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Home , Camille Pin, Danai Udomchoke, Hao Shuai, Jan Hernych, Luis Horna, Nicole Pratt

22 THURSDAY MARCH 1, 2007 SPORTSCHINA DAILY INBRIEF Liu ready ‘Female Wayne Rooney’ in Paddler wakes up to his potential Laureus award contention for Robles Chinese teenage women’s soccer sensation Ma Xiaoxu Wang Hao dreams of 2008 gold has become the only nominee rivalry from China and Asia for the Laureus World Newcomer of after overcoming Athens nightmare ATHLETICS the Year award. Chinese Olympic gold medal- By Zhao Rui ers, Wang Hao was written off China’s Olympic 110-meter ist Liu Xiang, who won the by many in China after Athens hurdles champion Liu Xiang 2005 Laureus World New- because of his supposed weak has been training hard in comer of the Year, was not For two years Wang Hao would mentality. preparation for future clashes nominated this year. wake up in the middle of the He failed to win a major against rising Cuban star Day- “I really could not believe night, feeling utterly alone. event for two years, losing to ron Robles, his offi cial website that I was nominated,” said The 23-year-old table teammate at the said yesterday. Ma, 19, who won MVP and star was troubled by a recurring National Games fi nals in 2005 Liu, who has split titles with Golden Boot awards at the nightmare – losing to South and then bowing to at 20-year-old Robles in their two Youth World Championships Korean rival Rye Seung-min in the World Cup last year. indoor duels so far this season, and is dubbed the “Wayne front of a packed arena near the “I didn’t know what I was resumed training in his home- Rooney” of the women’s faraway Aegean Sea. going to do after the Athens town Shanghai on February game on account of her The match was the men’s Games,” he was quoted as say- 20, only three days after the superb talent and spiky singles final at the 2004 ing on Sina.com. “There was a Chinese lunar new year. personality. Athens Olympic Games, and lot of pressure and criticism. “Liu is in superb training She also won the AFC’s the 5-1 thrashing he endured I think it was my family who form and practised very hard Women’s Player of the Year threatened to cast a shadow helped me stay on track.” after the Chinese lunar new and will join the Swedish over the rest of his career. Wang said his 2006 success year, although he did not have women’s soccer champions Three years on, however, and taught him how to win again. a good rest during the festival,” Umea IK next week. Wang is sleeping sound. He has “The latest victories helped said Liu’s coach Sun Haiping Considered China’s biggest fi nally beaten his rival Rye, and me realize that I can win big yesterday on the website. soccer discovery in recent is looking well positioned to go tournaments. I don’t want to “I think he really sensed the years, she fl ew to her domestic for gold at the 2008 Beijing reach the fi nals and only fi n- menace posed by the improving club Dalian Shide on Sunday Olympics. ish runner-up. I don’t want to Robles since last year. to seal visa arrangements and “That summer made me a be a No 2. I now know I should Liu, the 110m hurdles world will arrive in Sweden to sign man,” Wang told be calm and positive,” he was record holder, set a new Asian a contract in a week’s time. World magazine. “I called my quoted as saying by Titan winning record time of 7.42 She will miss the upcoming mother six times that night, I Sports in January. seconds in the 60-meter event Algarve Cup. cried many times. I lost my con- Wang’s father Wang Zhong- at the Karlsruhe Indoors tour- fi dence and kept on blaming my- quan believes his son has nament in Germany on Febru- Women’s soccer team self for the loss. I cannot believe I every chance of winning gold ary 11. It was his second title leave for Algarve Cup conquered the nightmare. in Beijing. of the season following another China’s women’s soccer team “But now I am more mature, “I was overwhelmed watch- German victory in Dusseldorf on left on Sunday for the 2007 and I’m hungrier for victory. ing him play at the Asian February 6. Algarve Cup slated for early I feel I am tougher than ever Games,” he told Table Tennis Meanwhile Robles, who rose in March in Portugal. before.” World. the IAAF World Rankings from The team, who finished The turning point for Wang “He has stepped out of the 28th at the beginning of 2006 to second at the recently came in December last year, Athens shadow and has be- fi rst place last September, set a concluded Four Nations when he swept the highly- come a great man with great season-best 7.38 seconds in the Invitation Tournament in competitive motivation. I am confident indoors to beat Liu. Guangzhou, plays a friendly and International Table Tennis that he is able to stand on top Robles is now second to Liu match with France in Paris Federation (ITTF) Pro Tour of the podium at the Beijing in the rankings on 1387 points, today before heading for the Finals. Olympics.” just 13 behind. annual event starting on He took revenge on Rye in However, national team head “I have made good relations March 7. Doha, where he beat him in coach believes with the Chinese athlete. It has China are in Group A along- both singles and the team Wang Hao still needs to be been a great experience (com- side Sweden, Finland and the competition. more aggressive. peting with Liu) as I have to United States. “I really needed the success “You have to be dare to think adapt my training,” the Cuban at the Asian Games, it was a big and that’s Wang Hao’s prob- told the IAAF website after win- Top taekwondoists to dream come true. But I have a lem,” Liu, a former world cham- ning the Stuttgart title. gather in Beijing in May bigger dream – to play at my pion, told Table Tennis World. But the promising youngster The only two back-to-back top level at the Beijing Games. “Sometimes he is too modest. won’t be content with just beat- Olympic taekwondo cham- That’s my ultimate goal,” It seems he doesn’t have the ing Liu: he also wants to top pions will attend the 2007 Wang was quoted as saying on desire to be world No 1 or beat the world record Liu recorded Beijing WTF World Taekwondo Sina.com earlier this month. Wang Liqin. He has too many on July 11 last year in Lausanne, Championships in May in “(December) was a new runner-up trophies.” Switzerland. Beijing’s Changping District, beginning for me, and it ended Wang Hao will vie for the “I think Liu’s record (12.88) tournament organizers said my dark days that followed the three places on the men’s Ol- is beatable,” said Robles last Steven Lopez (men’s 80kg) of Athens defeat.” ympic team with Wang Liqin, September. the United States and Chen Despite being one of the Ma Lin, Hao Shuai, and Zhong (women’s 67kg) of world’s top table tennis play- . Wang Hao Xinhua China will compete in the 18th men’s and 11th women’s championships from May 18 to 22 in Changping Gymna- sium. Lopez and Chen won at both the 2000 Sydney and Grassroots golf league prepares to swing into action 2004 Athens Olympics. The event, organized by the ATHLETICS The total prize money for seen as a sport for wealthy can be three or four times that in China is relatively under- players.” World Taekwondo Federa- the national fi nals is 1.06 mil- people in China.” much on the weekend. funded. The China Golf As- It is also believed the CGCL tion, the China State General China has teed up an improve- lion yuan ($130,000), while China has more than 200 Zhang said that new league sociation (CGA) has put much will expand co-operation Administration of Sports, ment in grassroots golf by the champion club will be golf clubs, and about 1 mil- would improve the sport’s or- stock in fi nding a player who between clubs from different the Beijing People’s Govern- launching its first national awarded 200,000 yuan and a lion golfers out of a total ganization. will have a similar impact on provinces and cities. ment, the China Taekwondo league – the 2007 Buick China Buick GL8. population of 1.3 billion. This “We will learn from organ- the sport as Houston Rockets “It will become the best plat- Association and the Beijing Golf Club League (CGCL). “The league is a strong en- compares to 30 million play- izing the league competition center Yao Ming has had on form for clubs to compete and Sports Bureau, will attract From April 20 to July 10, gine for the rapid development ers from the United States’ 250 about how to control the scale, basketball. share ideas. Meanwhile, local 1700 athletes and offi cials provincial level competitions of the sport. It is also a strong million population, 16 million how to improve the structure “We have been think- associations will be pushed from around 140 countries will take place, with winners push for the sport’s marketing out of 120 million people in and how to smooth out the ing about it every day,” said to play a more important role. and regions to vie for eight advancing into five zones development,” said Zhang Xi- Japan and 5 million from 48 process. Zhang, also chief secretary of Their increasing participa- titles in men’s and women’s – North, Mid-west, East, Mid- aoning, director of the Multi- million in South Korea. “The standard of the game the CGA. tion will popularize the sport, competitions. south and South. ball Administrative Center. Golf is expensive in China, has risen spectacularly in the “Maybe we’ll have a female enhance the brand of the local It also marks the fi rst time After approximately four “The establishment of the and the rules and etiquette of last few years and I believe Yao Ming first. I think one clubs and encourage more lo- China will host the world tae- months of competition, win- CGCL is a new chapter in the the game are largely unknown. Chinese golf is ready to move important factor is to select cal companies to develop the kwondo championships since ners from different zones will sport’s history in China. It will A weekday round of golf at a to the next stage.” our players rigorously, have sport’s marketing.” the nation started the sport 11 battle it out in national fi nals help change people’s views on moderately priced club can As a non-Olympic sport, systematic, scientifi c training years ago. in December. golf, which has been widely cost about US$125. The price the development of the game and then we’ll have top notch ǂChina Daily SCOREBOARD

NBA Southwest Division Ottawa 37 22 4 78 219 173 Tuesday: (FRA) 6-1, 6-2; Marat Safi n (RUS x3) bt ACAPULCO, MEXICO: Acapulco Interna- NEW YORK: Results from Tuesday’s games Dallas 48 9 .842 - Montreal 33 27 6 72 191 200 5th rd replay (AUT) 7-5, 6-2; Jan Hernych tional fi rst round results on Tuesday (home team in CAPS): San Antonio 39 18 .684 9 Toronto 30 25 9 69 203 211 Reading 2 (Kitson 23, Lita 84) Manchester (CZE) bt Benjamin Becker (GER x8) 6-3, Women’s 1st rd CLEVELAND 97 N.O./ Oklahoma City 89 Houston 35 21 .625 12 1/2 Boston 30 28 4 64 180 224 United 3 (Heinze 2, Saha 4, Solskjaer 6) 7-5; (AUS x2) bt Vincent (Ita x5) bt Lourdes Phoenix 103 INDIANA 92 N.O./ Oklahoma City 27 30 .474 21 Southeast Division West Bromwich Albion 1 Middlesbrough 1 Spadea (USA) 6-3, 6-3; Evgeny Korolev Dominguez (Spa) 6-3, 6-3; Martina Mueller NEW JERSEY 113 Washington 101 Memphis 15 43 .259 33 1/2 Tampa Bay 36 25 4 76 207 198 Middlesbrough won penalty shootout 5-4) (Rus) bt (USA x1) 6-2, 6-4 (Ger x3) bt (USA) 6-4, 6-3; Sara MILWAUKEE 122 Golden State 101 Wednesday’s games Atlanta 32 23 10 74 196 206 French Cup ATP Dubai Open Errani (Ita) bt (Aut) 6-2, Dallas 91 MINNESOTA 65 Miami at Washington Carolina 32 26 7 71 195 202 PARIS: French Cup quarter-fi nal results on DUBAI: Results from Dubai Open here on 7-6 (6); Zsofi a Gubacsi (Hun) bt Klara Za- Standings Phoenix at Philadelphia Florida 25 26 13 63 186 207 Tuesday: Tuesday (x denotes seeding): kopalova (Cze) 5-7, 7-5, 6-1; Melissa Torres Eastern Conference New York at Boston Washington 24 29 11 59 193 225 Marseille 5 (Niang 1, Maoulida 32-pen, 66, 1st rd (Mex) bt Nicole Pratt (Aus) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3; Atlantic Division Utah at Memphis Western Conference Cisse 61-pen, Pagis 90+1) Vannes 0 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS x3) bt Younes El (Ita) bt W L PCT GB Atlanta at New Orleans Central Division Sedan 1 (Pujol 14) Nantes 1 (Keseru 15) aet Aynaoui (MAR) 6-7 (2/7), 7-5, 7-5; Mikhail (USA) 6-3, 6-3; Eva Birnerova (Cze) bt Toronto 31 26 .544 - Toronto at Houston Nashville 42 18 4 88 219 164 Nantes win 6-5 on penalties Youzhny (RUS) bt Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) Greta Arn (Ger) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2; New Jersey 28 30 .483 3 1/2 Golden State at Chicago Detroit 40 16 8 88 199 156 Wednesday 3-6, 6-3, 6-3; (ITA) bt (Arg x6) bt Angelique Widjaja (Ina) 6-2, NY Knicks 26 32 .448 5 1/2 Orlando at Denver St. Louis 27 27 9 63 164 191 Montceau-les-Mines v Lens (AUT) 6-4, 6-3; Gilles Simon 6-2; Alize Cornet (Fra) bt Iveta Benesova Philadelphia 19 38 .333 12 Charlotte at Sacramento Columbus 24 33 7 55 158 200 Sochaux v Paris SG (FRA) bt (GER) 6-4, (Cze) 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-3; Boston 14 42 .250 16 1/2 Seattle at LA Clippers Chicago 23 31 9 55 155 190 (Fra x1) bt (Fra) 7-6 (7), 6-2; German Cup 6-4; Robin Soderling (SWE) bt David Ferrer Central Division Northwest Division (ESP x8) 7-6 (15/13), 6-1; Rainer Schuttler Severine Bremond (Fra x4) bt Ekaterina NHL BERLIN: German Cup quarter-fi nals Detroit 36 19 .655 - Vancouver 36 22 5 77 165 159 (GER) bt (ITA) 6-0, 7-6 (7/5); Dzehalevich (Blr) 7-6(5), 6-4; Tathiana NEW YORK: Results of Tuesday’s games results on Tuesday: Cleveland 33 24 .579 4 Minnesota 35 23 5 75 181 161 (SCG x7) bt Garbin (Ita x2) bt Rossana Neffa-de los Rios (home team in CAPS): Nuremberg 0 Hanover 0 aet Chicago 32 27 .542 6 Calgary 33 21 9 75 205 171 (BEL) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3; Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) (Par) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. Florida 6 WASHINGTON 5 (SO) Nuremberg win 4-2 on penalties Indiana 29 27 .518 7 1/2 Edmonton 30 28 6 66 172 185 bt Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; Men’s 1st rd NY RANGERS 4 Montreal 0 Wolfsburg 2 (Klimowicz 12, Marcelinho 25) Milwaukee 21 37 .362 16 Colorado 30 29 5 65 208 207 (GER x5) bt Radek Stepanek Nicolas Massu (Chi x6) bt Juan Monaco Ottawa 4 CAROLINA 2 Aix-la-Chapelle 0 /1 Pacifi c Division (CZE) 6-4, 6-3. (Arg) 7-6 (4), 7-5; Jose Acasuso (Arg x7) Southeast Division Dallas 2 TAMPA BAY 1 (OT) Anaheim 37 17 10 84 204 167 Frankfurt 3 (Fink 11, Takahara 61, 72) Doha WTA bt Albert Montanes (Spa) 6-0, 7-5; Ruben Washington 31 24 .564 - NY ISLANDERS 6 Philadelphia 5 (OT) Dallas 38 21 3 79 167 147 Kickers Offenbach 0 DOHA: Results from the $1.34 million Ramirez Hidalgo (Spa) bt Santiago Gonzal- Orlando 28 30 .483 4 1/2 Buffalo 6 TORONTO 1 San Jose 38 24 1 77 189 162 Wednesday WTA Qatar Open on Tuesday: ez (Mex) 6-4, 6-3; Lukas Dlouhy (Cze) Miami 27 29 .482 4 1/2 New Jersey 1 PITTSBURGH 0 Phoenix 27 33 3 57 168 214 Stuttgart v Hertha Berlin 1st rd bt (Ita) 6-3, 6-2; Oscar Charlotte 22 35 .386 10 ST LOUIS 3 Vancouver 1 Los Angeles 21 32 10 52 178 219 Semi-fi nals April 17 and 18 (ESP) bt Meg- Hernandez (Spa) bt Fernando Vicente (Spa) Atlanta 22 35 .386 10 Detroit 4 CHICAGO 1 Wednesday’s games Final May 26 hann Shaughnessy (USA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; 6-2, 7-5; Agustin Calleri (Arg x2) bt Alberto Western Conference Phoenix 3 EDMONTON 0 Philadelphia at Boston TENNIS (UKR) bt Anna-Lena Martin (Spa) 6-3, 6-2; Gaston Gaudio (Arg Northwest Division COLORADO 3 Columbus 2 Tampa Bay at Washington Groenefeld (GER x7) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3; Alicia x5) bt Luis Horna (Per) 1-1 (Horna retired); Utah 37 19 .661 - Standings Pittsburgh at NY Rangers ATP Las Vegas Molik (AUS) bt (JPN) 0-6, 6-2, Diego Hartfi eld (Arg) bt Hugo Armando Denver 27 28 .491 9 1/2 Eastern Conference Dallas at Florida LAS VEGAS, Nevada: Results on Tuesday 3-1 retired; Eleni Danilidou (GRE) bt Se- (USA) 6-4, 7-6(4); Nicolas Almagro (Spa x3) Minnesota 26 31 .456 11 1/2 Atlantic Division St. Louis at NY Islanders from a $416,000 ATP tournament using lima Sfar (TUN) 6-0, 6-3; bt Mariano Zabaleta (Arg) 6-3, 6-4; Stefano Portland 24 34 .414 14 W L OT Pts GF GA Colorado at Chicago the round-robin format in which group (RUS) bt Anne Kremer (LUX) 6-1, 6-2; Patty Galvani (Ita) bt Jan Hajek (Cze) 6-3, 6-2; Seattle 22 34 .393 15 New Jersey 40 18 6 86 171 149 Minnesota at Edmonton winners advance to knockout rounds (x Schnyder (SWI x 6) bt Aravane Rezai (FRA) Carlos Moya (Spa x8) bt Bruno Echagaray Pacifi c Division Pittsburgh 33 20 9 75 211 194 Phoenix at Vancouver denotes seeds): 6-2, 2-6, 6-2; Maria Elena Camerin (ITA) (Mex) 6-3, 6-4. Phoenix 44 13 .772 - NY Islanders 32 23 8 72 189 179 Anaheim at Los Angeles Round Robin bt (UKR) 6-3, 6-4; Julia LA Lakers 33 25 .569 11 1/2 NY Rangers 30 27 6 66 184 178 (CHI) bt Michael Llodra SOCCER Goerges (GER) bt Agnes Szavay (HUN) LA Clippers 27 29 .482 16 1/2 Philadelphia 16 37 10 42 166 241 (FRA) 6-2, 2-6, 6-1; Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-2, 6-3. To comment or alert us to a story, Golden State 26 32 .448 18 1/2 Northeast Division English FA Cup (FRA) bt Danai Udomchoke (THA) 6-2, 6-3; e-mail [email protected] Sacramento 24 32 .429 19 1/2 Buffalo 42 16 5 89 240 183 LONDON: English FA Cup results on (GBR x7) bt Acapulco International