plenty of International help at Presidents Cup

International Team captain Ernie Els is raring to unleash his young guns at the Presidents Cup after adding more rookies to his squad in the form of two 21-year-olds - South Korean Im Sung-jae and Chile's Joaquin Niemann.

Choosing Im and Niemann as captain's picks on Wednesday took Els' total of rookies to six, with China's Li Haotong and CT Pan, Abraham Ancer of Mexico and Cameron Smith of Australia the other International newcomers bound for the biennial tournament at Royal Melbourne next month (Dec 9-15).

Els is not concerned he might be relying too heavily on youth as his team tries to end a streak of seven straight losses to the United States, which this year is captained by Tiger Woods.

"I'm really excited by the new blood that's come in, and I'm really excited that we have experience, also. I think it balances the team really well, and it all happened by accident, to be honest with you," said Els.

"I told the guys at our team meetings - I'm not afraid to choose rookies and I'm not afraid to play them.

"These guys have earned their places on the team. I don't think I'm throwing them in the fire at all. Whether they get picked or not in the first session, we'll see. But I'm not afraid to play anybody.

"I didn't go looking for rookies - Joaquin and Sung-jae are 21 and even Haotong is only 22 or 23.

"But these guys' form, they made themselves a lock on this team, the way they played.

"I definitely wasn't as good as them when I was 20 or 21 years old, I can promise you that. These kids are world-class players and they have proven themselves."

Els' other captain's picks were Jason Day of Australia and Adam Hadwin of Canada.

In August, Li became the first player from China mainland to qualify for the Presidents Cup when he was automatically selected among the top eight finishers in the International Team standings along with Pan, Smith, Ancer, South African Louis Oosthuizen, Japan's Hideki Matsuyama, and Australians Marc Leishman and Adam Scott.

Im's Presidents Cup debut comes on the heels of a remarkable rookie season highlighted by 16 top-25 finishes in 35 starts and a trip to the Tour Championship, where he was the only rookie in the elite 30-man field.

His performance earned him the PGA Tour's rookie of the year award, one year after being named the Korn Ferry Tour's player of the year.

The South Korean has continued his strong form in the early stages of the 2019-20 PGA Tour season, collecting top-three finishes at the Sanderson Farms Championship (second place) and the ZoZo Championship (tie for third) to further convince Els of his worthiness.

"Even as a child, it was always a dream of mine to make the Presidents Cup," Im said.

"I'm so happy to be chosen as a captain's pick. I would really like to beat the United States team."

Im's temperament has particularly impressed Els.

"I just love the way he approaches the game. You know, very cool, calm, collected," said the South African.

"He played almost every week. That's how much he loves the game, and that's another attribute for him. He's really finding the answers every week.

"He's worked on his putting, and it's come through big time. A win is just a matter of time, and it will come. He's had one hell of a year, lots of top-10s. Played his way on the team with his consistency and coming to the meetings and showing a lot of spirit with the other players."

Meanwhile, Woods is set to announce his four picks on Thursday.

The reigning Masters champion who captured his 82nd career PGA Tour victory two weeks ago in Japan, is expected to select himself. He would be the first playing captain since Hale Irwin in 1994.

China's Li Haotong is one of six rookies who will represent captain Ernie Els' International Team against the United States in their clash for the Presidents Cup, Dec 9-15 at Royal Melbourne in Australia. AP

]]> 2019-11-08 08:36:13 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/08/content_37521638.htm

Some of America's top collegiate hoops stars will showcase their skills at Shanghai's Baoshan Sport Center on Saturday when the Arizona State Sun Devils clash with the Colorado Buffaloes.

Pac-12 became the first US league to host a regular-season contest in China when Washington played Texas in 2015.

This year's Pac-12 China contest, presented by Alibaba Group, marks the first time two of the Pacific conference's teams will face each other in a foreign country.

"We created the Pac-12 China Game to complement the initiatives our universities have already taken around education, alumni relations, and strategic partnerships here in China," Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said at a media conference in on Thursday.

"It's important to note that more than 30,000 Chinese students currently attend our 12 universities, so the connection is already there. And for our student athletes who are at a critical moment in their development, this is a great chance to learn about important societal, cultural and economic trends taking place across the world's largest country and fastest growing economy."

The China clash also serves as the Pac-12 season opener.

"There's a little more urgency in our practices; just trying to get our system in place and throwing more at our players to hopefully retain what we need to get done," Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley said.

"We can't afford to lose time. We've got to make sure we're productive every day here."

Colorado is equally pumped.

"We're going to play a heck of an Arizona State team. You look at Bobby's teams and what they've done... it's pretty special," said Buffaloes head coach Tad Boyle.

"The one thing we know about Arizona State is they're going to be ready to go. We've got to be ready to go ourselves."

On Wednesday, the teams participated in a pair of China-US College Basketball Friendlies at the Suzhou New District Cultural and Sports Center in Suzhou, Jiangsu province.

Colorado beat a united team from Tsinghua and Suzhou Universities 109-42, while Arizona State thumped a united team from Peking University and Suzhou 113-64.

"We hope the experience we've gained through the cooperation with the Pac-12 can be used in our domestic university basketball league," said David Liu, vice-president of Alibaba Sports, the event co-organizer.

Along with basketball, another priority for the American players is exploring and experiencing Chinese culture.

"I'm excited. None of our staff or players have ever visited China before," Boyle said. "It's going to be a great opportunity to experience a different country, a different culture."

The organizers have prepared many sightseeing and cultural activities for the Sun Devils and Buffaloes - and the teams are thrilled to have such experiences.

"China is an experience that not many people can have. We get to see a whole new world, and I think that's awesome," said Arizona State guard Remy Martin.

]]> 2019-11-08 08:36:13 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/07/content_37521425.htm English manager adds to renown by pulling off unlikely relegation escape

SHANGHAI - Yaya Toure's red card after 10 seconds and a last-minute winner completed a great escape from relegation for the only English coach in Chinese soccer.

Gary White's managerial career has spanned the British Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Guam, Japan and China, for a second time.

But White told AFP that steering Nantong Zhiyun to second-tier safety last Saturday in its final game of the season ranks among his greatest achievements.

The 45-year-old, who as a player was schooled in the renowned Southampton youth system that has produced the likes of Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott, took the reins at Nantong in August and had eight games to save it from the drop.

It lost the first two matches but then went unbeaten in the next five to approach the daunting trip to Toure's title-chasing Qingdao Huanghai, knowing that victory would preserve its China League One status.

Nantong and White's survival bid got off to the best possible start when former Manchester City and Barcelona midfielder Toure was sent off almost immediately.

The 36-year-old Toure protested his innocence, but White said: "It was a definite red card, he wildly kicked our central midfielder at the top of the box."

However, 10-man Qingdao, which was already promoted and was ultimately crowned champion, took the lead just before the hour to leave Nantong facing the prospect of a relegation playoff.

White described the final 30 minutes as "quite hectic" as he willed on his team while keeping an eye on results elsewhere, with two other teams also fighting for survival.

"I was immersed in every kick and header that was going on and trying to push the players forward. It was the complete opposite to calm and collected," he admitted.

Needing to score, Nantong equalized two minutes after conceding and then sealed its League One status with a 90th-minute winner.

White was inundated with bunches of flowers as he and his team landed at Nantong Xingdong Airport on Sunday.

Chanting fans serenaded their heroes as the team bus made a triumphant return along the streets of the city in Jiangsu province.

Capturing hearts

White, who played in Australia after failing to break into Southampton's senior side, took over a Nantong team that had not won for two months and was in freefall.

"When we came into the club it really wasn't in a good place, the players were not fit enough and there were many things lacking," he said.

"Many people would have looked at it and said it was a suicide run. I was never really worried that I couldn't do it; it was just there was no time to make any mistakes."

Making the players believe in themselves again was a major reason for White's success.

"I always say if you can capture their hearts and minds, their legs will follow," he said.

White pulled off a similar trick in 2016, dragging Shanghai Shenxin out of the relegation places, although on that occasion he had 19 games to do it.

White will now sit down with the management of Nantong, which pulls in home crowds of about 12,000, to discuss his future.

Long term, he would like to manage in his native England.

But White, whose wife and young son have accompanied him on his coaching odyssey, said: "The problem is trying to find an owner with the courage to take a chance on someone like myself who hasn't played for England a bunch of times."

Until then, he is enjoying making a name for himself in Asia.

"I've found a niche market here, I am the only Englishman (coaching) in China and was the only Englishman in Japan," White said.

"I've carved out a little area for myself."

Agence France-Presse

]]> 2019-11-07 07:33:11 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/07/content_37521424.htm Review lauds 'amount and quality of work' that's already been completed

The International Olympic Committee likes what it sees in China's preparations for the 2022 Winter Games.

Following joint project review meetings with local organizers, the IOC and the International Paralympic Committee report that, with less than three months until the first test event, preparatory work in Beijing and co-host city Zhangjiakou in Hebei province is solidly on track.

All major infrastructures are already in place and primary programs and tasks have either been completed or are scheduled to be finished ahead of schedule.

"We are very impressed with the progress achieved. I am not going say it surprises us, but we are very impressed with the amount and quality of work that has been done "said Juan Antonio Samaranch, an IOC vice-president, as the three-day review wrapped up at the Beijing 2022 organizing committee's headquarters on Wednesday.

"It gives us a lot of confidence in the ability of Beijing 2022 and your partners to deliver on a very ambitious vision."

Attended by 30 local organizers and about 20 executives from the IOC and IPC, the review started with a Monday visit to the mountain venue in northwest Beijing's Yanqing district that will host the first test event.

That was followed by 10 panel sessions over the next two days to discuss topics ranging from sports programs to venue readiness and the Olympic villages.

It was the ninth review initiated by the IOC to help Beijing organizers identify challenges and address issues to ensure a successful Games.

Beijing's preparatory work is now moving from the general planning state to the operational phase, with a Feb 15-16 alpine skiing race on the International Ski Federation's World Cup schedule marking the critical shift.

The race has attracted 111 skiers from 19 countries to compete in men's downhill and super-G, testing the Olympic course and services at the new National Alpine Skiing Center in Yanqing, one of three 2022 venue zones, 90 kilometers northwest of the capital.

Another Olympic facility in Yanqing, the National Sliding Center, has completed installation of its 1.9-km track for bobsled, luge and skeleton events and will be ready for test runs in early 2020.

After touring the alpine center, Christophe Dubi, the IOC's executive director for the Olympic Games, expressed glowing admiration.

"The engineering that shapes the venue into a new winter resort in Beijing is extremely impressive. This is a venue that will be absolutely spectacular," he said.

"We are also very reassured that along with what will be an extraordinary downhill course for the world's top male and female skiers, there will be a number of slopes for athletes of all skill levels in the future."

Zhang Jiandong, executive vice-president of the Beijing 2022 organizing committee, has urged his colleagues to refine operational details while pushing venue readiness through field experiences, including organizing a string of 15 Olympic and five Paralympic test events starting with the Yanqing World Cup.

"Our preparation in the next stage will stick to real Games demand and the feedback will help us improve wherever necessary," said Zhang, who is also vice-mayor of Beijing.

Zhang said the nearly completed high-speed rail link between three Games clusters - Beijing downtown, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou - along with the launch of Beijing 2022's sustainability management system and the launch of a recruiting drive for Games volunteers represent other milestones in the preparation.

On Wednesday, the Beijing 2022 organizing committee received an international certificate from Geneva-based SGS, a multinational verification, testing and certification company, for its sustainability management system, which was finished in September.

The system certification, a guidance for organizational work at all levels toward sustainability, validates Beijing's efforts to deliver the 2022 Winter Olympics with a lasting legacy for the sports sector, environment protection, green energy and sustainable planning for future events.

"As an example of how your success has surpassed Winter Games organizations in the past, this is another demonstration of delivery legacy even before the Games," said Samaranch.

]]> 2019-11-07 07:33:11 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/07/content_37521423.htm February's X Games China in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, will provide Beijing's co-host for the 2022 Winter Olympics the opportunity to challenge some of the world's top winter sports daredevils.

Genting Resort Secret Garden, the Olympic venue in the city's Chongli district, will welcome world-class skiers and snowboarders at X Games Chongli, the annual showcase's first China leg, from Feb 21-23.

The US-based Winter X Games is bringing three freestyle events - Big Air, slopestyle and superpipe (known as halfpipe at the Olympics) - for both men and women to its China stop, with hopes of attracting new fans ahead of the 2022 Olympics.

"The arrival of the X Games will definitely add to the excitement this winter and provide more thrills and chills for Chinese enthusiasts as well as helping develop the market for winter sports in the country," Shu Wen, Genting resort's senior vice-president, said at a Tuesday media conference in Beijing.

An aerial view of a section of Genting Resort Secret Garden, a 2022 Winter Olympics venue, which will host X Games Chongli from Feb 21-23. Provided to China Daily

As China's passion for skiing and snowboarding grows in the buildup to the Olympics, the Zhangjiakou event represents an ideal opportunity for the spectacular sports to attract new fans, said Kristi Kavanaugh, vice-president of sales for Colorado-based Aspen Skiing Company.

"With three Olympics in a row being held in Asia (Pyeongchang 2018 and Tokyo 2020) and the most important one in Beijing, the timing is just right," she said.

"The Chinese government's commitment to supporting skiers, ski resorts and ski infrastructures and getting their athletes prepared makes everyone in the market so interested in it at the moment. Having the X Games in China will attract youth, and that's exciting."

X Games Chongli, operated by Shanghai-based sports content provider REnextop Entertainment, will also feature musical performances, art exhibits and a festival experience.

Last February in Aspen, a record crowd of around 117,000, mostly millennials, watched 159 of the world's best freestylers and snowboarders and enjoyed performances by a number of musical heavyweights.

China is making inroads in snowboarding, with national team star Cai Xuetong edging out teammate Liu Jiayu for bronze in the women's superpipe in Colorado.

"I'm honored and thrilled to participate in the first X Games winter event in China," said Liu, halfpipe silver medalist at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.

"X Games is the premier competition and youth culture festival, celebrating authenticity, style and limitless possibilities. I look forward to competing on the X Games stage in front of the Chinese people and helping grow winter sports participation in China."

Canada's Mark McMorris, a 17-time X Games and two-time Olympic snowboard medalist, added: "I hope that this will help inspire the people in China to try snowboarding. We will see you all in February."

]]> 2019-11-07 07:33:11 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/07/content_37521422.htm The 2022 Winter Olympics' Big Air snowboard and ski slope is officially ready for liftoff, with the facility's visually stunning location on the site of a former steel mill certain to wow the world.

Built at Shougang Industrial Park, the 164-meter-long, 64-meter-high ramp, the first permanent construction of its kind in China, was completed on Oct 31, according to Beijing's municipal regulatory body.

The completion of the ramp, where four gold medals will be up for grabs at the Games, marks a major step in the transformation of the former steel plant into a 2022 venue.

Built adjacent to disused cooling towers and smokestacks, which evoke Beijing's industrial past, the Big Air slope ranks among the more impressive venues in Olympic history, rivaling the 2008 Summer Games' Bird's Nest stadium and the Water Cube for aesthetic impact.

A computer-generated image of the Big Air snowboard and ski slope at Shougang Industrial Park in western Beijing. Provided to China Daily

After the Games, the venue will continue to stage world-class winter sports meets, including the Air &Style series, as well as serving as a training base for China's national teams.

It will also be open to the public, according to Huang Hui, an official from the Beijing Major Projects Construction Headquarters Office.

The adjustable slope will be usable in all seasons, so will be capable of hosting sports such as water skiing and grass skiing.

Big Air involves boarders or skiers hurling themselves off a snow-covered ramp to perform aerial tricks. The snowboarding version made its Olympic debut at the Pyeongchang Games when athletes competed at a temporary venue.

Big Air skiing is a new addition for 2022.

"I'm very glad to see the slope will be used after the Olympics, which means it's much better value than a temporary facility," said Zhang Heng, founder and president of Beijing Sanfo Outdoors Company. "It's also in accordance with the Olympic spirit that encourages all people to participate in sports."

Zhang's company is hoping to cash in on Olympic-related business and has already secured dealerships for many foreign ski-wear brands.

"There's no doubt that more permanent skiing venues in the city will help attract more people to join in winter sports," he said.

Construction of the facility began last December, with all the ramp's steel produced in China, according to project manager Wang Guoqin.

"The special fire-proof steel materials that were used for the judges' area were developed in China and it is the first time they are being used in China," he said.

Beijing-based Shougang Group moved its steel production to nearby Hebei province in 2010 as part of the capital's efforts to improve air quality.

The Beijing site has gradually been transformed into a hub for cultural and creative industries, with the 2022 organizing committee one of its newest tenants.

More regeneration will follow at the park, with the plant's old cooling pump station to be converted into a check-in hall and office buildings.

The four cooling towers which dominate the horizon will be turned into auditoriums or multi-function halls, according to Xu Yan, an official from a Shougang subsidiary company, which constructed the venue.

"We have combined the remnants of the industrial site into the design of the new venue to realize a better effect," he said. "The ski jump is backdropped by mountains and rivers, presenting a mixture of Olympic culture, industrial flavor and the natural environment."

]]> 2019-11-07 07:33:11 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/05/content_37520840.htm Serbian determined to bump Nadal from top spot after Paris triumph

PARIS - Novak Djokovic said he is ready for the "big task" of trying to win the ATP Tour Finals in London and claim the year-end world No 1 spot for a record-equaling sixth time.

The 16-time Grand Slam champion sealed his fifth Paris Masters title on Sunday with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Canadian Denis Shapovalov, but will be usurped by the injured Rafael Nadal at the top of the rankings on Monday.

Nadal said he will fight until it is "impossible" to be fit for the start of the season-ending championships on Nov 10.

If the Spaniard does not play or fails to win a round-robin match at the Finals, Djokovic must claim two group-stage victories and make the final to pass him.

Djokovic would also be sure of the year-end top ranking should he win the tournament and Nadal does not reach the semis.

"There's always a chance that I win all my matches in London, that I play well. I have done it in the past and I like playing there," said the 32-year-old, who has won five ATP Finals titles.

"But it's an extremely difficult task considering who my opponents are going to be.

"You're playing a top-10 player every single match, so that's a big task on my end that I have to focus on.

"And as a consequence, of course, if I manage to get the year-end No 1, that would be fantastic."

Djokovic has won every final he's played at Bercy Arena except for last year's against Karen Khachanov, which came after a three-hour semifinal slugfest against Roger Federer.

This year, Djokovic did not drop a set and heads to the upcoming ATP Finals in London looking to secure the year-ending No 1 ranking for a sixth time.

That would move him two ahead of Nadal, one ahead of Federer and Jimmy Connors, and into a tie with record-holder Pete Sampras.

"It is a motivation and a goal every day," said Djokovic. "It is a goal that I have as a professional tennis player to win as many Grand Slams as possible and also to be No 1 worldwide for as long as possible."

The 33-year-old Nadal could have ended the race for top spot by winning the Paris title, but he withdrew before his semifinal against 20-year-old Shapovalov with an abdominal muscle strain.

"I'm sad to see that he's injured," Djokovic said of Nadal. "I know how that feels. Obviously I went through major injuries in my life as well."

Djokovic has now won 77 tour titles in a stellar career and fully intends to add many more.

"I don't take them for granted like it's something normal or usual or common. I've been blessed to win so many big titles in my life," he said.

"That's one of the biggest reasons why I'm still playing professional tennis, to fight for these big trophies and to still be able to play the highest level."

Djokovic has enjoyed yet another fantastic season, winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon among his five titles.

That looked a long way off when his comeback from a long-standing elbow injury hit a glitch last year with a quarterfinal loss to Marco Cecchinato in the French Open.

But he has since added four major titles, having also claimed the 2018 Wimbledon and US Open crowns, to take his total to 16.

The 32-year-old Serbian - who is closing on Nadal (19) and Federer (20) on the all-time list of Grand Slam winners - hopes to play on for as many years as possible.

"I would like to play tennis for a long time. I don't know how long that is going to be, but I wish to really play pretty long," he said.

"So hopefully you'll be seeing me around for many more years."

Agence France-Presse

]]> 2019-11-05 07:46:11 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/05/content_37520839.htm Fabio Cannavaro has been reinstated as head coach of Guangzhou Evergrande following a bizarre week-long hiatus during which he supposedly engaged in "deep reflections and profound self-examination".

Evergrande abruptly relieved the Italian of his coaching duties on Oct 27 after a 2-2 draw at home to Henan Jianye that further damaged the league leader's title bid.

The club claimed Cannavaro would "attend a study class on Evergrande's corporate culture", with captain Zheng Zhi appointed interim head coach.

The development appeared to be the beginning of the end for Cannavaro at Evergrande, but just seven days later the former Real Madrid defender is back on the job - with another bizarre explanation for his absence.

"Mr Fabio Cannavaro returns to Guangzhou Evergrande today, keeping his job as head coach," read a statement on the club's website.

"Cannavaro handed his personal report to Xu Jiayin, chairman of Evergrande Group on Sunday afternoon, and made deep reflections and profound self-examination.

"Xu Jiayin acknowledged coach Cannavaro's merits of being diligent and resolute, and praised the coach's efforts for nurturing the next generation of players.

"Meanwhile, Xu criticized Cannavaro's deficient management of the club and inadequate error-correcting capability. Xu hopes Cannavaro will work harder to improve the strength of the coaching team and the players to fight for an eighth CSL title."

Fans on social media took the language and tone of the statement with a large pinch of salt, with most attributing the strange turn of events to Evergrande's unwillingness to pay Cannavaro a big severance package.

The 46-year-old has three years remaining on his Evergrande contract.

Ppsport.com revealed more details of the drama, reporting that veteran Zheng had taken a day off from training with the national squad, which is in Guangzhou preparing for a World Cup qualifier against Syria, to attend a meeting with Cannavaro and Xu.

Cannavaro's detailed analysis of the team's recent failings, and how to improve its performance, reportedly placated Xu sufficiently to save his job.

"Cannavaro's sincerity touched Xu Jiayin," said the ppsport.com report.

"The decision to make the coach attend a study class on Evergrande's corporate culture was not a sign that the chairman wanted to place all the blame on the coach. It was also not a way of forcing Cannavaro to quit."

The report added that Xu remained confident in Cannavaro's abilities, and that confidence was the reason they signed a five-year deal in the first place.

Cannavaro was first named Evergrande coach in late 2014 before being replaced by Luiz Felipe Scolari in June 2015.

In November 2017, Evergrande rehired the 2006 World Cup winner as head coach.

In March this year, Cannavaro briefly coached Team China and the club team at the same time. But the national side's lackluster showing at the China Cup prompted an end to that experiment before Marcello Lippi was reinstalled as national boss in May.

"Life is like theater and theater is like life," renowned Chinese sports commentator Han Qiaosheng said on Weibo on Monday.

"It has been seven days since Cannavaro left his coaching duties and now he has returned to the job. The seven-day suspense drama now comes to an end."

How much longer Cannavaro remains at the helm will surely depend on how the CSL title race plays out as Evergrande chases a record-extending eighth domestic league crown.

After just one win in nine games, including an Asian Champions League semifinal loss to Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds, Evergrande is now just a point ahead of defending champion Shanghai SIPG, and two ahead of third-place Beijing Guo'an, with three matches to play.

Six Evergrande players feature in the latest Team China lineup, so Cannavaro will hope the likes of Zheng and naturalized striker Ai Kesen return injury-free from the Nov 14 World Cup qualifier against Syria in Dubai.

Evergrande resumes it CSL campaign with a mouth-watering showdown against SIPG on Nov 23 - a match that will have a huge bearing on the destination of the title.

Evergrande then travels to Hebei China Fortune before concluding its season at home to Shanghai Shenhua on Dec 1.

SIPG's other remaining games are against lowly Beijing Renhe and Shenzhen. Guo'an's final three matches are against Shenhua, Guangzhou R&F (both away) and Shandong Luneng at home.

]]> 2019-11-05 07:46:11 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/04/content_37520556.htm SHANGHAI - Rafa Benitez says his Chinese-language interpreter is always by his side and former Barcelona defender Sergi Barjuan joked that his translator was like his wife, because they were together so much.

]]> Shopping, house hunting and managing media meltdowns are all in a day's work for Chinese game's trusted translators

SHANGHAI - Rafa Benitez says his Chinese-language interpreter is always by his side and former Barcelona defender Sergi Barjuan joked that his translator was like his wife, because they were together so much.

At training, matches and media conferences in China, the interpreters are always close by - but they get scant attention and are paid far less than the coaches or players they help.

But Benitez and other foreigners in Chinese soccer would not be able to do their jobs without their interpreters, who also play a crucial role in everyday life.

After arriving at Dalian Yifang in July, Benitez, a Champions League winner as Liverpool manager, said communication was his biggest challenge.

"You always have an interpreter at your side shadowing you," the 59-year-old Spaniard, who speaks good English, wrote on his blog.

"Mine, Justin, is copying my gestures at training and at the matches and each day we are more in sync," he added, highlighting just how critical the dynamic is.

Toning it down

Of course, interpreters are not unique to China. Former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho famously started out as a translator, and worked for Englishman Bobby Robson when he managed Barcelona.

But the difficulty many people have learning Chinese has spawned an industry of soccer interpreters, almost always young and male.

One of them is Hong Wenjie, right-hand man to coach Dragan Stojkovic at Guangzhou R&F, which like Benitez's Dalian is in the Chinese Super League.

The 29-year-old Chinese, who can speak English and Spanish, describes his job as "a bridge".

He has been Stojkovic's interpreter since the Serbian, who speaks English, French and Italian, arrived at the club in August 2015.

"The challenges were more at the beginning. I needed to know about the coach's personality, habits and his football philosophy," said Hong, who once worked as a tour guide.

Language skill is one thing, Hong said, but you also need to know soccer jargon and have an intricate understanding of the game.

Being a "bridge" is not always a comfortable place to be, especially when feelings are running high in the changing room at halftime or after a defeat.

Hong said he sometimes uses his own discretion to water down some of Stojkovic's more scathing remarks to media or players.

"Everyone understands that only when you really love the team, you will have such a strong emotion," Hong said.

"In that case, I won't translate the sharp words, otherwise it will fuel the fire. However, I will convey the coach's attitude to the team in another way."

It can also mean saving coaches from themselves, especially in China, where soccer authorities hand out relatively harsher punishments for criticism of referees.

Interpreters sometimes purposely omit comments by coaches in media conferences to head off trouble with the Chinese Football Association.

Strong bond

Sergi Barjuan's family remained in Spain while he coached Zhejiang Greentown - one reason why he referred to his interpreter as his "wife". He left the post in July after 20 months.

Interpreters also play an important part in the daily lives of foreign players and coaches, for whom China can be a culture shock.

They help new arrivals find a place to live, open bank accounts and help set up mobile payment systems on their smartphones.

Even after they get settled into life in China, foreign coaches or players lean heavily on interpreters, even taking them supermarket shopping.

They can become close friends and confidants.

That was the case for Zhao Chen, who worked at Beijing Enterprises FC (now known as Beijing Sport University FC) and helped Cheick Tiote, the midfielder who died in 2017 after collapsing in training with the club.

The Ivory Coast international's death aged 30 shocked the soccer world.

The 28-year-old Zhao, now an interpreter at Shijiazhuang Ever Bright in China's second tier, has fond memories of getting Tiote settled in, including finding him a place to worship.

"As a foreign Muslim, it's not easy to find a mosque for their jumu'ah (Friday prayers)," said Zhao.

"I would check it first and always went there with him together. Until now I still miss him so much."

Agence France - Presse

]]> 2019-11-04 08:42:31 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/04/content_37520555.htm Cameroon great Samuel Eto'o is convinced that he is the best African soccer player of all time and is now targeting more success as a coach.

The 38-year-old is pondering his next step after hanging up his boots in early September, bringing the curtain down on his playing days with a brief spell turning out for Qatar Sports Club.

"There comes a point where you have to look for other challenges. That is what I have chosen to do. I have had a wonderful career," Eto'o told AFP during a visit to Paris.

His career spanned more than 20 years in which he won 18 major trophies, including two Champions League titles with Barcelona and another with Inter Milan. He also won the Africa Cup of Nations twice with Cameroon as well as Olympic gold in 2000.

One prize that did get away from him, however, was the Ballon d'Or. Liberia's George Weah, in 1995, remains the only African to have claimed that award, but that does not change Eto'o's belief that he is the best player to have come out of the continent.

"I don't need to lay claim to anything, it's just a fact. Whether you accept it or not, it's a fact," he said, as frank and outspoken as ever.

"Everyone is entitled to their opinion. You know, as an African, you are always being judged. What is unacceptable is that the first people to do it are always the Africans. They can't take anything away from me because I am proud to be African.

"When I look at where I came from and how far I got, I tell myself that I am entitled to be proud. That doesn't mean I am big-headed, far from it. It is just that, in this world, people like puppets and I don't accept being one."

'Could have won World Cup'

Eto'o also suited up for the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea, but for all he won in the game, it is his first major title with his country that sticks out when asked for his fondest memory.

"I would say my first Africa Cup of Nations (in 2000), because it was my first AFCON, an unforgettable moment, and I had come away from the 1998 World Cup in France with the hope of making history," he said.

"I wasn't a starter in that magnificent team but in the end I worked my way into the side and contributed. It is a beautiful memory."

Eto'o also played at four World Cup finals but never got beyond the group stage with the Indomitable Lions.

"I told myself that, eventually, with all the magnificent players I played alongside for Cameroon, we could have won the World Cup," he said.

"It wasn't to be. That is the only trophy I didn't manage to win but I had some unforgettable moments with that team."

Part of a golden generation that featured Rigobert Song, the late Marc-Vivien Foe and Geremi, Eto'o believes he has left a strong legacy by helping bring through the next generation.

Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana is one player to have emerged from the Eto'o Foundation.

He has also been asked to do work for the Confederation of African Football but says it is only a matter of time before he returns to soccer in a more hands-on role.

European ambitions

"I know my next challenge will be to win at least as much as a coach as I did as a player," he said. "I would like to coach in Europe, and then one day return to Africa and win there. I don't know how to lose.

"I am lucky to have made history at different clubs. I have a lot more doors open to me than others, but you need to be prepared.

"I want to learn, have all the qualifications, understand how things work either in my own businesses or in my future career, in order to come back in 12 or 24 months and start a new career, which I hope will be just as beautiful."

But having won the Champions League playing for both Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho, whose style is he more likely to be replicate?

"I am a fan of Guardiola. I love football and I think it's important to win in style," he said.

"Football is like going to the theater. It is great to go to the stadium and see a spectacle. When you watch Guardiola's teams play, you never get bored."

Agence France - Presse

]]> 2019-11-04 08:42:31 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/04/content_37520554.htm The nation's finest female golfers, Feng Shanshan and Liu Yu, graced the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament over the weekend, cheering on their male counterparts and sharing their thoughts on the game's development in China.

]]> Top pros Feng and Liu believe game's growing popularity and better coaching are producing new breed of champions

The nation's finest female golfers, Feng Shanshan and Liu Yu, graced the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament over the weekend, cheering on their male counterparts and sharing their thoughts on the game's development in China.

And while the pair witnessed first-round leader Li Haotong's title bid unravel at Sheshan International on Saturday, Feng and Liu are certain that a conveyor belt of new Chinese talent will soon be joining Li in challenging the world's elite for the sport's top honors.

"The growth of the golfing scene has just been astounding. When I started playing golf years ago, it was hard to imagine that so many kids today would get the chance to play the sport," said world No 34 Liu, who finished in a tie for third at this month's LPGA tournament in Shanghai.

"I think companies like HSBC have played a key role in promoting the development of the sport and me realizing my dream of becoming a professional golfer.

"In fact, the hype surrounding a major golf event like the HSBC Champions was one of the key factors why I started playing the sport seriously."

Feng pointed to the number of kids watching the action at Sheshan over the weekend as further evidence that the future's bright for the Chinese game.

"Today, there are many families bringing their kids to such competitions. In the past, all you saw were middle-aged people," said world No 21 Feng.

"You'll also see many children at the ranges today. This is proof that the development of golf in China is on the right track. I'm also very happy to see the pool of Chinese talent that has emerged in recent years.

"In the past, it was hard to read about golfing news in the media except for golfing magazines and related online platforms. But because the HSBC Champions is such a major event, the media coverage has been extensive and this has resulted in more people getting to understand the golfing scene in China and seeing how there are so many talented players."

Feng believes a shift in coaching techniques is producing a superior class of Chinese players, recalling how in her youth she was mistakenly taught to strike the ball straight before learning how to hit hard and far.

"Science has since proven that aspects such as swing speed and power are best learned when golfers are young. Proper form is something that can be honed later," Feng explained.

"The younger golfers also have a good short game because of today's training methods which are used internationally. This shows how far we have come in terms of training development.

"I believe that the younger players can only become better than what I am today. This is why I'm very optimistic about the development of golfing talent in China."

Feng conceded that the fast-growing pool of young power hitters has piled the pressure on her, but she has no intention of retiring just yet, citing one of the game's all-time greats as reason to battle on.

"Tiger Woods has been an inspiration for me because, as a female golfer who is 30 this year, I'm already considered quite old, and this is made more obvious by the fact that so many young and talented players are entering the field every year," she said.

"Tiger making a comeback over the past couple of years has been quite a sensation and it has really driven me to challenge myself further. I think I still have room to improve my game."

Feng is also looking to improve on the Olympic bronze medal she won at Rio 2016 when the Games are staged in Tokyo next year.

The 30-year-old plans to approach Tokyo 2020 differently than her Brazilian trip when she was "too serious".

"In Rio, I was solely focused on doing my best. This time around, I want to explore the Olympic village, be a spectator at other sporting competitions, make friends with fellow athletes and just enjoy the process," she added.

For Liu, who will turn 24 this month, competing in her first Olympics would fulfill a long-held dream.

"I remember watching the 2000 Sydney Olympics and thinking how cool it would be to represent one's country in a sport. It was from that moment that I had the dream to play at the Olympics. You could say that it is quite serendipitous how I ended up playing golf and how the sport was reinstated in 2016," said Liu.

Her quest to qualify for Tokyo will be inspired by Feng, the only Chinese golfer, male or female, to top the sport's world rankings.

"Seeing Shanshan win a medal in 2016 was very inspiring," she said. "I was just browsing the LPGA records the other day and I discovered that she is ranked among the top 15 in the world for career earnings. That is quite a feat to achieve.

"Shanshan is a paragon for Chinese female golfers to emulate. Not everyone gets to become world No 1, but she was there. She did it."

]]> 2019-11-04 08:42:31 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/04/content_37520553.htm SHANGHAI - Rory McIlroy thought he did everything he needed to win the HSBC Champions on Sunday, and then Xander Schauffele made him do a little more.

McIlroy delivered all the right shots in the playoff - driving safely down the fairway on the par-5 closing hole at Sheshan International, then hitting a four-iron approach to within 25 feet of the pin to set up at two-putt birdie.

Schauffele, who birdied the 18th in regulation to force a playoff, had to lay up from the rough near a bunker, and his 12-foot birdie putt stayed just right of the hole.

McIlroy won for the fourth time this year. It was his third World Golf Championships title, and his first since the Match Play at Harding Park in 2015.

McIlroy played bogey-free over the last 39 holes and closed with a 4-under 68, taking trouble out of play down the stretch because he had the lead.

"Bogey-free on the weekend. I thought it would be enough to get the job done," McIlroy said.

Schauffele turned in a bold performance in his bid to become the tournament's first back-to-back winner. He spent all week battling remnants of the flu, started the final round two shots behind and never let McIlroy feel in control.

Two shots behind with four to play, Schauffele birdied two of the last four holes for a 66, two-putting from the front of the green to a pin toward the back on the 18th in regulation, calmly making the five-footer to force overtime at Sheshan for the second straight year.

"You have to give credit to Xander," McIlroy said. "He's been battling the flu and he played unbelievably well."

They finished at 19-under 269.

McIlroy moves a little closer to Brooks Koepka at No 1 in the world with one tournament left, the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai the week before Thanksgiving to close out what already has been a special year. This is the fourth time McIlroy has won at least four times in a season.

Louis Oosthuizen birdied his opening two holes and was tied with McIlroy until a tee shot into the trees on the ninth, and a chip that didn't reach the fairway, led to bogey. Oosthuizen made another bogey on the 11th that effectively dropped him out of the race.

McIlroy took a two-shot lead with a bit of fortune on the par-5 14th. His second shot landed near the back pin but bounced hard into thick rough. His chip looked to be running some 10 feet by the hole, except that it hit the pin and left him a short birdie putt.

More fortune awaited on the 18th hole. One shot ahead of Schauffele, who was on the fairway, McIlroy went right and watched the ball bound off the hill and settle in thick rough a foot from the red hazard line. He punched out to the fairway, but his approach was 25 feet short and he missed a birdie putt for the win.

Yuan Yechun closed with a fine 66 to be the best-placed Chinese player on 9-under, while China's first-round leader Li Haotong carded a final-round 72 to finish a further three strokes back.

Phil Mickelson closed with a 68 and tied for 28th. With Shugo Imahira finishing second on the Japan Golf Tour, Mickelson will drop out of the top 50 in the world for the first time since Nov 28, 1993, the longest consecutive streak in the top 50 since the Official World Golf Ranking began in 1986.

"It was a good run," Mickelson said. "But I'll be back."

Patrick Reed made one last audition as a captain's pick for the Presidents Cup with a 66 to tie for eighth.

US captain Tiger Woods announces his selections on Thursday.

Im Sung-jae, bidding for one of four picks for Ernie Els' International team, tied for 11th.

McIlroy now gets a two-week break before wrapping up his year in Dubai. "I want to finish the year on a high note," he said.

Associated Press

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland proudly shows off the trophy after winning the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament at Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai on Sunday. Associated Press

]]> 2019-11-04 08:42:31 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/04/content_37520552.htm Rugby fever may have swept Japan during the seven weeks it hosted the World Cup but if the success of the tournament is to have a lasting effect around Asia, the rest of the continent is going to need some extra help.

Over 54 million people, almost half the population of Japan, tuned in to watch the 'Brave Blossoms' - as the national team is known - defeat Scotland to make it through to the knockout stage for the first time in nine attempts.

And while the first World Cup to be staged in Asia enjoyed more exposure around the continent than in the past, more representation at the quadrennial tournament could make a difference.

Asia was the only continent that did not have an automatic 2019 World Cup place at the end of its qualification stage.

For the tournament, which featured 20 teams, Japan booked its place twice over, both as host and through its performance at the 2015 World Cup, which included the 'Miracle of Brighton' victory over South Africa.

Despite that, Hong Kong, the team that finished Asian qualification in first place, still had to go through a playoff to enter the final repechage stage where it eventually lost out to Canada.

"It was disappointing not to get an automatic spot especially after Japan qualified in England," Dai Rees, the chief rugby operations officer at Hong Kong Rugby Union told Associated Press.

"We had nine wins in qualification but we lost to Canada at the end. In the past, Asian teams at that stage had been thumped but we performed."

Rees understands that World Rugby is keen to ensure that the best teams appear at the World Cup but hopes that, when allocations are made for the 2023 World Cup, recent events will make a difference.

"Japan's outstanding performance may turn a few heads in World Rugby when they decide what happens for the 2023 World Cup, time will tell," Rees added.

Japan is already assured of a place at 2023 as it finished in the top three of its five-team pool. If the rest of Asia had an automatic spot then, according to Rees, it could be a game changer for Hong Kong as well as the continent's other contenders such as South Korea and Malaysia, which finished second and third in Asian qualification for the 2019 World Cup.

"It would give these countries hope that it is possible and more desire to make it happen would then have a major knock-on effect," said Rees. "It could even engage China to take it to the next level."

For Malaysia, even the possibility of a World Cup spot could bring more investment and interest. "We need to establish a professional or semi-professional league," said AJ Haq, the Malaysia Rugby Union's commercial manager. "Players need a career path."

This year's Rugby World Cup has helped in the short term, not least because Japan is only one hour ahead of much of Southeast and East Asia. The tournament has made plenty of headlines in Malaysia, and in Singapore there were live screenings at Sports Hub Stadium.

"I think this is the first time ever there was a Rugby World Cup screening which is free for the public," said Douglas Danapal, Singapore Rugby's head of communications.

"The timing could have made a difference as more places were showing the Rugby World Cup this year than 2015.

"Japan at the World Cup shows that results are not immediate and a long-term plan is needed for nations to move to the next level."

With over 99 percent attendance and 1.84 million tickets sold across the 45 matches (three were canceled due to Typhoon Hagibis), World Rugby is keen to build on the sudden boost in the game's popularity outside its traditional heartlands.

"One of the reasons we came to Asia was to leave a legacy, Bill Beaumont, chairman of the governing body said." What we must do is carry on working with them so when you come back in two years' time, the people are talking about (Brave) Blossoms and not about baseball."

That may work in Japan but the rest of Asia may need some help.

"We know that Asia is still a small cog in the sport," said Rees. "But this World Cup has given us exposure and Japan has given us inspiration."

Associated Press

]]> 2019-11-04 08:42:31 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/02/content_37520315.htm In wake of World Cup fiasco, CBA decides it's time for a new coach

Looking for redemption after a disappointing effort at September's FIBA Basketball World Cup, China's national team has hired Du Feng to replace Li Nan as head coach.

The Chinese Basketball Association announced Du's appointment on Thursday night through a statement posted on the CBA's official Weibo account.

"The Chinese Basketball Association has decided to adjust the national coaching team by hiring Du Feng, coach of Guangdong Hongyuan Southern Tigers, as head coach of Team China," said the CBA statement.

"Du Feng will work on building a new national team. While the team is preparing for FIBA Olympic qualifying tournaments, it is also eyeing the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the 2024 Olympics and the future in the long-term.

"We want to thank Du Feng for daring to take this responsibility at a very difficult time for Team China. It will be a great challenge for Du to coach the national team and Guangdong Hongyuan at the same time, but we believe he can find a great balance.

"We also want to thank Guangdong Hongyuan for the club's support for Chinese basketball."

Du has been head coach of Guangdong Hongyuan since 2013, leading the CBA powerhouse to league titles in 2013 and 2019. He was named the CBA's coach of the year last season.

Guangdong Hongyuan also issued a statement, saying the club is honored by Du's hiring as national team coach.

"I wish to thank the Chinese Basketball Association that chose to trust me at such a difficult time in Chinese basketball," Du told China Central Television. "I am taking full responsibility as the head coach of the national team, and I will try my best at the new job.

"I also want to thank Guangdong Hongyuan for its support. Many national team coaches in the world also coach club teams. Coaching a club team can help the national team coach maintain the feel of competition ... and it will also help me to find the best players in the domestic league.

"There will be many difficulties, but we have to concentrate on the future in solving the problems that were exposed at the FIBA World Cup tournament. We must make changes and show the winning spirit we formerly had."

Team China squandered a relatively easy draw by winning just one game in the first group stage of the World Cup, which was held in China.

The host eventually finished 24th out of 32 teams and missed out on Asia's only direct qualification spot for next year's Tokyo Olympics.

The news of Du's national team appointment instantly went viral on Chinese social media, and related topics on Weibo had been viewed more than 140 million times as of Friday morning.

The most trending news, however, was a personal post by Team China's former coach Li Nan, which was viewed more than 300 million times.

"I really want to thank Yao Ming and the CBA for the trust and support they gave me for the past three years," said Li, who was the target of heavy criticism from fans and media after the World Cup fiasco.

"I learned many precious things over the past three years as coach of Team China and I now have a deeper understanding of the sport.

"I kept silent, and I really owe everyone an explanation. As I'm no longer the Team China coach, I sincerely apologize to everyone who was disappointed with us. As the head coach, I failed to achieve our goal and I take all the responsibility myself. But these setbacks have not decreased my love for basketball."

Compared to the fans' vehemence toward Li in the aftermath of the World Cup, reaction to his personal post was much softer. Many commented that it was not Li's fault, but rather a lack of overall team strength.

Li isn't the first to shoulder sole responsibility for Team China's lackluster international performance. After China's 86-73 loss to Nigeria at the World Cup, CBA president Yao Ming said he was responsible for the sub-par effort.

"It is me who disappoints the fans," Yao said at the time. "The fans had great expectations for China at the World Cup, but we could not make success happen.

"This tournament was a window for us to look out to the world, but the gap between China and the leading basketball countries has been enlarged.

"We are determined to keep our reforms going, including the professional league, youth academy and sports education."

shifutian@chinadaily.com.cn

]]> 2019-11-02 08:46:34 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/02/content_37520314.htm GLENDALE, Arizona - San Francisco's game manager turned into quite the game-changer on Thursday night.

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who often calls his own plays, threw for 317 yards and four touchdowns on a night his team's vaunted defense wasn't at its best, and the San Francisco 49ers reached the halfway point of the season undefeated, beating the Arizona Cardinals 28-25.

For a quarterback who often gets the backhanded compliment of being a good game manager, Garoppolo's stellar performance provided some proof that the 27-year-old might be better than people think.

His teammates already knew.

"Yeah, he's pretty good," 49ers tight end George Kittle said. "I don't know why people don't think he is. He makes some pretty gutsy throws out there, doesn't he?"

San Francisco (8-0) fell behind 7-0 but responded with three touchdowns - one as time expired in the second quarter after Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury called a timeout and gave the 49ers a second chance on fourth down - to take a 21-7 halftime lead.

The 49ers were in control until about five minutes left in the fourth quarter, when Andy Isabella caught a short pass and sprinted for an 88-yard touchdown to help the Cardinals pull to 28-25.

But the 49ers were able to run out the clock on their ensuing offensive drive to end Arizona's comeback.

Garoppolo had two crucial third-down completions to keep the final drive alive, including one to Emmanuel Sanders, who caught seven passes for 112 yards and a touchdown.

Garoppolo completed 28 of 37 throws.

"Our team has done a good job of winning in different ways this year," Garoppolo said.

"Whether it's offense, special teams, defense or mixing and matching all of them.

"That's how you create a good football team. You're not relying on one part and everyone's playing tomorrow. It's complementary football. That's where we're at right now."

Even in victory and at 8-0, 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman was downright grumpy when asked about the defense, which surrendered 357 total yards to Arizona.

"It's not about the results; the results are going to be what they are," Sherman said.

"Thank goodness our offense executed. But it's about the process, it's executing the way you're supposed to. It's about doing your job repeatedly, with robotic consistency."

Arizona (3-5-1) lost its second straight game. Rookie quarterback Kyler Murray threw for 241 yards and two touchdowns.

Associated Press

]]> 2019-11-02 08:46:34 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/02/content_37520313.htm The difference between winning and losing is often reflected in the expressions of the participants

The ball is sandwiched between Seattle Sounders midfielder Gustav Svensson (left) and Los Angeles FC defenders Walker Zimmerman (top) and Eddie Segura during the first half of their Oct 29 Major League Soccer clash in LA. AP

]]> 2019-11-02 08:46:34 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/01/content_37520145.htm Boasting a carnival atmosphere and slick organization, annual race accelerates effort to join world's premier 'majors' series

As well as fueling demand for more races, China's ever-expanding throngs of marathon enthusiasts are precipitating a push for better quality, and more prestigious tests of their endurance.

The Dongfeng Nissan Chengdu Marathon, which attracted 30,000 runners for its third edition last Sunday, is at the vanguard of efforts to meet the demand, with the race bidding to earn long-distance running's premier seal of approval by becoming the seventh race on the Abbott World Marathon Majors (WMM) calendar.

The WMM series currently features races in Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York, with Chinese runners often willing to splash the cash on trips abroad to run these iconic events.

The Chengdu Marathon, which was won by Ethiopia's Wondesen Feleke Zegeye (2:09:52) and his female compatriot Yenenesh Tilahun Dinkesa (2:29:05), has growing reason to believe it can eventually become every bit as revered as the six majors.

"The size of the crowds and the venue here is set up to become a WMM event," Tim Hadzima, executive director of the series, told the Global Times in the Sichuan city.

"We have really high hopes for the future and will continue to come back and enjoy this event and help it get to that standard.

"This race that you're seeing today is a true celebration of Chengdu, of its history and people. Hopefully the marathon will get to our standard as we look towards future years.

"In future years, as we continue to help the event grow, it will have more participants and more international participants. That's where the future of this event is, and that's where we hope to help and work with our partners."

As well as the main 42-km event, this year's edition of the Chengdu Marathon also featured a half marathon, a five-kilometer 'Happy Run' and the debut of a wheelchair race.

All six WMM events feature a wheelchair marathon, with Chengdu's addition of the discipline clearly another step toward its goal of becoming the series' seventh stop.

Compared to previous editions, Chengdu has significantly leveled up the overall race experience for participants.

Runners were not left wanting for refueling provisions throughout the race, with organizers providing 100,000 bottles of sports drinks, 210,000 bottles of pure water, 70,000 energy bars and various local snacks.

Comprehensive medical and emergency services were also at the ready, while 4,000 ice bags and 2,250 bottles of sports spray provided for quick relief of aching joints and muscles.

Local citizens added extra decibels to the carnival atmosphere by joining the 26 "music cheer stations" along the route to lift runners' spirits.

In the days before the race, the Chengdu Marathon Expo was staged at the city's New International Convention and Exhibition Center, showcasing the latest running gear and hosting lectures and discussions on the sport.

The Chengdu Marathon also reached out to local communities by staging themed activities and encouraging people to adopt more scientific and healthier running habits, all of which fits neatly into the government's national fitness campaign.

All across the nation, the marathon boom shows no sign of slowing down.

According to the latest figures from the Chinese Athletics Association, more than 120,000 people ran full marathons for the first time in 2018, while there were about 400,000 newcomers to half marathons.

A total of 1,581 marathon events were staged in 285 cities nationwide last year, all with fields of at least 800.

WMM said 6,155 runners from China ran its illustrious races - in Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York - last year.

During a visit to Beijing in May, WMM chief Hadzima hailed not just the growing numbers of Chinese entering his series' events but their enthusiasm, saying: "I am very impressed with the passion that Chinese people have for running. In our events, we've never seen more Chinese participants."

In 2018, marathon-related consumption in China was valued at a whopping 28.8 billion yuan ($4.28 billion), with the market generating a total of 74.6 billion yuan, representing year-on-year growth of 7 percent.

Registration fees for full and half marathons averaged at 130 yuan and 102 yuan, respectively.

"It's really exciting to have an entire country be behind marathoning as a sport," said Hadzima.

"The fact that folks are getting out and being active ... that's what we're all about, inspiring people to be more active.

"To take on the marathon is a challenge, because we understand the power of how it can transform individuals and cities.

"That's the power we'd like to harness and then have it be a global competition."

  ]]> 2019-11-01 08:07:48 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/01/content_37520144.htm Former NBA star determined to help Beijing recapture glory in new season

Following an intriguing nine-year stint in the NBA mostly as a role player, Jeremy Lin opened a new chapter in his career with a move to the China Basketball Association's Beijing Ducks during the offseason.

Renowned for sparking "Linsanity" for his unexpected blowout performance over three weeks with the New York Knicks in February 2012, Lin lived up to his hype by scoring 40 points in his debut with the Ducks in a CBA preseason game.

"My goal and the team's goal are the same. I'm coming here to touch my upper limit in the CBA every day. I want to help the team win more games," said the 31-year-old shooting guard.

Lin is expected to ignite more offense for the Ducks, who in the 2011-12 season started a run of three CBA titles in four years. After losing to the Shenzhen Aviators in the quarterfinals last season, Beijing kept Justin Hamilton while recruiting another post player Ekpe Udoh as a reserve to protect the rim.

Injuries could play a big role in determining Beijing's destiny in the upcoming season. Zhai Xiaochuan and Zhu Yanxi failed to perform at full level due to injuries last season, and Ji Zhe missed the entire campaign with a knee injury.

Fans can expect more drama in the Beijing derby as Stephon Marbury, who won three titles with the Ducks, is now in charge of the Beijing Royal Fighters. Former Ducks guard Sun Yue also joined the Royal Fighters, who selected Wang Shaojie as the top draft pick.

Meanwhile, nine-time league champion Guangdong Southeast Tigers is still the team to beat, holding off challenges from old rivals Liaoning and Xinjiang.

Yi Jianlian, who celebrated his 32nd birthday last Sunday, will be the driving force in Guangdong's pursuit of another title after coming off a stellar performance at this summer's FIBA World Cup.

Zhou Peng, who missed the World Cup due to a foot injury, is another player the Tigers will heavily rely upon, particularly in terms of his defensive contributions.

The departure of starry guard Lester Hudson was the most significant move for Liaoning during the offseason, but the club recruited Lance Stephenson, a veteran of 508 NBA games, to help fill the void.

The return of center Han Dejun from injury and a return to form by star point guards Guo Ailun and Zhao Jiwei should also provide Liaoning with a huge boost.

Xinjiang center Zhou Qi, widely criticized for his below-par World Cup performances, looks in better shape as the season approaches and his dominance in the paint should be a pivotal part of the team's success at both ends.

The Zhejiang Lions, having reached the 2018 Finals, are looking to become the eighth champion in the CBA's 24-year history as young players Hu Jinqiu and Zhao Yanhao have become more mature on court under the charge of head coach Li Chunjiang.

The Shenzhen Aviators are another team that should not be overlooked as a potential title contender, led by center Shen Zijie.

The CBA's 25th season opens on Friday with Guangdong hosting Liaoning.

]]> 2019-11-01 08:07:48 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-11/01/content_37520143.htm HOUSTON - Seventh inning. Game 7. Cue the comeback.

You couldn't script a World Series finale any better.

Howie Kendrick and Anthony Rendon blasted seventh-inning home runs to erase a 2-0 deficit and start the Washington Nationals on the way to defeating the Houston Astros 6-2 at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Wednesday night.

With all eyes on starter Max Scherzer and his remarkable recovery after a painkilling injection, the Nationals truly embraced their shot in the first Series ever in which the road team won every game.

The Washington Nationals celebrate Wednesday's 6-2 victory over the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the World Series at Minute Maid Park in Houston. En route to capturing its first championship in franchise history, Washington became the first team in MLB history to win four road games in a best-of-seven series. Matt Slocum / AP

Even more against the odds of the Nats clinching their first championship in franchise history was the fact they came from behind to win five elimination games this postseason, an unprecedented feat.

"What a story," said Ryan Zimmerman, the Nationals' first draft pick in 2005 after the former Montreal Expos franchise transferred to the US capital."I hope DC's ready for us to come home!"

The Washington Senators won the city's only other title, way back in 1924.

The Expos moved to DC in 2005, ending Washington's three-decade-plus wait for big-league baseball after the Senators left town to become the Texas Rangers.

But no one could have imagined the incredible road the wildcard Nationals took to the title.

"Resilient, relentless bunch of guys," manager Dave Martinez said. "They fought all year long."

Having lost star slugger Bryce Harper to free agency and beset by bullpen woes, the Nationals plummeted to 19-31 in late May.

It got so bad there was talk around town the team might fire Martinez and trade away the fire-balling Scherzer.

Instead, the Nats stuck with the mantra that sprung up on T-shirts - "Stay In The Fight."

"That was our motto," Scherzer said.

And months later they finished it.

"Guess what? We stayed in the fight. We won the fight!" Martinez shouted during the trophy celebration on the field.

"We were down and out. We were 19-31. We didn't quit then, and we weren't going to quit now."

World Series MVP Steven Strasburg went 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA in five postseason starts and one relief appearance, including victories in Games 2 and 6 of the Series. The 31-year-old struck out 47 and walked four in 36.1 innings.

"Through all the adversity I think I've learned a lot about myself. When you have the ups and downs, I think you can learn just as much from the downs as you can the ups," Strasburg said.

For the 43,326 revved-up fans at Minute Maid Park, Game 7 was a combination of shock and disappointment. So close to seeing the Astros win their second title in three years, they watched their chance suddenly vanish as Houston fell apart.

"I've got a group of heartbroken men in there that did everything they could to try to bring a World Series championship to this city. And we fell one win shy," Astros manager AJ Hinch said.

"Let's be honest, there's 28 other teams that would love to have our misery today. We play to get here.

"I just told our team, it's hard to put into words and remember all the good that happened because right now we feel as bad as you can possibly feel."

Washington kept pulling away after taking the lead, with Adam Eaton's two-run single in the ninth accounting for the final margin.

Houston starter Zack Greinke was in complete control until Rendon - a Houston prep and college star - blasted a home run that cut Houston's lead to 2-1 in the seventh.

When Soto followed with a oneout walk, manager AJ Hinch decided to make a move. He'd had ace starter Gerrit Cole warming up in the bullpen earlier, but this call was for reliever Will Harris.

Kendrick promptly connected on Harris' second pitch, slicing a drive that hit the screen attached to the right-field foul pole.

Just like that, everything had changed for the team in orange that led the majors in wins, and the ballpark fell silent.

For Kendrick, it was another timely blow. At 36, playing on the oldest team in the majors, the journeyman earned the NL Championship Series MVP award against St. Louis. And it was his grand slam in the 10th inning of the deciding Game 5 in the Division Series that beat the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Then again, this was nothing new for the Nationals.

Washington rallied in the eighth to beat Milwaukee in the wildcard game and took the last two to beat LA in the NLDS, setting up a sweep of the Cardinals in the NLCS.

Far away, a big crowd poured into Nationals Park to watch the party. That was the stadium where Houston hammered the Nats for three games last weekend, but their luck changed in Texas.

"The way this game went is the way our whole season went," said Zimmerman, the last player left from the original 2005 Nationals.

The Astros breezed to the AL West title, edged Tampa Bay in a five-game ALDS and topped the New York Yankees in the ALCS.

Houston also played through a front-office fiasco, which led to the firing of an executive for a boorish rant at female reporters during a clubhouse celebration.

]]> 2019-11-01 08:07:48 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-10/31/content_37519832.htm Jack Ma is calling out Floyd Mayweather. And just in case China's wealthiest citizen has any second thoughts, good pal Manny Pacquiao has his back.

]]>

Billionaire throws out challenge as Pacquiao ramps up talk of rematch

Jack Ma is calling out Floyd Mayweather. And just in case China's wealthiest citizen has any second thoughts, good pal Manny Pacquiao has his back.

In a video posted on Instagram last weekend, eight-division world champion Pacquiao is shown sparring with Ma, billionaire co-founder of Alibaba, at the tycoon's home.

After trading a few punches, they turn to the camera and Pacquiao says: "Floyd Mayweather, if you want a real fight, fight me. If you want an exhibition, my guy, my friend, Jack Ma will take care of you."

Ma then chimes in with: "Yeah, I'm ready. Any time, any place."

The video is an example of real life mimicking reel life.

In 2017, Ma, an accomplished martial artist, starred in Gong Shou Dao, a short kung fu film produced by Beijing-born action star and wushu champion Jet Li. At the end of the film, Ma's character is challenged by Pacquiao.

In 2015, Pacquiao and Mayweather squared off in the richest fight in history, with Mayweather winning the 12-rounder by unanimous decision.

The bout generated a live gate of $75 million at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and nearly $1 billion in worldwide pay-per-view revenues, with Mayweather pocketing around $250 million and Pacquiao's cut estimated at $180 million.

Mayweather, 42, retired with a 50-0 record after stopping mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor in a crossover match in August 2017, but rumors of a rematch with Pacquiao have continued to swirl - even as the man known as 'Money' was in negotiations for an exhibition bout in China.

Jay Lau, director of Hong Kong's DEF Promotions, told Sun Sport he met with Mayweather twice this summer to finalize a deal for an exhibition bout against a Chinese fighter early next year, but the American "was more interested in pursuing a rematch with Pacquiao", who currently holds the WBA welterweight title.

"Mayweather came two times to Hong Kong to talk about an exhibition fight. He spoke with my son Jayson and we had communications, but now he is focusing on the Pacquiao rematch," Lau said earlier this month.

"We were talking about an exhibition in China, a big event but not an official professional boxing match. Something like when Mayweather fought (Japanese kickboxer) Tenshin Nasukawa in Tokyo last New Year's Eve.

"We spoke a bit about doing a special fight in China, but halfway through he started talking about the Pacquiao rematch, so we stopped.

"I'll let him do his thing with Manny. The rematch is the biggest thing that can happen, so why bother with the exhibition first?

"I hope it happens... it could be a big possibility that fight is the grand opening for Japan's casinos. The only thing I will say is that Floyd is expensive, so we have to work really hard to get him back over to Asia. The offer is not easy."

In July, Mayweather was recruited by the Chinese Boxing Federation to serve as a special adviser to the national team.

In announcing the deal, the featherweight bronze medalist at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics pledged "to go all out" to use his influence and resources to boost China's profile in the ring ahead of next summer's Tokyo Games.

During a 2017 visit to Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Chengdu (where he purchased naming rights to a baby panda), Mayweather posted online photos of himself and members of his entourage on the Great Wall.

"I'm here on 'The Great Wall of China', considered to be one of the greatest wonders of the world!" the champ wrote to his 22 million followers on Instagram.

"China has always been on my list of places to see throughout my travels in life. Coming here with 23 people has been a great experience and it doesn't hurt to get paid $3 million to simply vacation in luxury for a few days.

"With money this long, everything is different. I move different, I dress different and I live different - because my money is extremely different!"

Meanwhile, Pacquiao raised his record to 62-7-2 in July, when he scored a lopsided decision over previously unbeaten Keith Thurman for the WBA crown.

The 40-year-old Filipino icon has repeatedly stated he wants his next fight to be against Mayweather.

]]> 2019-10-31 07:33:22 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-10/31/content_37519831.htm Five lucky Chinese youngsters enjoyed the experience of a lifetime in Shanghai on Tuesday when they were treated to golf lessons from a handful of the sport's megastars, including four-time major champion Rory McIlroy.

]]> Rory reckons future is bright for Chinese game after coaching country's brightest young stars

Five lucky Chinese youngsters enjoyed the experience of a lifetime in Shanghai on Tuesday when they were treated to golf lessons from a handful of the sport's megastars, including four-time major champion Rory McIlroy.

The cream of the golfing world has descended on the city's prestigious Sheshan International club where this week's WGC-HSBC Champions is being contested.

McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Justin Rose, Ian Poulter and local hero Li Haotong all took time out from their preparations to surprise some of China's most promising young talent, imparting their world-beating secrets of success on Sheshan's testing par-5 18th hole.

The youngsters, ranging in age from 9 to 18, are among the brightest prospects on the CGA-HSBC China Junior Golf Program. One of the rewards for their outstanding progress was Tuesday's unforgettable session with the pros.

After witnessing the driving skills of 12-year-old Ni Zixin from Hubei province, world No 2 McIlroy was left in little doubt the future is bright for Chinese golf.

"All the work that has been done to support golf in the country is certainly paying off, both in the growth of the fanbase and the talented young golfers we met today," said the Northern Irishman, who has three top-five finishes in Shanghai.

"Whenever you play WGC-HSBC Champions you feel like the eyes of the entire country are on you. It's great to compete in front of this growing and energetic audience of golf fans who are extremely knowledgeable and committed to the game."

Defending champion Schauffele was confident he had encountered some future champs following his one-one-one session with 15-year-old Tong Yang from Guangdong province.

"WGC-HSBC Champions will always hold a special place in my heart after winning it last year in front of my family. It's great to be back and to be able to meet some of these young Chinese stars," said the 25-year-old world No 9.

"Thanks to the work done to encourage the game here in China, there is now a really strong pool of talented players across the country and I'm sure that some of the kids I met today will be winning global tournaments before we know it."

Eighteen-year-old Sun Jiaze, also of Guangdong, showed world No 7 and reigning Olympic champion Rose why she might have a gold medal around her neck one day, while Beijing-based 11-year-old Chang Xihuan made compatriot Li immensely proud.

The youngest participant at the clinic, 9-year-old Xu Zilin, left her coach for the day Ian Poulter completely speechless by her remarkable ball-hitting.

In a final surprise, the elite golfers invited the kids to join them as VIPs on the red carpet at the WGC-HSBC Champions welcome dinner.

Tournament partner HSBC said the activity highlights its long-term commitment to supporting the game's growth in China.

The CGA-HSBC China Junior Golf Program was established in 2007, and the results have been impressive.

In 2006 there were only 406 registered junior golfers in China, This year's latest figures put that number at over 60,000, with overall junior participation pegged at around 700,000.

Over the past 12 years the program has put golf clubs in the hands of well over 100,000 children through junior tournaments, training camps and school activities, helping to inspire a thriving new community of young players.

Graduates of the program are already making waves on the global stage, including world No 59 Li and Dou Zecheng, who this year competed on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Indeed, five of the seven Chinese players in this week's field developed their games as members of the CGA-HSBC China Junior Golf Program.

"When the first WGC-HSBC Champions took place in 2005, I was just 9 years old," said Li.

"Since that time it has been incredible to be part of the huge rise in interest in golf in China. I am extremely proud to see the growth of the game I love to see so many kids coming through.

"It was a privilege to connect with some of the future stars of Chinese golf today, and hopefully help set them off on their own golfing journeys."

Eleven-year-old Chang Xihuan tracks his drive at Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai on Tuesday as five of the game's biggest stars look on. From left: Li Haotong, Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter. Provided to China Daily

]]> 2019-10-31 07:33:22 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-10/31/content_37519830.htm While Li Haotong reckons Chinese golfers are gaining ground on the world's elite, he believes they could accelerate the process by testing themselves on a wider variety of global courses.

World No 54 Li has led China's charge on the world stage ever since his breakthrough third-place finish at the 2017 British Open.

The 24-year-old is among seven Chinese players hoping to upstage the likes of top-10 superstars Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Xander Schauffele at this week's WGC HSBC Champions tournament at Sheshan International in Shanghai.

Li believes he and his compatriots could soon find themselves among the main attractions at the major tournaments.

"I think the locals have played very well in recent years and the gap has been narrowed between them and the best players in the world," said Li.

"The skills levels are mostly the same, but I think they have got to get some more experience playing different types of courses around the world.

"It is true that the Chinese players have been playing well recently, so I think if they continue to play this way they can break through. As for myself, there's loads of world ranking points on offer this week so a good finish is really important."

Li was looking forward to entertaining the galleries at Sheshan, but has braced himself for a tougher test than previous years.

"It is definitely a very good feeling playing in front of the home crowd and fans. It is a privilege for me as a Chinese player to be playing at home," he said.

"The course is definitely more challenging this year. The rough is thicker and the greens are faster."

Li will make history in December when he becomes the first Chinese to play in the President's Cup - for Ernie Els' International Team against Tiger Woods' United States squad at Royal Melbourne in Australia.

And the native of Hunan province, who is 23rd on the European Tour's money list, is excited at the prospect of teeing up in the prestigious event.

"The President's Cup is obviously a big event and I am looking forward to playing well there," he said.

"The strength of the International Team is really good and Royal Melbourne is one of the best and most difficult golf courses in the world, with a lot of unpredictability. But I am sure the International Team can capitalize on that."

]]> 2019-10-31 07:33:22 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-10/31/content_37519829.htm Impressed by the strong debut of the WTA Finals in Shenzhen, tennis legends have high hopes the tournament will serve as an impetus for further growing the game in China over its 10-year run.

From having no events to play at home when she turned pro in 2003 to now watching the women's season finale draw huge crowds in her backyard, China's Zheng Jie marvels at the sport's rapid expansion in her home country - underlined by the increased number and caliber of tournaments over the past decade.

"It's no doubt that a ground-shaking change has hit the landscape of the game," Zheng, China's first Grand Slam semifinalist (2008 Wimbledon), said on the sidelines of the ongoing WTA Finals.

"When I finally made it to the pro circuit, I had to raise money by all means to travel abroad only four times a year because no events at home were offering ranking points.

"Nowadays girls can just stay home while all the big events are coming to their cities. I still can't believe how far tennis has gone, even as I am witnessing all the changes."

As a member of China's trailblazing "Golden Flowers", Zheng, alongside two-time major singles champion Li Na and doubles specialist Yan Zi, helped put China on the tennis map with their groundbreaking results a decade ago.

Zheng, a tough counterattacker, set the earliest examples of Grand Slam success for her compatriots by winning doubles titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon with partner Yan in 2006, followed by her run to singles semifinals in London in 2008 and Melbourne in 2010.

Thanks to the impact of Zheng's generation, growing public interest and government support for tennis have made China a major host of high-profile tournaments, with nine WTA tour-level events, concluded by the Finals, held on the mainland this year - up from just two (Guangzhou and Beijing) in 2004.

The Finals feature the highest-ranked eight singles stars and doubles teams in a round-robin group stage, followed by semifinals and finals to compete for a share of the sport's biggest prize pool of $14 million.

Zheng figures the financial might of local government and organizers makes its easy to stage events on the scale of the Finals, but the real question is how to maximize their influence to enhance the culture and understanding of tennis in China.

"I hope it can bring more attention to tennis in the region and send a message to the world that Shenzhen is serious about developing the sport over the long term," said the 36-year-old, who now operates a junior tennis academy in the city.

"Ultimately, we need to bring up our own young players to make it to the Finals to maintain the sport's surging momentum."

Four years into her retirement, Zheng remains deeply involved in the sport, recently overseeing the tenth edition of the annual youth tournament that carries her name. The "Zheng Jie Cup", which concluded with a national final at her club in Shenzhen following an eight-city preliminary, involved 2,000 players aged 8-12.

Swiss legend Martina Hingis, the official ambassador of the Finals, visited the Cup's award ceremony on Sunday as Zheng's guest.

"I think she's doing a great job," said Hingis, who retired for a third time in October 2017 with five singles and 13 doubles titles at Grand Slam tournaments.

"It's been 10 years that she has this trophy, helping Chinese kids in different cities to play. I wish we had so many kids in Switzerland to play tournaments. Definitely we will keep in touch. Maybe someday we can do something together."

The 39-year-old Hingis was on the frontline of tennis' ascent in China after competing regularly in doubles in Beijing, partnering with India's Sania Mirza and Latisha Chan of Chinese Taipei to win in 2015 and 2017 respectively.

"I think it's always important to have role models. To have a women's tennis tournament here, it's great for us and for women's tennis," said Hingis.

"China already made big steps with Li Na and Zheng Jie, but I think you always need new role models to look up to. Hopefully a lot of young girls will pick up tennis rackets in the future after watching the tournament here."

Ahead of the Finals, Zheng and Hingis were invited as mentors to attend the WTA Future Stars junior program, which was established in 2014.

The Future Stars brought together 56 players, including eight Chinese, from across the Asia-Pacific region and North America to compete in under-14 and under-16 elimination events in Shenzhen.

"Through workshops, interactive activities and mentorship opportunities over the eight days of the event, we hope to inspire these young players to pursue their passion for the sport ... and hopefully create a legacy for the next generation in China," said Future Stars director Donna Kelso.

 

]]> 2019-10-31 07:33:22 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-10/30/content_37519493.htm MILAN - As AC Milan looks to overcome record financial losses and its worst league start in eight decades, the club's strategy for returning to the top of world soccer is focused on investing in youth, according to chief executive Ivan Gazidis.

]]> Rossoneri outline youth investment strategy in bid to restore glory days

MILAN - As AC Milan looks to overcome record financial losses and its worst league start in eight decades, the club's strategy for returning to the top of world soccer is focused on investing in youth, according to chief executive Ivan Gazidis.

The Rossoneri on Monday reported a deficit of 145.9 million euros ($161.2 million) - the worst in the club's history - from its first season under the ownership of American hedge fund Elliott Management.

The situation on the pitch is bleak as well, as Milan's worst start in 81 years saw the dismissal of coach Marco Giampaolo less than four months into his tenure. He was replaced by Stefano Pioli last month.

Milan has fallen a long way since the heady days of the late 1980s and early '90s when it was one of the most feared teams in Europe, winning six Serie A titles and three European Cups.

It hasn't even played in the Champions League since the 2013-14 season and Sunday's loss to Roma - its fifth in nine matches - left it 12th in Serie A, just three points above the relegation zone.

At a shareholders' meeting on Monday, Gazidis said the club plans to turn things around by focusing on youth.

"We have a clear strategy," said the former Arsenal CEO.

"It is to invest in younger players whose best years are ahead of them and who can develop with us into top-class players. We now have the youngest team in the league.

"While this is an important part of the strategy, it does not preclude investing also in experienced leaders who can help guide our young players as they grow and develop."

Elliott took control of Milan last year after the club's former Chinese-led consortium missed a deadline to repay part of a loan worth more than 300 million euros ($350 million) that it had used to purchase the club from former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi for $800 million in April 2017.

Although Milan is a seven-time European champion, its finances have taken a hit during a six-year failure to qualify for the Champions League.

The club was banned from this season's Europa League because of UEFA financial fair play (FFP) breaches.

"Because of the inherited losses of the club, we brought to a close historical FFP breaches by accepting a ban from the Europa League, which was especially painful for a club with the European history of Milan," Gazidis said.

"We know we will have to bring the club into line with FFP, while at the same time improving our on-field performance. This requires us to bring costs under control, while improving the team over time, a task which is not easy or simple."

Gazidis said the club is working on increasing Milan's commercial capabilities by ramping up its investment in the digital world and building a commercial team to increase merchandise revenue and secure more sponsorship.

"I believe in the importance and the beauty of this project, to restore Milan as a progressive beacon of football around the world," Gazidis said.

"I'm not foolish enough to think that it will be quick or easy, and I don't believe that any of you are either. I understand the doubts, I know that there have been false dawns before and that patience is difficult."

Milan has accumulated some 500 million euros of losses over the past six seasons, during which time it has been absent from the money-spinning Champions League.

Owners hope the construction of a new stadium in conjunction with neighbor Inter can help ease Milan's financial woes. The two have long shared their current home, San Siro stadium.

The Milanese council has given both clubs the green light to proceed with the new arena, although mayor Giuseppe Sala this week described the project as "unacceptable".

"Now the real discussion starts with the clubs. I believe that they are aware of the fact that the project they have proposed to us was one too much in their favor," Sala told Italian media outlet ANSA.

"There are so many aspects to it and if we are to come to an agreement, we will do so by working on several aspects.

"We must revise this proposal a little more in favor of the city council."

Milan chairman Paolo Scaroni claimed the new stadium would "raise revenues substantially".

"All the top European clubs bring in stadium receipts topping 100 million euros. For AC Milan and Inter they reach about 34 million," said Scaroni.

"This difference risks being the reason the clubs don't put in the showing they ought to in Europe," he added.

Milan won the last of its European titles in 2007 - three years before Inter won its third and most recent crown.

If the stadium deal does not come off then "there is a plan B, still with Inter", said Scaroni without elaborating.

He added that the search to increase sponsorship was underway but "if we are losing games then it's more difficult".

Unlike the club's late-1980s zenith when the likes of Dutch trio Marco van Basten, Ruud Gulllit and Frank Rijkaard were at the top of their game, this season the Rossoneri are mired in mid-table.

Milan will hope to get more points on the board against lowly Spal on Thursday night before facing a tough test at home to sixth-place Lazio on Sunday.

 

]]> 2019-10-30 07:29:54 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-10/30/content_37519492.htm YOKOHAMA, Japan - South Africa's Tendai 'Beast' Mtawarira believes the Springboks will have to "play out of our skins" to beat England in the Rugby World Cup final on Saturday.

England booked its place in the showpiece match in Yokohama with a stunning 19-7 win over New Zealand last weekend that ended the All Blacks' eight-year reign as world champions.

By contrast, South Africa ground out a 16-13 semifinal victory over Wales in an attritional contest to set up a repeat of the 2007 final that the Springboks won 15-6 in Paris.

"They (England) are playing great rugby and with confidence so it is going to be a big challenge for us," said Mtawarira, whose 'Beast' nickname, which dates back to his school days in Zimbabwean capital Harare, is an affectionate tribute to the 250-pound prop's strength.

"They were charged up for the (New Zealand) game, right from the first minute. They got on the front foot and were more physical and they got their reward."

South Africa has been triumphant in two previous World Cup finals, memorably defeating New Zealand on home soil in 1995 before beating England in Paris in 2007.

Victory in Yokohama on Saturday would continue the Springboks' sequence of being crowned world champions at 12-year intervals, but it would also mean they have to make history of a different kind.

Every team that has ever lifted the Webb Ellis Cup has gone through the tournament unbeaten. The Boks, however, lost their first match at this World Cup, 23-13 to New Zealand in Yokohama last month.

Mtawarira, a veteran of 116 Tests who is set to retire from the game after the tournament, knows that history will mean little when the teams take to the field.

"What has happened in the past doesn't really count. We know we'll have to play out of our skins to win on Saturday," he said.

The last time the finalists met, England squeaked out a 12-11 victory at London's Twickenham stadium in November 2018, with Red Rose captain Owen Farrell fortunate not to concede a penalty when, with 80 minutes on the clock, he escaped censure for an illegal no-arms tackle.

"Every time we play against each other it's always a physical onslaught and I don't think it will be any different next Saturday," said Mtawarira, adding he was "excited" by the prospect of facing England props Mako Vunipola and Kyle Sinckler.

The 1995 World Cup remains a landmark in South African history, with the sight of Nelson Mandela presenting the trophy to captain Francois Pienaar providing an iconic image of the 'Rainbow Nation', but Mtawarira was only 10 years old and it passed him by.

"I was just a primary school kid in Zimbabwe back then; I didn't watch rugby ... I was playing soccer," said the 34-year-old.

The second win under the captaincy of John Smit in 2007 - which took place a year before Beast's Test debut - made more of a lasting impression.

"In 2007 I watched and it was amazing, inspirational stuff. To be part of a World Cup final is a dream come true for me," he said.

"I have worked hard throughout my career to get here and I want to make it count."

First non-white captain

Victory for South Africa in the final would, as was the case 24 years ago, have a resonance beyond rugby, given flanker Siya Kolisi is the Boks' first non-white captain.

"It would be extra special," said Mtawarira, who was granted South African citizenship in 2010.

"Siya is an inspirational leader, in the way South Africa has got behind him.

"It means a lot to unite the country. He has been exemplary. It would be amazing to win this World Cup with him as captain."

And it would be an amazing way for Beast to bring down the curtain on a memorable international career.

 

]]> 2019-10-30 07:29:54 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-10/30/content_37519491.htm Gareth Bale could be bound for the Chinese Super League after all, with Shanghai Shenhua reportedly reigniting their interest in the Welsh superstar following his latest falling-out with Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane.

]]> Welsh star maneuvering for January switch after fresh tribulations at Madrid

Gareth Bale could be bound for the Chinese Super League after all, with Shanghai Shenhua reportedly reigniting their interest in the Welsh superstar following his latest falling-out with Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane.

Shenhua and Jiangsu Suning both failed in attempts to sign Bale last summer after Madrid slapped a hefty price tag, thought to be in the region of 40 million euros ($44 million), on the forward that would have been subject to a 100 percent CSL transfer tax.

However, Spanish daily Marca reported on Tuesday that Madrid's hierarchy is now willing to let Bale leave for free after the 30-year-old was angered at being left out of Zidane's squad for the 2-2 Champions League draw at home to Club Brugge on Oct 1.

Bale is reported to have instructed his agent, Jonathan Barnett, to sound out suitors with a view to a move in the January transfer window.

Marca claims Shenhua is among a number of clubs in talks with Barnett. Just like Suning, the Shanghai club baulked at Bale's price tag in the summer, but now Madrid is willing to waive a fee in a bid to shave the player's 34 million euro salary off its wage bill.

Bale feels undervalued and underappreciated at Madrid and looked all but certain to depart the 13-time European champion in the offseason when Zidane remarked that it "would be best for everyone" if the former Tottenham Hotspur attacker left the club.

When the Suning deal collapsed, at the behest of Madrid president Florentino Perez, Barnett lashed out at Zidane, calling the French World Cup winner "a disgrace" and claiming there "was no relationship" between his client and the coach.

Since then, Bale appeared to have accepted his lot at Madrid, producing some impressive displays despite the Spanish giant's shaky start to the season.

Zidane claimed to have left Bale and James Rodriguez off the squad for the Brugge clash because of fitness concerns over the pair.

"Yes, they were injured," Zidane said. "Everyone here is indispensable, all 25 players, but they were the two injured ones and we didn't want to risk them."

However, Bale interpreted the omission as another vindictive slight from Zidane and decided he had enough of his perceived shoddy treatment to again send the rumor mill into overdrive.

Since signing for Madrid from Spurs for a then world-record fee of around $105 million in 2013, Bale has won four Champions League titles, scoring in two finals - most memorably when his spectacular overhead kick floored Liverpool in the 2018 decider.

Still, Bale has found it difficult to win over Madrid's fans and Zidane, as Shenhua again looks to capitalize on the discord and acquire a player who would become the highest-profile signing in CSL history.

]]> 2019-10-30 07:29:54 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-10/30/content_37519490.htm NEW YORK - Streaming services have long focused on series and movies, but as online TV competition heats up, live sports - historically a bit player on these platforms - could change the game.

Amazon is the sole established player to have invested in sports so far, and it has done so only tentatively, buying some rights to the NFL, soccer's English Premier League and ATP tennis.

Netflix and Hulu have yet to take the plunge, but sports will be a significant feature of new platforms that are aiming to shake up the burgeoning on-demand industry.

"Sports generate the best audiences," said Patrick Rishe, professor of sports economics at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, describing it as one of the "last bastions" of live content.

Live matches are set to be key to platforms about to be launched by WarnerMedia and Disney.

WarnerMedia announced in July that its HBO Max service will air NBA basketball and Major League Baseball when it goes online, expected sometime early next year.

Randall Stephenson, CEO of parent company AT&T, one of the largest wireless operators and a major pay TV provider, said live sports will be "an important element" of the platform.

"There is no question that the frequency with which sports and entertainment content will be streamed will grow," said Rishe, adding that live sports "should certainly help" HBO Max.

Walt Disney Co. already shook up the established order in 2018 with ESPN+ - an on-demand version of its vast network of sports channels, which is the largest in the world.

It is about to do so again when it launches a new platform on Nov 12, called Disney+.

'Unique events'

For $12.99 a month, the same price as a standard Netflix package in the United States, consumers will be able to bundle it together with ESPN+ and Hulu.

"Live sports is the most valuable content in the media universe because people care passionately about it and because they are unique events that cannot be replicated," former ESPN president John Skipper said last year.

In 2018, 43 of the top 50 US television audiences were for sporting events.

Generalist platforms like Amazon have few broadcast rights at the moment, while young startups specializing in sports, such as DAZN, are focusing on more niche sports.

Disney seems best placed due to its unique and unrivalled rights portfolio. As well as ESPN, it is also the parent company of television giant ABC.

"Every deal that we're negotiating right now we are looking at how do we acquire rights, not just for the linear package but for ESPN+," ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro told Bloomberg in May.

WarnerMedia is also a sporting heavyweight and has already secured the digital rights to several events, including college basketball, which is massively popular in the United States.

Even if Disney and WarnerMedia offer sports with their online video services, they are unlikely to make all of their content available on a streaming platform, industry analysts say.

That's because traditional television, despite a decline in viewers, is by far still their main source of income owing to cable subscriptions and advertising.

There is also a technical reason for the cautious approach.

Technical glitches have impacted the screening of some sports. An ESPN live stream of a 2014 soccer World Cup match between the USA and Germany crashed due to high demand.

More and more organizations have their own streaming offers, available almost anywhere in the world, including NBA League Pass which allows users to watch all games, live and on-demand.

With several broadcasters bidding for rights and with fans having to buy a variety of packages in order to watch their favorite sports, Oklahoma State professor McGuire is certain of one thing.

"It will continue getting more and more expensive in the coming years," he said.

]]> 2019-10-30 07:29:54 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-10/29/content_37519224.htm League in shock as 'corporate training' assignment seems to signal end of head coach's reign

The Chinese Super League's three-way title tussle hardly needed more drama, but faltering Guangzhou Evergrande supplied that in spades on Sunday, adding even more intrigue to the season's finale.

Sitting atop the standings, a point ahead of Shanghai SIPG with three matches to play, and two ahead of third-place Beijing Guo'an, Evergrande sensationally relieved Fabio Cannavaro of his head coach duties following Sunday's 2-2 draw at home to Henan Jianye.

The official line from the club was that Cannavaro had temporarily left his role "to attend a study class on Evergrande's corporate culture". However, it appears likely the Italian's banishment, following just one win in nine games that included an Asian Champions League semifinal loss to Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds, is the first step toward the 2006 World Cup winner's permanent exit.

Some observers have speculated that the "study class" explanation is a way of avoiding paying Cannavaro a big severance package, with the 46-year-old still having three years to run on his contract.

Captain Zheng Zhi has been appointed interim head coach, with the team's next match a mouth-watering clash at home to SIPG on Nov 23 following the international break, during which veteran Zheng and many of Evergrande's core players will be part of a Team China squad to face Syria in a crucial World Cup qualifier.

"Head coach Fabio Cannavaro will arrive at the headquarters of the Evergrande Group to attend a study class of Evergrande's corporate culture, during which Zheng Zhi will serve as the head coach," read a club statement on Sunday.

The timing left Chinese soccer fans in shock, with the news viewed more than 20 million times on Weibo by Monday morning.

The bombshell apparently also left Evergrande's squad stunned, with ppsports.com claiming "the players found it difficult to accept the decision at first".

The report added that just as club officials were informing the media of the Cannavaro situation, the Italian was consulting with the players in a locker-room meeting that lasted over an hour and a half.

"The players looked stone-faced when they walked out of the locker room," ppsports.com reported. "The red eyes of Zhang Xiuwei seemed to show that the midfielder had just cried."

Cannavaro and his coaching staff all but confirmed their tenure is ending when they left Tianhe Stadium carrying luggage and took time to bid farewell to waiting fans and journalists, who reciprocated with applause and hugs.

Media also caught the moment that Evergrande's naturalized star Ai Kesen, aka Elkeson, pounded a locker-room door, apparently in anger, after leaving the pitch.

The Brazil-born forward and his teammates will have to regain their composure when they host SIPG for what should be a fascinating title showdown on Nov 23.

Defending champion SIPG ratcheted up the pressure on Evergrande on Sunday by swatting aside Dalian Yifang 3-0 to move within a point of the leader.

Guo'an did all it could to revive its challenge by defeating bitter rival Tianjin Teda 3-1 to trail Evergrande by two points. Guo'an next faces Shanghai Shenhua on Nov 22, followed by games against Guangzhou R&F and Shandong Luneng.

After SIPG's visit, Evergrande travels to Hebei China Fortune before concluding its campaign at home to Shenhua on Dec 1. SIPG's other remaining games are against lowly Beijing Renhe and Shenzhen.

It would appear too little time to appoint a permanent successor to Cannavaro, who was first named Evergrande coach in late 2014.

Sunday's sudden announcement is nothing new for Cannavaro at Evergrande, which abruptly dispensed with the former Real Madrid and Juventus defender in June 2015.

In November 2017, Evergrande rehired Cannavaro as head coach.

In March this year, Cannavaro briefly juggled club duties with coaching Team China. However, the national side's lackluster showing at the China Cup prompted an end to that experiment before Marcello Lippi was reinstalled as national boss in May.

]]> 2019-10-29 07:46:39 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-10/29/content_37519223.htm INZAI, Japan - Tiger Woods said it was "crazy" after he made golfing history on Monday by holding off the challenge of home favorite Hideki Matsuyama to win the weather-delayed Zozo Championship by three shots.

Fifteen-time major winner Woods finished 19-under to equal US legend Sam Snead's all-time record of 82 PGA Tour victories, set 54 years ago.

Woods, in his first outing since arthroscopic knee surgery two months ago, broke into a huge smile after he safely got up and down from a greenside bunker on the 18th for a birdie to cap a final-round 67.

"It's just crazy. It's a lot," the 43-year-old Woods said of his 82nd victory on the tour. His first came 23 years ago this month in Las Vegas when he was just 20.

"It's been a long week. Five days at the top of the board is a long time. It was definitely stressful."

Woods led all the way in Japan's inaugural PGA Tour event, which saw Friday's play washed out by the fringes of a typhoon that dumped almost 25 centimeters (10 inches) of rain on the course 80 kilometers from Tokyo, forcing play into an extra day.

World No 2 Rory McIlroy finished birdie-birdie for a 67 and a share of third place at 13-under with South Korea's PGA Tour rookie of the year Im Sung-jae who carded a fine 65.

Woods resumed his final round, suspended due to darkness, on Sunday at 7:30 am on the long 12th hole at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club but saw his overnight threeshot cushion over Matsuyama immediately cut to two.

The American legend, who won his 15th major at April's Masters, missed the green with his approach and fell back to 17-under when he failed to get up and down.

Woods' early-morning putter was cold, and on the short 13th he failed to take advantage from six feet for a birdie.

Up ahead on the 14th green, Matsuyama inexplicably spurned an easy opportunity to reduce the deficit to one as he missed a four-footer for birdie.

Woods was then faced with a similar line of putt as Matsuyama on 14, but from 20 feet further away. He did not miss, and restored his three-shot advantage with four holes remaining.

]]> 2019-10-29 07:46:39 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/kindle/2019-10/29/content_37519222.htm WTA Elite tourney has grown into a springboard for emerging talent

With a new champion crowned in fan favorite Aryna Sabalenka, the WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai on Sunday capped a remarkable five-year stint in the southern coastal city, bearing witness to the region's growing love affair with tennis.

From its launch in 2015, the Elite Trophy, the second-tier year-ending tournament on the WTA Tour, has been a showcase for the sport's top female stars, and that continued at Hengqin International Tennis Center when Belarusian ace Sabalenka defeated top seed Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 6-4, 6-2 to claim her third title in China this year after winning in Shenzhen in January and defending the trophy in Wuhan last month.

Sabalenka's sensational run in China, which has made her one of the sport's most popular international stars, continues this week in Shenzhen as she teams with Elise Mertens of Belgium to compete in the 8-pair doubles event at the higher-caliber WTA Finals.

"Next season I would like to win somewhere else besides China," Sabalenka joked during her post-match media conference in Zhuhai.

"But also I would like to keep winning in China. I think China loves me and I love it too. My results here are really good and unbelievable, so I'll just try to keep being here."

The Elite Trophy, organized by State-owned Zhuhai Huafa Group, features 12 players ranked 9-20 in a four-group round-robin format followed by semifinals and final to compete for the winner's 700 ranking points and a share of total prize pool of $2.42 million.

With Huafa dedicated to promoting the city while steering tennis into the region's sports mainstream, the tournament has served as a launch pad for emerging talent, underlined by impressive runs by homegrown players.

China's second-ranked Zheng Saisai made the best of a wildcard entry to advance to the semifinals in her second appearance in Zhuhai.

Her climb from world No 75 ahead of her event debut in 2015 to her current No 40 has coincided with the tournament's steady growth over the past five years.

"It's been a fantastic journey for me and this event as well," said Zheng, 25, who beat American power hitter Madison Keys in her group opener to reach the semis.

Zheng attributed her success this season, which includes her first WTA singles title in California in August, to the experience she's gained at top-level home events such as Zhuhai.

"Four years ago I just started my WTA journey and everything was a challenge," said Zheng, whose defeat of Keys was her third triumph over a top-20 opponent this year.

"I learned a lot by playing against higher-ranked opponents such as Venus Williams and Keys, so it's been an acknowledgment of my effort for the past four years."

Others launching their careers from the Zhuhai springboard include last year's finalists, China's top ace Wang Qiang and Australian current world No 1 Ashleigh Barty.

Thanks to the confidence boost Wang enjoyed during her final run last year, which saw her thrash Spain's former No 1 Garbine Muguruza in straight sets, the 27-year-old Tianjin native maintained the momentum to fight into the quarterfinals at this year's US Open, reaching a career-high ranking of No 12 in early September.

Barty parlayed her Zhuhai title run to championships in Miami, Roland Garros and Birmingham, becoming the first Australian woman since Evonne Goolagong Cawley to ascend to the No 1 ranking.

"I've played very well in my last four or five tournaments in China. I think for us as Aussies, it's nice to not have too far to travel. We know that we are close to home, and I have so many incredible fans in China," Barty said ahead of her WTA Finals debut in Shenzhen on Saturday.

Although still in negotiations with the WTA, Zhuhai organizers are hopeful the tournament will remain in the city.

"It's no secret that we hope to keep it here," said Peter Lyu, a co-tournament director and executive director of Huafa Sports.

"We hope to extend the event's influence in promoting tennis and the city's profile internationally over the past five years to a new multiyear journey."

WTA CEO Steve Simon told China Daily during his visit to the tournament last year that the desire is to keep it in Zhuhai.

"The event has progressed well each and every year. We are very pleased that it has met and exceeded all our expectations. We'd like to see it continue here for many years to come," Simon said.

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka hoists the winner's trophy after overpowering top seed Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 6-4, 6-2 in the WTA Elite Trophy final in Zhuhai on Sunday. The victory was Sabalenka's third singles title in China this year. Provided to China Daily

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