Li Na out at Wimbledon, slams Chinese tennis authorities
Chinese tennis ace Li Na crashed out from the second round of Wimbledon on Tuesday as she lost to unseeded Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 6-4. However, it is not the frustrating loss that hit the headlines but her blunt comments about Chinese tennis authorities' arrangement for her to play both singles and doubles at the London Olympics.
I know she couldn't care less what the media says about her reaction – that's beyond her control. And for me her argument stands on firm ground. But her popularity is fading in her own country, and she has been portrayed, rightly or wrongly, as a sore loser. She just committed too many unforced errors on and off the court. I was wrong to predict she could be China's flag bearer in London, like Marie Sharapova, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic for their country.
Zhang Lin OK with Olympic disqualification
Beijing Olympics silver medalist and world champion Zhang Lin is not on the 51-member roster of the Chinese national swimming team for the London Olympics. He's been struggling with his physical condition since the Asian Games in 2010, and failed to reach the Olympic A standard in a series of Olympic qualifiers in recent months.
But the 25-year-old said he hasn't thought about hanging up his goggles and cap yet, and he is already targeting the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. "Everyone please don't worry about me. I will work hard to carry on my career. It (missing the London Olympics) is a setback for me, but it is also a new beginning."
Evergrande interested in Rooney?
Rumors of Chinese soccer clubs pursuing world-class players rumble every day, and after Drogba signed with Shanghai Shenhua last week, now we probably will stay on every piece from them, fantasizing about future scenarios.
According to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, Guangzhou Evergrande is offering a package of £325,000-a-week for Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney in hopes of landing him on the team.