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Associated Press

Opponents will be looking up to China during the Fiba Women’s World Cup, starting with the United States.
The Americans and everyone else will have to navigate around and over some of the tallest women on the planet: China’s 19-year-old Zhang Ziyu stands 7-foot-3 (2.2 metres).
The US team are already familiar with 6-foot-10 Han Xu from her Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) games with the New York Liberty.
If not for a passport mishap, Zhang and Han would be joined by another centre – 6-foot-7 Li Yueru, who plays with the WNBA’s Dallas Wings. Li posted on social media Wednesday that her passport was lost in the post and she will not be able to compete.
China opens their campaign against the four-time defending champions in Berlin on Friday.
Zhang wasn’t playing when the US beat China 83-61 in the 2022 World Cup final in Sydney for a fourth consecutive gold medal. She made her senior debut at the Women’s Asia Cup last year and helped China capture bronze, averaging 14.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in the tournament.

Han praised her performance at that tournament and said she was ready to step onto the world stage.
“World Cup is a good moment for her, for the whole world to know her,” Han said. “I am so excited to play with her again.”
Both of Zhang’s parents played basketball and it was her mother who encouraged her to take up the sport.
As one of the oldest players in the Chinese team at 26, Han takes on the responsibility of looking out for her younger teammates. She points out that Zhang is still “very young” and just starting her career.
“She’s a little girl, you know, like the heart is soft,” she said.
If Zhang plays on Friday – she missed China’s pre-tournament warm-up against France on Tuesday and did not practise during the brief time-slots open to media Wednesday and Thursday – her height alone will ensure she stands out against the tournament favourites.
“She’s good,” Han said on Wednesday. “She just needs some rest ... she has (a) big body and tall girl, and she needs some time to rest a little bit.”
On Thursday she said Zhang had practised “a little bit” earlier before the media was allowed in.
US guard Sonia Citron, also making her World Cup debut, says they will be prepared either way.
“I think just try to make it difficult for her, you know, to guard her as a team,” Citron said. “Just don’t leave anybody on an island, but yeah, I think we’ll prep everything and then be ready.”
Few expect China to go further than they did in 2022, with France and Australia expected to be most likely challengers for the US. But Zhang’s introduction gives the Chinese an extra weapon they did not have four years ago.
“At the last World Cup, we played our best, but before we played, we never thought we would do so well, but we gave 100 per cent,” Han said. “I’ll try to do the same or better and try to focus every single game. Especially me, I just try to focus because there’s so much noise around me.”


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Zhang Ziyu, China’s towering teenage basketball World Cup sensation, ‘just a little girl’

China get Fiba Women’s Basketball World Cup campaign back on track as Italy give US a scare

Fiba (International Basketball Federation)

Chinese basketball players aiming to take team to new heights at Fiba Women’s World Cup

Teams at the World Cup will have to navigate around and over some of the tallest women on the planet, including China’s 19-year-old Zhang Ziyu. Photo: Xinhua

Han Xu of China (right) at a training session ahead of the match between China and United States. Photo: AP

A house divided: Asia still split on Infantino’s future, HKFA won’t say where loyalties lie

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has been travelling around the world to shore up support for his leadership. Photo: AFP

Eric Fok and Hong Kong football bosses have refused to say whether they support Gianni Infantino or not. Photo: Elson Li

Fifa president Gianni Infantino (left), French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Esports World Cup in Paris. Photo: Reuters

Teen spectator in VIP seat hauled out of arena after hurling basketball at China players

China’s Yang Hansen (centre) competes for the ball with Lebanon’s DJ Funderburk (right) and Omar Jamaleddine during their Fiba World Cup qualifier on Monday. Photo: AFP

Yang Hansen (centre) defends against Lebanon’s Sergio El Darwich, with DJ Funderburk on the right. Photo: Xinhua

China’s Wang Junjie (centre) praised Yang Hansen for his performance. Photo: AFP

Sport

Basketball

Campaign starts against the US, but Dallas Wings player Li Yueru will miss the tournament after her passport was lost in the post


Campaign starts against the US, but Dallas Wings player Li Yueru will miss the tournament after her passport was lost in the post.


Zhang Ziyu

Chinese basketball players aiming to take team to new heights at Fiba Women’s World Cup

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Campaign starts against the US, but Dallas Wings player Li Yueru will miss the tournament after her passport was lost in the post

Campaign starts against the US, but Dallas Wings player Li Yueru will miss the tournament after her passport was lost in the post