22 THURSDAY MARCH 29, 2007 SPORTSCHINA CHINA DAILY INBRIEF BASKETBALL WTA ready to put Beijing in center court Grassroots hoops event tips off in Beijing world’s best players, our sport is China’s Li 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- Wang Zhizhi, 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- Harbin, 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 SNOOKER “The improvement is really MELBOURNE: China fi nally obvious, but it inspires me to BASKETBALL China Open 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 Bayi Rockets 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 Yao Ming 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.” Ningbo, 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.