22 TUESDAY MARCH 13, 2007 SPORTSCHINA DAILY Liang targets majors Hopes rest on a talented few after Singapore win

GOLF he told the paper. Swimmers Liang is a big fan of the is targeting China Tour, launched in 2005 know success the majors after fi nally living with the aim of giving Chinese up to his billing as China’s com- experience of tournament , will not come ing talent with a breakthrough and he won its fi nal event of last victory at the Singapore Mas- year before offering to return easy at Worlds ters. the winner’s cheque to help his The 28-year-old served younger compatriots. in Melbourne notice of his improving form He repeated the offer with the by fi nishing fourth at the Sin- substantially larger $183,000 By Chen Xiangfeng gapore Open and having four cheque he pocketed after beat- top-fi ve placings on the Japan ing Malaysia’s Iain Steel on the Tour last year. fi rst extra hole at the Laguna China’s swimmers are hoping Sunday’s playoff victory was, National Golf Club on Sunday. to make a splash at the upcom- however, by far the best result of “I offered to give away the ing World Championships in his career and matched Chinese prize money from last year’s Melbourne, and they know trailblazer ’s sole China Tour Championship, but they’ll have to beat the world’s European Tour triumph at the the problem was that there was best to win gold. same tournament in 2003. no organization to accept and A record national delegation “I just kept saying ‘it’ll hap- manage that money,” he said. of 45 athletes will compete from pen naturally’,” Liang told Titan “So this time I’m going to give March 17 to April 1, but hopes Sports Daily. “At the moment I it to Zhongshan Hot Spring Golf are pinned on just a handful of won, I felt like crying.” Club to make it a base to help athletes. Zhang was the fi rst Chinese the Chinese golfers play abroad. “Wu Peng and Zhang Lin to appear at one of golf’s four I want to re-emphasise that the are the favorites to win a gold majors when he earned an club raised me and I want to pay in the men’s team, while for the invitation to the U.S. Masters them back. I’m grateful.” women, Qi Hui is the best bet,” in 2004 and, having earned The club, in Liang’s home head coach Zhang Yaodong told a two-year exemption on the city which lies between Macau Titan Sports. European Tour, Liang is deter- and Guangzhou in the south- China’s men’s swimmers mined to follow suit. ern province of Guangdong, have never won a gold at a “I have several goals, trying was opened in 1984 -- the fi rst world championships or Olym- Veteran Qi Hui is seen as one of the best bets in the Chinese camp at the upcoming Melbourne World Championships. Reuters to rank number one on the course built in mainland China pic Games, and if Wu is to end and taking part in after liberation in 1949. the jinx in the 200m butterfl y on world-class talent, leaving of Qi, but in the Asiad Fujino sport, but with her contract more big tournaments to get he must beat World No 1 and hopes resting on Qi Hui. settled for third place, a massive expiring after the Worlds she Competitor list myself into the grand slams,” Agencies record holder Michael Phelps Triple winner at the World 4.39 seconds behind Qi. must deliver a good perfor- for the Worlds of the United States. Short-Course Championships in “My aim at the worlds is to mance if she is to stay on until Wu edged Japanese rivals to Shanghai in April and in Doha, get the best result,” Qi told Titan the Beijing Games. Men claim gold at the Doha Asian Qi will compete in 200m and Sports. “Right now, I am fully con- Wu Games in December, and his 400m individual medleys, as The bulk of the women’s team centrated on the Chinese team,” Peng, Owner rewards players time of 1:54.91 was the second well as the 200m . is made up of youngsters and Imura told Titan Sports. Zhang fastest of last year, behind only Qi ranks third in the world their primary focus is to gain Imura, who also coaches syn- Lin, Phelps. in 200m breaststroke, but she experience, according to team chronized in Japan, Chen for defeating champions Phelps then turned up the must beat record holder Liesel management. arrived in Beijing last Monday Zuo, pressure with a world record Jones, who will be given added The Chinese team won one and will stay until the end of the Ou Yang SOCCER me,” Uruguayan coach Osvaldo time of 1:53.71 seconds at the motivation by competing in silver medal and four bronzes at tournament. kunpeng, Wang Gimenez told Shanghai Daily. Missouri Grand Prix swimming front of her home crowd. The the last World Championships The 56-year-old – dubbed Dong, Zhou Jiawei, Chen Yin, Shanghai Shenhua fi nally got “I respect all the emotions. It meeting last month. dominance of Jones has led in Montreal, Canada in 2005. “The Godmother” – has helped Wang Haibo, Qu Jingyu, Lai their 2007 season going with is understandable. The only way “He (Phelps) is up there for some experts to think Qi would the Japanese team to three gold, Zhongjian, Zhang Bodong, a deserved 1-0 victory over to turn around the perception is other swimmers to catch. His be better off concentrating on The Godmother one silver and four bronze med- Zhang Chang, Zhang Enjian, champions Shandong Luneng to bring victories and we made best time is almost one second medley. In the synchronized event, als at the Asian and Olympic Huang Shaohua, Cai Lil, Shi in the second round of the a very good start today.” faster than mine. At the world The long-term absence of all eyes will be on China’s Games. Runqiang, Yu Chenglong, Chinese Super League at the Eight-times champions championships, I will try my of Ukraine performance following the “If she can lead the team Zhang Zishan, Sun Yang, Li weekend. Dalian Shide beat Changchun best to cut the deficit,” said means the medley crown is up appointment of respected Japa- to a good result, we will defi - Ziqiang, Shi Yang, Zhao Tao, Great expectations were Yatai 1-0 with a 16th-minute Wu, whose recent training has for grabs. Japan’s Maiko Fujino nese coach Masayo Imura. nitely extend her contract until Lu Zhiwu and Ren Chen raised when Shanghai’s top goal from Zou Jie on Saturday been interrupted by a stomach had the fastest time in the world Her hiring at the end of last 2008,” Yu Li, director of Water two clubs merged just before to go top of the table as the only injury. last year, 1.42 seconds ahead year was a huge event in the Polo and Synchronized Swim- Women the start of the season but the team with a 100 percent record Another name to watch is ming Department, was quoted Qi Hui, combined team lost their fi rst after two matches. fast-improving distance free- as saying. Zhou CSL match to Beijing Guoan be- Beijing remained unbeaten styler Zhang Lin. Imura said she still needs Yafei, Xu fore going down 2-1 to Sydney but were disappointed with a The 19-year-old outshone time to get her message across Yanwei, in their opening Asian Champi- 0-0 draw at home to promoted American Olympic medalist to the swimmers. Yang Yu, ons League encounter. Henan Jianye, who had Wang Klete Keller in the 400m free- “It is still a short time since Pang Ji- A fierce strike from mid- Shou sent off early in the sec- style at the Pan Pacifi c titles in I started training the team. I aying, Zhu fi elder Yu Tao seven minutes ond half for a foul on Honduran Canada last August, but suf- have no idea how well the team Yingwen, into the second half, however, international striker Walter fered a setback when he was will do at the Worlds. Jiao Liuyang, Deng gave Shenhua victory over Martinez. beaten in the 1500m freestyle “Our aim in Australia is to Biying, Ji Liping, Luo Nan, Shandong on Sunday and “I won’t look for any excuses, in Doha by South Korean Park show how Chinese synchronized Chen Jiahui, Xu Tian longzi, earned the team a share of a I’ll take all the responsibility,” Tae Hwan. swimmers are performing on Zhao Jing, Gao Yang, Bai two million yuan ($258,300) their Korean coach Lee Jang- In the women’s side, world the major world stage. We have Anqi, Tang Jingzhi, Tang bonus from multimillionaire soo said. “The players tried and Olympic champion Luo to try to impress the people in Yi, Tan Miao, Yu Yue and owner Zhu Jun. their best.” Xuejuan’s retirement came as Wu Peng is hoping to become fi rst Chinese men's swimmer to the fi eld and set a solid base for Yu Yao. “When I dined out ... the other a major blow to squad short win a world title in Melbourne. Reuters the 2008 Beijing Olympics.” day, nobody wanted to speak to Agencies SCOREBOARD

GOLF Detroit 98 LA CLIPPERS 80 Boston 6 DETROIT 3 German league Livorno 6 11 10 27 39 29 Athletic Bilbao 6 8 12 27 37 26 Pods Championship Chicago 94 BOSTON 78 MINNESOTA 3 Colorado 2 (OT) BERLIN: German football league results Torino 7 7 13 21 39 28 Tarragona 5 5 16 28 48 20 Real Sociedad 3 8 15 18 35 17 PALM HARBOR, Florida: Leading fi nal- HOUSTON 103 Orlando 92 DALLAS 4 Los Angeles 3 (OT) on Sunday: Siena 5 13 9 24 31 27 Denver 113 SACRAMENTO 101 Cagliari 5 12 10 21 30 27 round scores here on Sunday from the $5.3 Hamburg 0 Bayer Leverkusen 0 TENNIS MIAMI 106 Washington 104 RUGBY Bayern Munich 1 (Podolski 7) Werder Chievo 5 9 13 29 39 24 million US PGA Pods Championship (USA Indian Wells ATP and WTA unless noted): CLEVELAND 99 Indiana 88 Six Nations Bremen 1 (Rosenberg 66) Messina 5 9 13 28 43 24 Dallas 108 LA LAKERS 72 PARIS: Six Nations table and results after Standings Reggina 8 9 10 34 39 22 INDIAN WELLS, California: Results here 274 - Mark Calcavecchia 75-67-62-70 on Sunday in the $5.3 million ATP and 275 - John Senden (AUS) 69-71-69-66, PORTLAND 106 Golden State 87 Sunday’s match (played, won, drawn, lost, W D L Gf Ga Pts Ascoli 3 10 14 20 39 19 Standings points for, points against, total points): Schalke 04 15 5 5 41 25 50 Parma 3 10 14 23 46 19 WTA Pacifi c Life Open hardcourt tourna- Heath Slocum 68-69-67-71 ment: Eastern Conference At Twickenham: England 26 France 18 Bremen 14 5 6 59 33 47 Note: Reggina deducted 11 points. Siena 276 - Brian Gay 69-72-66-69, Lucas Glover Men’s 2nd Atlantic Division Saturday deducted 1 point. AC Milan deducted 8 72-68-67-69 VfB Stuttgart 13 7 5 42 29 46 Guillermo Canas (ARG) bt Roger Federer W L PCT GB At Murrayfi eld: Scotland 18 Ireland 19 points. Lazio deducted 3 points. Fiorentina 277 - K.J. Choi (KOR) 69-69-67-72, Charles Bayern Munich 13 5 7 39 30 44 (SUI x1) 7-5, 6-2; Robin Soderling (SWE At Rome: Italy 23 Wales 20 Howell 70-74-68-65 Toronto 34 29 .540 - Nuremberg 8 13 4 36 24 37 deducted 15 points. x26) bt Daniele Bracciali (ITA) 6-3, 6-4; 278 - Jonathan Byrd 69-69-72-68, J.B. Hol- NY Knicks 29 34 .460 5 Standings Leverkusen 10 6 9 39 35 36 1-2: Champions League / EC I Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS) bt Dominik mes 72-68-69-69, Stephen Leaney (AUS) New Jersey 28 35 .444 6 W D L Pf Pa Pts Hanover 9 7 9 33 37 34 3-4: Champions League preliminary round Hrbaty (SVK x24) 7-5, 6-3; Micheal Russell 69-67-72-70, Ryan Moore 69-71-68-70 Philadelphia 25 38 .397 9 France 3 0 1 109 67 6 Hertha Berlin 9 7 9 36 41 34 5-6: UEFA Cup (USA) bt Tomas Berdych (CZE x11) 7-6 (7/ 279 - Bart Bryant 71-69-69-70, Nathan Boston 18 44 .290 15 1/2 Ireland 3 0 1 98 60 6 Aachen 8 6 11 39 45 30 7: UEFA Cup depending on domestic cup 2), 6-4; Ivan Ljubicic (CRO x8) bt Alejandro Green (AUS) 70-72-70-67 Central Division England 3 0 1 101 88 6 Mainz 05 7 9 9 23 35 30 18-20: Relegation Falla (COL) 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4; Juan Ignacio 280 - Billy Andrade 69-70-69-72, Jason Detroit 39 22 .639 - Italy 2 0 2 70 96 4 VfL Wolfsburg 6 11 8 24 28 29 Spanish league Chela (ARG x30) bt Jonas Bjorkman (SWE) Bohn 69-70-70-71, Zach Johnson 71-71-66- Cleveland 38 25 .603 2 Scotland 1 0 3 76 107 2 Hamburg 5 13 7 29 27 28 MADRID: Spanish football league results 6-3, 3-6, 6-4; Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) bt 72, Anthony Kim 67-73-68-72, Pat Perez Chicago 37 28 .569 4 Wales 0 0 4 59 9 0 Dortmund 7 7 11 29 37 28 on Sunday: Mardy Fish (USA x21) 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 7-6 68-70-69-73 Indiana 29 33 .468 10 1/2 Remaining fi xtures Cottbus 7 7 11 28 36 28 Celta Vigo 1 (Angel 36) Athletic Bilbao 1 (7/5); Carlos Moya (ESP) bt Radek Stepanek ... Milwaukee 23 40 .365 17 Mar 17: Italy v Ireland, Stadio Flaminio VfL Bochum 7 6 12 29 39 27 (Aduriz 71) (CZE x25) 6-3, 6-4; Andy Murray (GBR x13) 281 - Vijay Singh (FIJ) 70-70-72-69 Southeast Division (1330GMT) Frankfurt 5 12 8 32 44 27 Real Betis 1 (Assuncao 45-pen) Real bt Wesley Moodie (RSA) 6-3, 6-3; Evgeny 282 - Daniel Chopra (SWE) 67-71-73-71, Washington 34 28 .548 - Mar 17: France v Scotland, Stade de France Bielefeld 6 8 11 31 34 26 Zaragoza 1 (D. Milito 23) Korolev (RUS) bt Dmitry Tursunov (RUS Peter Lonard (AUS) 71-72-71-68 Miami 33 29 .532 1 (1530GMT) M’gladbach 6 6 13 21 31 24 Racing Santander 1 (Garay 10-pen) Espan- x20) 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3; David Nalbandian Orlando 29 35 .453 6 (ARG x10) bt Phillip Kohlschreiber (GER) 285 - Trevor Immelman (RSA) 69-72-71-73, Mar 17: Wales v England, Millennium Italian league yol 1 (Riera 6) Atlanta 25 39 .391 10 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/1); David Ferrer (ESP x14) (KOR) 72-69-70-74 Stadium (1730GMT) ROMA: Italian football league results on Real Sociedad 3 (Savio 27, Kovacevic 45, X. 286 - Brian Davis (GBR) 72-68-72-74, Jesper Charlotte 22 41 .349 12 1/2 Prieto 90+6) Real Mallorca 1 (Ibagaza 40) bt Luis Horna (PER) 6-3, 6-1; Fernando Western Conference SOCCER Sunday: Gonzalez (CHI x5) bt Frank Dancevic Parnevik (AUS) 68-75-71-72 Inter Milan 2 (Julio Cruz 54, Ibrahimovic Getafe 1 (Guiza 24) Recreativo Huelva 1 Northwest Division Chinese Super League (Uche 4) (CAN) 7-6 (8/6), 1-6, 7-5; Nicolas Mahut LPGA MasterCard Classic 75) AC Milan 1 (Ronaldo 40) Utah 43 19 .694 - BEIJING: Chinese Super League results on Tarragona 1 (Portillo 76) Sevilla 0 (FRA) bt Marat Safi n (RUS x23) 6-3, 4-6, HUIXQUILUCAN, Mexico: Leading second- Chievo 1 (Sammarco 73) Messina 1 Denver 30 31 .492 12 1/2 Atletico Madrid 2 (Galletti 1, Mista 84) 6-0; Gilles Simon (FRA) bt Tommy Robredo round scores here on Sunday in the $1.2 Sunday and Saturday. (Rigano 87-pen) Minnesota 27 35 .435 16 Deportivo La Coruna 0 (ESP x7) 6-7 (0/7), 6-3, 6-0; Guillermo Gar- million LPGA MasterCard Classic (Note: Shanghai 1 Shandong 0 Palermo 1 (Cavani 72) Fiorentina 1 (Mutu 33) Portland 26 36 .419 17 Osasuna 1 (Punal 35-pen) Valencia 1 cia-Lopez (ESP) bt Marcos Baghdatis (CYP round completed from Saturday, fi nal Qingdao 2 Liaoning 0 Atalanta 1 (M. Defendi 53) Parma 1 (Coly 87) x17) 7-5, 7-5; Thomas Johansson (SWE) bt Seattle 25 38 .397 18 1/2 Beijing 0 Henan 0 (Morientes 90+2) round to follow. USA unless noted): Pacifi c Division Empoli 2 (Pratali 29, Almiron 45+5) Saturday Nicolas Almagro (ESP x31) 7-6 (7/4), 7-5; Changsha 3 Zhejiang 2 Novak Djokovic (Ser x12) bt Robby Ginepri 136 - Meaghan Francella 68-68 Phoenix 48 14 .774 - Livorno 2 (Rezaey 58, C. Lucarelli 90+2) Levante 0 Villarreal 2 (Forlan 9, Tomasson Shaanxi 1 Xiamen 2 (USA) 6-4, 6-4; Nikolay Davydenko (Ru x4) 137 - Stacy Prammanasudh 67-70 LA Lakers 33 31 .516 16 Reggina 2 (Gia. Tedesco 26, Foggia 65) 73) Saturday bt Sam Querrey (USA) 2-6, 7-6 (6), 6-2; Jan 138 - Seon Hwa Lee (KOR) 69-69 LA Clippers 29 33 .468 19 Lazio 3 (Manfredini 45, Pandev 45+1, Barcelona 3 (Messi 11, 28, 90+1) Real Tianjin 2 Shenzhen 0 Hernych (Cze) bt Agustin Calleri (Arg x28) 139 - Becky Morgan (GBR) 69-70, Karin Sacramento 28 34 .452 20 Makinwa 79) Madrid 3 (Van Nistelrooy 5, 13-pen, Sergio Dalian 1 Changchun 0 6-3, 6-3; Tommy Haas (Ger x9) bt Michael Sjodin (SWE) 69-70, Annika Sorenstam Golden State 29 36 .446 20 1/2 Siena 0 Ascoli 1 (Bjelanovic 22) Ramos 73) English FA Cup Llodra (Fra) 6-4, 6-1; Janko Tipsarevic (Ser) (SWE) 69-70 Southwest Division Torino 1 (Rosina 77) Catania 0 Standings bt Lleyton Hewitt (Aus x19) 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6- 140 - Lorena Ochoa (MEX) 71-69, Giulia Dallas 52 9 .852 - LONDON: English FA Cup quarter-fi nal Roma 3 (Totti 33-pen, 60, Perrotta 39) W D L Gf Ga Pts 2; Julien Benneteau (Fra) bt Juergen Melzer Sergas (ITA) 70-70 San Antonio 45 18 .714 8 collated results on Sunday: Udinese 1 (Gyan 69) Barcelona 14 8 4 53 25 50 Blackburn 2 (Mokoena 28, Derbyshire 90) (Aut x27) 6-4, 6-4. 141 - Beth Bader 73-68, Kyeong Eun Bae Houston 39 24 .619 14 Saturday FC Sevilla 15 5 6 46 24 50 Women’s 3rd rd N.O./ Oklahoma City 28 35 .444 25 Manchester City 0 Sampdoria 1 (Palombo 40) Cagliari 1 Valencia 14 5 7 37 24 47 (KOR) 71-70, Hye-Jung Choi (KOR) 69-72, Maria Sharapova (RUS x1) bt Nathalie Memphis 16 48 .250 37 1/2 Chelsea 3 (Lampard 22, 71, Kalou 86) (Suazo 63) Real Madrid 13 6 7 35 24 45 Angela Stanford 74-67, Maggie Will 72-69 Dechy (FRA) 7-5, 6-2; Daniela Hantuchova Monday’s games Tottenham 3 (Berbatov 5, Essien 28-og, Standings Real Zaragoza 12 7 7 39 27 43 ... (SVK x14) bt Francesca Schiavone (ITA Orlando at Charlotte Ghaly 36) W D L Gf Ga Pts Atletico Madrid 12 7 7 32 22 43 142 - Helen Alfredsson (SWE) 71-71, Laura x18) 6-2, 7-6 (7/3); Li Na (CHN x12) bt New Jersey at Memphis Plymouth 0 Watford 1 (Bouazza 21) Inter Milan 23 4 0 59 22 73 Huelva 12 5 9 35 31 41 Davies (GBR) 68-74, Hee-Won Han (KOR) Alona Bondarenko (UKR x23) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2; Toronto at Milwaukee Played Saturday AS Roma 17 6 4 55 22 57 Getafe 10 8 8 23 18 38 70-72, Maria Hjorth (SWE) 72-70, In-Kyung Middlesbrough 2 (Cattermole 45, Boateng Shahar Peer (ISR x11) bt Lucie Safarova Houston at Phoenix Lazio 14 7 6 44 21 46 Espanyol 9 10 7 28 27 37 Kim (KOR) 71-71, Meena Lee (KOR) 73-69, 47) Manchester United 2 (Rooney 23, (CZE x19) 6-3, 1-6, 6-4; Vera Zvonareva Dallas at Golden State Palermo 13 7 8 42 33 46 Santander 9 10 7 28 30 37 Soo Young Moon (KOR) 70-72, Suzann Ronaldo 68-pen) (RUS x15) bt Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 6-3, Pettersen (NOR) 73-69, Lindsey Wright Empoli 11 9 7 27 24 42 Villarreal 10 6 10 25 31 36 NHL 6-3; Jelena Jankovic (SRB x7) bt Martina (AUS) 72-70 French league AC Milan 13 9 5 37 24 40 La Coruna 8 9 9 19 28 33 NEW YORK: NHL results on Sunday (home PARIS: French football league collated Fiorentina 15 6 6 45 24 36 Osasuna 9 4 13 31 33 31 Muller (GER x28) 6-2, 6-4. NBA team in CAPS): results on Sunday: Sampdoria 9 7 11 34 34 34 Real Betis 7 10 9 25 29 31 NEW YORK: NBA results on Sunday (home SAN JOSE 3 Edmonton 0 Paris SG 0 Auxerre 1 (Kaboul 42) Atalanta 7 11 9 40 39 32 Real Mallorca 8 5 13 26 39 29 To comment or alert us to a story, team in CAPS): ANAHEIM 4 Vancouver 2 Lens 1 (Se. Keita 30) Sedan 1 (Pujol 2) Udinese 8 8 11 30 37 32 Celta Vigo 6 9 11 27 36 27 e-mail [email protected] TORONTO 120 Seattle 119 (OT) NY RANGERS 2 Carolina 1 (o.p.) Lyon 1 (Baros 20) Marseille 1 (Niang 87) Catania 8 8 12 35 50 32 Levante 6 9 11 22 36 27