The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- French Open finalist Li is key to boom in China
- F1 returns to US for 21-race 2012 season
- Sharapova withdraws from Wimbledon warmup event
| French Open finalist Li is key to boom in China Posted: 03 Jun 2011 06:08 PM PDT PARIS (AP) — With a racket in her hand, Li Na holds the key to a burgeoning tennis boom in China. The 29-year-old Li, who is trying to become the first Chinese player to win a Grand Slam singles title, will face defending champion Francesca Schiavone in the French Open final on Saturday. "Tennis is something of an overlooked sport in China," the Australian Open runner-up said Friday. "So I hope that it will become more common in China and that more and more people will become fans." A few months ago, Li became the first Chinese player to even reach a Grand Slam final before losing to Kim Clijsters. But in China, a country of 1.3 billion people, the sport is gaining more followers as the middle class grows. Li said she heard 40 million people watched her beat Maria Sharapova on Thursday in the semifinals. Schiavone, the first woman from her country to win a major, went through a similar experience 12 months ago. And an increase in youth tennis in Italy followed. "Last year when I won French Open, the percentages of the people that sign (up) in the tennis club, the young, the kids, are much higher than before. So that's good," Schiavone said. "Of course, we are not millions and millions like in China, because we are totally — how many we are? Seventy million? "So it's big difference, but we are Italian. We have big hearts." Combined, the finalists are the oldest pair in a women's Grand Slam championship match since Wimbledon in 1998, when Jana Novotna, 29, beat Nathalie Tauziat, 30. Li is 29, but any questions about her advanced age — for a tennis player, that is — come with some risk. "I'm not old," Li pouted when asked about the recent trend of older Grand Slam champions in the women's game. "Why do you think I'm old? I feel I'm still young." The 30-year-old Schiavone is about 1½ years older than Li, but is taking her second Grand Slam final in stride. "I (will) go to take a walk I think this afternoon and then rest a little bit, get some physiotherapy," Schiavone said of her plans for her day off. "Eating, enjoy with friends. Nothing special. "I don't think now (about) Li Na. I will think tomorrow." When she does get around to it, Schiavone will be able to recall last year, when she became the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam title and the oldest woman since 1969 to win her first major title. Along the way to that championship, she beat Li 6-4, 6-2 in the third round, evening their head-to-head record to 2-2. That wasn't a surprise, because Schiavone is comfortable on the red clay, while Li has said she was never a fan of the surface. "It's a mix of everything. So you have to be good physically, mentally," Schiavone said of the clay. "You can't play just power, because you have always the time to (defend) and to counterattack." Schiavone is playing in her first final since last year's tournament at Roland Garros. And by winning her second major championship, she would become the first woman over 30 to win a Grand Slam title since Martina Navratilova won Wimbledon at the age of 33 in 1990. Before that happens, Schiavone will have to take care of Li on Court Philippe Chatrier. That may not be so easy. "In Melbourne was like first time in the final. You don't have any experience before you come to the Grand Slam final," Li said, remembering her recent experience at the Australian Open. "But I have one time already, so I think I can do better in this time." Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
| F1 returns to US for 21-race 2012 season Posted: 03 Jun 2011 06:06 PM PDT BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Formula One will have a United States Grand Prix next year for the first time since 2007. The American race was the only addition to a record 21-race calendar for 2012. Austin, Texas, will host the race on June 17, one week after the Canadian GP in Montreal. Austin agreed to a 10-year deal to host F1. The Bahrain GP returns as the season-opener despite having to be rescheduled from March to October this year due to political protests in the Gulf Kingdom. The March 11 race begins a season that culminates with the Brazilian GP on Nov. 25. The Korean GP was moved forward to April 22 while the Turkish GP on May 6 is still to be confirmed. The calendar reached 20 races for the first time this year. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
| Sharapova withdraws from Wimbledon warmup event Posted: 03 Jun 2011 06:02 PM PDT BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from the Aegon Classic grasscourt tournament in Birmingham, traditionally her only warmup event before Wimbledon. The 24-year-old Russian, who lost in the semifinals of the French Open, said Friday she would be unable to play because of illness. Sharapova has played in Birmingham seven times, winning the title twice and reaching the final on two other occasions. Fellow French Open semifinalist Marion Bartoli of France also pulled out of the tournament with an injury, leaving Kaia Kanepi of Estonia as the top seed. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Star Online: Sports To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan