Digest

VOLLEYBALL

China beats S. Korea for third straight win

The Chinese women's team earned its third straight victory on Sunday, beating South Korea 3-1 in the final game of the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminary phase in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Emerging victorious on a 25-13,19-25, 25-19, 26-24 scoreline, China registered its eighth win from 12 games in the tournament.

Li Yingying top-scored for China with 23 points, with Gong Xiangyu notching 17. Lee Han-bi had 12 points for South Korea.

China, who secured a place in the upcoming VNL finals by beating the Dominican Republic 3-0 on Friday, finished in fourth spot in the preliminary phase on 26 points.

South Korea was the only team without a win in the league.

The women's VNL finals will be held in Ankara, Turkey from July 13-17.

BADMINTON

Zheng, Huang claim mixed doubles title

China's Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong won the mixed doubles title at the Malaysia Open in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

Zheng and Huang stormed to a 21-13, 21-18 victory over Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai at Axiata Arena.

Men's singles world No 1 Viktor Axelsen of Denmark steamrolled Japan's second-ranked Kento Momota 21-4, 21-7 in just 34 minutes to claim his first Malaysia Open title.

Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand outplayed China's Olympic champion Chen Yufei 21-15, 13-21, 21-16 in a fiercely contested match to claim the women's singles title.

In the women's doubles, Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti of Indonesia beat China's Zhang Shuxian and Zheng Yu 21-18,12-21, 21-19.

The men's doubles crown went to Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi of Japan, who outclassed Indonesian opponents Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto 24-22, 16-21, 21-9.

SOCCER

Beijing beats Tianjin, Junior salvages draw

Beijing Guo'an defeated Tianjin Jinmen Tiger 2-1 to snap the latter's three-game winning streak, while Brazilian Junior helped Changchun Yatai draw 2-2 with Dalian Pro in Sunday's Chinese Super League action.

Guo'an broke the deadlock when Samir Memisevic headed home Jiang Xiangyou's cross in the 49th minute.

In the 69th minute, Guo'an doubled its lead when Memisevic timed his run perfectly to head home a Nebijan Muhmet freekick.

Tianjin pulled one back through Su Yuanjie's strike on 77 minutes, but Guo'an held on for victory.

Meanwhile, Dalian's 25th-minute opener from Shang Yin was canceled out by a 66th-minute equalizer from Changchun's Jores Okore.

Dalian went ahead again four minutes later with a Wu Wei curler before Junior smashed home an 86th-minute freekick.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Meizhou Hakka beat Shenzhen FC 1-0, Shandong Taishan overcame Guangzhou City 2-0, Wuhan Three Towns beat Shanghai Shenhua 4-2, and Henan Songshan Longmen beat Zhejiang FC 1-0.

BASKETBALL

Han Xu scores 10 in Liberty's loss to Sparks

Chinese center Han Xu scored 10 points but the New York Liberty lost to the Los Angeles Sparks 84-74 in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) on Sunday.

Han came off the bench to score 10 points on four-of-eight shooting, as well as contributing two rebounds, two assists and one steal. Marine Johannes, who made five 3-pointers, led the Liberty with 17 points while Sabrina Ionescu almost achieved a triple-double with 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists but only made 5 of 18 from the field.

"We had a pretty good second quarter as the team fired behind the arc, but we couldn't manage to keep the run in the second half," Han said after the game.

The Chinese center lamented her team's failures in possession, and was critical of her own performance in guarding LA's Liz Cambage, who had 16 points and eight rebounds.

"The coach emphasized the ball movement, but we didn't execute it well. After switching to zone defense, we still didn't restrain Cambage," Han said. "It's partly my fault, and I hope to do better in the next game."

Boomers best China again in qualifiers

The Australian Boomers recorded a second straight victory over Team China in the men's 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers in Melbourne on Sunday.

A late surge from the home team secured a 71-48 triumph as the Boomers completed a six-game unbeaten run through the opening round of the qualifiers.

"The game loosened up when we started hitting shots from the perimeter... to win all of these games is just a real good feeling and I'm real proud of the group," said Australia head coach Brian Goorjian.

Team China head coach Du Feng said the Asian qualifiers and upcoming FIBA Asia Cup present an opportunity for his rebuilding squad to prove itself.

"I hope that these Asian qualifying matches can help the team get into a good state of mind, let them see their weaknesses and prepare for the upcoming tournament," Du said.

China next plays its final game in the first round of the qualifiers against Chinese Taipei.

3x3 rosters announced for Asia Cup tourney

China's men's 3x3 basketball team has shaken up its roster as it looks to qualify for the World Cup at the Asia Cup tournament in Singapore from July 6-10, the squad announced on social media.

The team left for Singapore on Sunday after failing to emerge from the preliminary qualifying round in Belgium in June, with a record of one win and three losses. China will face Tonga and Sri Lanka in the qualifying tournament on July 7.

It will also compete against host Singapore and an as yet undecided team.

China's women's 3x3 team has already secured a berth in the finals.

The following are the Chinese lineups for the 2022 Asia Cup: Men's team: Liu Zeyi, Lyu Junhu, Zhao Jiaren, Zhao Jiayi; Women's team: Wang Lili, Zhang Zhiting, Huang Kun, Luo Xinyu.

Xinhua