China Sports Weekly (9.22-9.28)

BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:

1. Wildcard veteran Zhang Shuai stuns Navarro in 2nd round at China Open

China's wildcard player Zhang Shuai, ranked world No. 595, upset world No. 8 Emma Navarro of the United States 6-4, 6-2 in just 75 minutes in the women's singles second round on September 27, producing the biggest surprise so far at the China Open after the main-draw play started two days earlier.

Men's singles defending champion Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz both cruised into the second round.

22-year-old Buyunchaokete came back to defeat Shang Juncheng 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-4 in a Chinese derby in the first round on September 27 after both players had achieved milestones earlier this week.

Shang registered his first ATP Tour championship win at the Chengdu Open and Buyunchaokete made it into his first ATP Tour semifinal in Hangzhou, where top Chinese male player Zhang Zhizhen fell short of his first ATP Tour title after losing to Marin Cilic in the final.

2. WTT Grand Smash lands in China for the first time

The World Table Tennis (WTT) Grand Smash landed in China for the first time at Shougang Park, in which the iconic Beijing 2022 venue Big Air Shougang is located.

The WTT China Smash, the third and final WTT Grand Smash event of year 2024, has also been the biggest international table tennis event to hit the Beijing scene in over 60 years since the 1961 World Championships.

3. Chinese shuttlers clinch four titles at badminton China Open

Host China secured four of the five titles at the badminton China Open on September 22 in Changzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, after the men's doubles pair was outscored in the final following Ren Xiangyu's waist injury in the first set.

Weng Hongyang and Wang Zhiyi claimed the men's and women's singles titles,海南app开发 both winning in straight sets against Japan's Kodai Naraoka and Tomoka Miyazaki, respectively.

Li Yijing/Luo Xumin beat their compatriots Li Wenmei/Zhang Shuxian to pocket the women's doubles gold, and Feng Yanzhe/Huang Dongping came back to defeat Malaysia's Goh Soon Huat/Lai Shevon Jemie for the mixed doubles crown.

4. Chefs de Mission Seminar of 9th Asian Winter Games held in Harbin

The Chefs de Mission Seminar of the ninth Asian Winter Games opened on September 23 in the host city of Harbin, with representatives from 32 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) in attendance.

During the seminar, local organizing committee HAWGOC presented updates on the preparation for the event. Detailed discussions were held on 17 major topics, including competition services, competition venues, the athlete village, anti-doping measures, and catering and accommodation services.

The delegation chiefs also visited competition venues to gain a detailed understanding of the facilities and site conditions.

5. CBA introduces inaugural Club Cup in celebration of 30th season

A mid-season Club Cup will be introduced for the upcoming 2024-25 CBA League during its first break in November, as announced during a press conference on September 26.

The Club Cup features four competition zones with five teams each. After a round-robin format, the top two teams of each group advance to the final stage. The finals are set for the second league break in February 2025, in a single-elimination tournament.

The new CBA season will tip off on October 12, featuring a matchup between the promising young squad Zhejiang Golden Bulls and the defending champion Liaoning Flying Leopards. ■