22 THURSDAY MARCH 29, 2007 SPORTSCHINA DAILY

INBRIEF BASKETBALL WTA ready to put in center court Grassroots hoops event tips off in Beijing world’s best players, our sport is China’s Na has advanced link with the ATP Shanghai united rotating format could A nationwide grassroots bas- Capital to become one of four positioned for explosive growth to the quarter-fi nals here and Masters Series event to create a work in China. ketball program lead by one in the world’s most exciting should be a medal contender at combined ATP-WTA event that “We are in the position to pro- of China’s top basketball stars elite stops on revamped schedule market,” Scott said. next year’s Beijing Olympics. would rotate annually between vide either back-to-back weeks, raised its curtain in Beijing Scott said he hoped the event The Olympic Green Tennis Shanghai and Beijing. a successful formula in Canada, Zhongguancui Middle school MIAMI: A new nine-day man- stops would be in Madrid, could spark social change for Center will be the home for the “We have full confi dence and or possibly evolve in time to an on Saturday. datory tournament in Beijing Miami and Indian Wells, Cali- women in China. new WTA event. capabilities to work closely with alternating combined event in The program, which is named announced here Tuesday will fornia. “The fact our top players play the WTA Tour for the long term both cities,” he said. after former NBA player be the cornerstone of plans for A streamlined WTA calendar there sends a very strong and Growing popularity to run the Beijing event as a top “In an exciting and develop- , nicknamed Da- growth in China by the WTA of top events will include Asia- powerful signal about the pro- “I’m really excited Beijing world tournament so as to pro- ing market, we now have a plan zhi (Big Zhi), will operate at Tour, series chief executive Larry Pacifi c regional stops in Tokyo, gressiveness of some of those will be the home of one of the pel the development of tennis in that can best serve tennis and more than 60 middle schools Scott announced. Sydney, Doha and Dubai as well places that I think is inspiring tour’s biggest and most impor- Beijing and China,” Beijing vice China.” in 10 cities in the coming six As part of a plan to revamp as Beijing, which will also host a social change,” Scott said. tant events,” said Zheng Jie, mayor Zhao Fengtong said. Prize money will jump 30 months. the entire women’s tennis tour new regional WTA offi ce start- “Our sport is a reflection ranked 32nd on the WTA Tour. ATP president Etienne de percent to $72 million, with a Beijing, Shijiazhuang, starting in 2009, Beijing will ing in 2008 to guide marketing of where society is at around “Tennis has become incredibly Villiers was confi dent a format minimum of $4 million at the Zhengzhou, Urumqi, host one of the four elite events and promotions. the world in terms of some of popular in China and will only used in Canada, with ATP and elite four events men and wom- , Qingdao, Wuhan, on a 20-tour top-level calendar “With the establishment of these social issues, but it’s also get bigger in the years to come.” WTA events in consecutive en will get equal amounts. Hangzhou, Dongguan and with $4 million in prize money. a crown jewel tennis event a catalyst for further affecting The WTA and Beijing will weeks rotating between two Nanjing have been picked Other mandatory women’s in China that will feature the social change.” also explore the potential to major cities each year, or a AFP up as Dazhi Hoop Training Camp bases. The organizers hope to make the camp China’s biggest basketball fiesta for teenagers. Wu swims to nation’s Wang fi res The event is jointly-organized by Chinahoop and Voit, a Rockets to leading domestic sports equip- fi rst Worlds medal ments company. SWIMMING winning Montreal time. title glory “The improvement is really MELBOURNE: China fi nally obvious, but it inspires me to BASKETBALL has offi cial got itself a medal at the world work harder.” table cloth championships yesterday when He said he was trying not to By Chen Xiangfeng Approved by the World Wu Peng clinched silver behind think too much about Phelps as Snooker Association, the unstoppable world record ma- he looks ahead to the Beijing Ol- organizers of the ongoing chine Michael Phelps in the ympics next year. Former NBA player Wang Zhizhi World Snooker China Open 200m butterfl y. “I’m pretty happy. The Doha capped his memorable return to have chosen Milliken’s Stra- China has a young and inexpe- Asian Games and the world Chinese basketball by inspiring chan brand 6811 Tournament rienced team in Melbourne and championships were scheduled to the CBA champi- Select as its offi cial table Wu, the Asian Games champion, very close to each other, I haven’t onship last night. cloth. was their best hope. been very well and I didn’t get to The Rockets beat Guangdong Milliken is a long-time He didn’t disappoint, holding train a lot,” said the 19-year-old. Tigers 88-84 in Dongguan, business partner of China’s off Russian Nikolay Skvortsov “I knew he’d break some Guangdong, to win the best-of- biggest billiard and snooker to finish second in 1:55.13, records here but I never thought seven series 4-1. products producer Star three seconds behind the that he’d break so many, which It was Bayi’s eighth title in Brand. But it was after an American star. Although his is just unbelievable. CBA history but their fi rst in onspot inspection to the achievement was largely un- “I need to keep pushing and four years. Guangdong have factory in England that noticed as the aquatics center improving myself, and not dominated the domestic league China Open snooker table was rocked by Phelps’ stunning think too much about him be- with three consecutive crowns, provider Star Brand decided performance, Wu made a little cause the athletes who fi nished aided by the departures to the to cooperate. history for China’s swimming behind me are all very strong NBA of Wang in 2001 and 6811 Tournament Select team by equalling the best re- swimmers. Shanghai’s in 2002. provides players with the sult achieved by a man in the “I’ll defi nitely be swimming in Wang led the team with 21 ultimate high performance competition. this event (in Beijing), but there points and seven rebounds, in- playing surface, characterised “It was really diffi cult to get a is no guarantee of a medal. cluding 11 points in the fourth by a crisp, highly engineered silver because all the swimmers “I need to keep improving quarter and is tipped as the nap with a lustrous fi nish, apart from Michael were so myself and need to work hard favorite for the MVP award. consistent color, and high close,” he said after the race. especially on my turns and my Before departing to the NBA durability. Wu won a bronze medal at jump starts. in 2001 - and being kicked off Bought by US textile tycoon the Montreal World Cham- “I’ve been training hard and China’s national team for refus- Milliken in 1990s, Strachan pionships two years ago in I want to be able to stand on the ing to return to national duty brand has entered its third the same event. He came to podium at the Olympics with a - Wang had helped Bayi, an decade of production. Melbourne aiming for a medal medal. I’m following my dreams, army-run team which plays in World Professional Billiards but said he was stunned by the and not doing it for anyone else.” , to six consecutive CBA &Snooker Association has fast improvement in the world Wu also revealed that he will championships. authorized the Strachan swimming standards in such a leave for the United States for “People said I came home be- snooker cloth to be its offi cial short space of time – he would training in May. cause I could not get a game in chosen cloth for the past 25 not even have made the fi nal Wu Peng of China poses with his silver medal during the medal ceremony for the men’s 200m the NBA. Now I have proved that I years. in Melbourne with his bronze- AFP and China Daily butterfl y swimming fi nal at the World Aquatics Championship in Melbourne yesterday. REUTERS am still able to play my game. “Both the team and I have came through so many diffi cul- ties. I should say it is a victory for teamwork. I am proud of Bayi.” Guangdong’s star player Yi Ding crashes out of China Open Jianlian, who will join the NBA draft this summer, grabbed a game high 22 points and pulled SNOOKER His form has plummeted The Shotgun fi red in breaks “Mark looked to be playing ok down 10 rebounds. But it was since the Masters, when he of 134, 68, 72, 104 and 86 as he when he was in the balls but I not enough to stop a determined By Zhao Rui was left in tears as Ronnie cruised to a 5-1 success to send didn’t give him many chances. I Bayi side, who had four players O’Sullivan produced a master- defending champion Williams didn’t expect it to be easy but it scoring over 14 points in the ful performance. Before Beijing out at the fi rst hurdle. was in the end because I played decisive match. Chinese snooker whizzkid he lost in the fi rst rounds of the Welshman Williams, whose very well. Guangdong, who boast na- Ding Junhui crashed out of the Malta Cup, to Stephen Maguire, preparation was affected by “I make a lot of 147s in prac- tional team sharpshooters Zhu China Open in Beijing yester- and the , to Jamie the birth of his second son tice so I always go for them Fangyu and Wang Shipeng, day after losing to world No 12 Cope. Kian earlier this month, when I have a chance, it’s a failed to fi nd their range from Barry Hawkins 5-3 in the fi rst His opponent Hawkins said now needs a good run in the shame I couldn’t make one behind the arc. round. he could understand that the World Snooker Championship this time.” Bayi made 13 three point- The 19-year-old local favorite noisy crowd would have had to rescue a poor season. The Williams said: “That’s one ers from 26 attempts while struggled to fi nd the form that an impact. two-times World Champion, of the best performances I’ve Guangdong only managed to elevated him to become the “He must be under great pres- who beat John Higgins 9-8 in ever seen against me. He hardly score 10-33. youngest player to score a 147 sure,” he said. “It’s like when last year’s Beijing fi nal, has missed a ball and I didn’t get “We wanted to beat them up maximum break last month. Jimmy White plays in London, slipped to tenth in the latest much of a look-in.” here, in Dongguan. We didn’t Apart from an impressive his home city, everybody wants world rankings. Asked whether he would go want to go back to Ningbo 123 break in the second frame you to win. It makes it really The only disappointment to see the Great Wall before fl y- (Bayi’s home court) because his play was error-strewn, hard to focus on the ball. for 21-year-old Cope was his ing back to the UK, he added: it’s best to wrap up the fi nals with frequent misses leaving “I was quite relaxed coming failure to convert either of two “Maybe - if I do I might throw on a 3-1 lead,” said , who Hawkins with open shots and into the match and I took my 147 chances. He missed a tricky myself off it.” scored 14 points. easy points. chances and played some good red on 72 in frame four then a Cope will now play Stuart “It’s been three years (since “I am mentally exhausted,” safeties. I feel pretty good beat- much easier penultimate red on Bingham who edged past we won the title last time). Now said Ding. “I played terrible ing him.” 104 in the next. Steve Davis 5-4 after an excit- we have fi nally won it back. All snooker tonight, it’s not about Ding’s compatriot Liu “That’s the best game I’ve ing fi nish. the diffi culties are over,” said luck or anything. I should lose Chuang, the other mainland played for a long time,” said Six-times World Champion veteran Zhang Jingsong. a match at the very beginning player left in the main draw, lost Cope. “Whenever I was in the Davis came from 4-2 down to 4- Zhang, well-known for his with such bad form.” to world No 1 Ken Doherty 5-1 balls I felt like potting them, 4 then the deciding frame went never-say-die attitude for club “I cannot say I lost because In the afternoon session, Jamie and that’s what I did. If I keep down to the last few balls. and country, is set to retire at of home pressure,” he added. “I Cope produced a sensational dis- playing like that I can beat Shaun Murphy beat Chi- the end of season and said the Ding Junhui looks on during his fi rst round China Open defeat don’t want to say nothing about play to end Mark Williams’ reign anyone, so maybe I could be na’s Mei Xiwen 5-1 and faces trophy is the perfect way to yesterday. Yang Shizhong it, I just want to take a rest.” at the tournament. the champion. Stephen Maguire. bow out. SCOREBOARD

GOLF 18. (16) Davis Love III 3.30 Chicago 42 30 .583 4 Sacramento 30 40 .429 23 Florida 5 TAMPA BAY 2 Robredo (ESP x6) bt Radek Stepanek (CZE) World rankings 19. (19) David Howell (Britain) 3.21 Indiana 31 39 .443 14 Southwest Division Pittsburgh 4 WASHINGTON 3 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 7-6 (7/3); Juan Ignacio Chela Milwaukee 25 44 .362 19 1/2 Dallas 59 11 .843 - New Jersey 3 NY ISLANDERS 2 NEW YORK: Latest world rankings issued 20. (18) David Toms 3.18 (ARG) bt Amer Delic (USA) 6-3, 6-2; Guill- Southeast Division San Antonio 50 20 .714 9 Boston 3 OTTAWA 2 on Monday: (US unless stated, brackets ermo Canas (ARG) bt Roger Federer (SUI NBA Miami 38 32 .543 - Houston 45 26 .634 14 1/2 MONTREAL 6 NY Rangers 4 denote last weeks positions) x1) 7-6 (7/2), 2-6, 7-6 (7/5); Novak Djokovic NEW YORK: Results of the NBA games on Washington 37 32 .536 1/2 N.O./ Oklahoma City 32 39 .451 27 1/2 TORONTO 6 Carolina 1 1. (1) Tiger Woods 20.03 points average (SER x10) bt Feliciano Lopez (SPA) 6-0, 6-3; Tuesday (home teams in CAPS): Orlando 33 38 .465 5 1/2 Memphis 18 54 .250 42 Columbus 4 ST. LOUIS 1 2. (2) Jim Furyk 8.30 Ivan Ljubicic (CRO x7) bt Jarkko Nieminen Cleveland 105 INDIANA 94 Atlanta 27 45 .375 12 Wednesday’s games NASHVILLE 4 Edmonton 3 (FIN x20) 7-6 (4), 6-4; Rafael Nadal (Spa 3. (3) Phil Mickelson 7.23 Dallas 105 N.O./ OKLAHOMA CITY 89 Charlotte 26 45 .366 12 Miami at Toronto Calgary 1 MINNESOTA 0 (o.p.) x2) bt Juan Martin Del Potro (Arg) 6-0, 6-4. 4. (6) Ernie Els (South Africa) 6.74 Seattle 114 MINNESOTA 106 1/2 Atlanta at Charlotte DALLAS 6 Phoenix 0 Women 5. (4) Adam Scott (Australia) 6.68 Memphis 88 LA LAKERS 86 Western Conference Philadelphia at Washington Vancouver 3 COLORADO 0 Quarter-fi nals 6. (5) Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 6.58 Standings: Northwest Division Orlando at Boston SAN JOSE 3 Los Angeles 1 Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) bt Li Na (CHN) 4- 7. (7) Vijay Singh (Fiji) 6.30 Eastern Conference Utah 46 24 .657 - Cleveland at New York 6, 7-5, 6-2; Justine Henin (BEL x2) bt Nadia 8. (8) Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 6.11 Atlantic Division TENNIS Denver 35 34 .507 10 Indiana at New Jersey Petrova (RUS x6) 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4). 9. (9) Retief Goosen (South Africa) 5.47 W L PCT GB ATP/WTA Miami 1/2 New Orleans at San Antonio 4th rd 10. (10) Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 5.13 Toronto 38 32 .543 - MIAMI: Results on Tuesday from the Minnesota 30 40 .429 16 Milwaukee at Dallas Serena Williams (USA) bt Maria Sharapova 11. (11) Luke Donald (Britain) 5.06 New Jersey 32 38 .457 6 seventh day of the $6.9 million WTA and Portland 29 42 .408 17 1/2 Seattle at Denver (RUS x1) 6-1, 6-1. 12. (12) Trevor Immelman (South Africa) 4.89 NY Knicks 30 40 .429 8 Seattle 28 42 .400 18 Minnesota at Utah ATP Masters Series hardcourt tournament 13. (13) Sergio Garcia (Spain) 4.85 Philadelphia 28 42 .400 10 (x denotes seed): Pacifi c Division Houston at LA Clippers 14. (14) Paul Casey (Britain) 4.57 Boston 21 49 .300 17 Phoenix 53 17 .757 - Men’s 4th rd 15. (15) Charles Howell III 3.77 Central Division LA Lakers 38 33 .535 15 1/2 NHL Andy Murray (GBR) bt Paul-Henri Mathieu To comment or alert us to a story, 16. (17) Nick O’Hern (Australia) 3.59 Detroit 45 25 .643 - LA Clippers 34 36 .486 19 NEW YORK: Results of the NHL games on (FRA) 2-6, 7-5, 6-3; Andy Roddick (USA e-mail [email protected] 17. (21) Robert Allenby (Australia) 3.32 Cleveland 43 28 .606 2 1/2 Golden State 33 39 .458 21 Tuesday (home teams in CAPS): x3) bt David Ferrer (ESP) 7-5, 6-3; Tommy