Asia has slim pickings at the Australian Open with many players failing to make progress last year, but hope remains for regional success with Zheng Jie and Kei Nishikori at the forefront.
Going into the tournament, eight Asian women are ranked within the top 100, the same as this time last year. China’s Zheng is the highest placed at 24, four ahead of compatriot Li Na.
Remarkably, veterans Ai Sugiyama of Japan (ranked 29) and Thai trailblazer Tamarine Tanasugarn (35) remain top-50 players, although they will be the first to admit that they are past their prime.
PHOTO: AP
Others making the grade include Taiwan’s Chan Yung-jan (75) and Hsieh Su-wei (80), China’s Peng Shuai (39) and Japan’s Ayumi Morita (76).
But players like China’s Yan Zi and Japan’s Akiko Morigami and Aiko Nakamura have all slipped off the radar.
Another high-profile casualty is India’s Sania Mirza, who was ranked 31 ahead of the Australian Open last year but is now languishing at 107 after wrist surgery.
Asian men’s tennis remains in dire straits with just two players inside the top 100, but that includes Japan’s Nishikori who burst onto the scene last year and has stormed up the rankings to 61 — two places ahead of Taiwan’s Lu-Yen hsun.
Chinese star Zheng, who has won three tour singles titles and 11 doubles titles plans to concentrate more on singles this year and had been working hard on her fitness.
“The most important thing I feel is I need more fitness because the Asia players, we are so small. I need to get stronger and more powerful so I am working so hard on my fitness,” she said.
Li, who has yet to go beyond the fourth round in Melbourne in four attempts, will be hoping to do better, although a cloud hangs over her participation after she pulled out of this month’s Brisbane International injured.
India’s Mirza, 22, has been built up as a star of the future but questions remain over her abilities on the big stage, where she has failed to go beyond her fourth round appearance at the US Open in 2005.
A youth icon in India, she had a 2008 to forget with surgery on her right wrist in April ruining her season. She made brief comebacks before bowing out of the Beijing Olympics in tears. But she is now hitting the ball harder than ever and hungry for success.
“The most important thing is I am back and so is my confidence,” she said. “I can say that I am in the best frame of mind for the big league again. This is the beginning of a new chapter in my career.”
Asian men’s tennis has been in the doldrums for years but in Nishikori there is hope that a player has finally emerged who can make waves.
The 19-year-old caused a sensation by capturing his first ATP title at Delray Beach last February in only his fifth tournament since turning professional.
His US Open performance, where he reached the fourth round put him in the world spotlight and he wants to build on that this year.
“I hope I will be able to do better than last year,” he said. “I reached the fourth round at the US Open, so my goal at the Australian Open is to finish higher.”
Taiwan’s Wu Fang-hsien and Jiang Xinyu of China yesterday won the women’s doubles title at the ASB Classic in Auckland, while Naomi Osaka retired from the women’s singles final with an abdominal injury. Second seeds Wu and Jiang defeated Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic and Sabrina Santamaria of the US 6-3, 6-4 on ASB Tennis Centre’s Stadium Court in 1 hour, 5 minutes. The WTA 250 victory was 25-year-old Wu’s second WTA Tour title, after winning the 2023 Hua Hin Championships in Thailand with Taiwanese partner Chan Hao-ching. Later that year, Wu and Taiwan’s Hsu Yu-hsiou won the mixed doubles gold at the World
The NHL postponed the Los Angeles Kings’ home game against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday with several massive wildfires burning across the greater Los Angeles area. The Kings and Flames were scheduled to play on Wednesday night at the Kings’ downtown arena. The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers were scheduled to host the Charlotte Hornets in the same arena last night. “Our hearts are with our entire Los Angeles community,” the Kings said in a statement. “We appreciate the hard working first responders who are diligently working to contain the fire and protect our community. We appreciate the league’s support in keeping our
EL CLASSICO: La Liga champions Real Madrid would face Barcelona in the Super Cup final tomorrow. Barca secured their final spot after a 2-0 win over Bilbao on Wednesday Real Madrid would chase a record-equaling 14th Spanish Super Cup title in the final against Barcelona after second-half goals by Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo helped them to a 3-0 win over Mallorca in the semi-finals on Thursday. England midfielder Bellingham broke the deadlock after the hour mark with a low shot into the middle of the goal before Mallorca defender Martin Valjent’s own goal doubled the lead in stoppage time followed by a Rodrygo strike from close range. Spanish champions Real are to play Barcelona for the trophy tomorrow after goals by Gavi and Lamine Yamal earned Barca a 2-0 win over
Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson said an unnamed Everton player “had a pop” at him after he denied Tyler Young the opportunity to come on as a substitute against his father Ashley in Thursday’s English FA Cup third round match. While former England international Ashley came off the bench in the second half for Everton, Tyler was an unused sub in the game at Goodison Park. Everton won 2-0 against the third-division team. “I’ve got to do what’s best for my team and we’re not a charity case,” Ferguson said. “As much as I wanted Tyler to go on with his dad, one
RSS