Wichtig!! Forum-Regeln » Performance AnalystDanielle Mah

MELBOURNE, Australia - With Li Na in retirement and not defending her title at the Australian Open, there are far fewer Chinese flags and fans with red-and-yellow-streaked faces in the stands at Melbourne Park.So much so that when Peng Shuai, now Chinas top-ranked tennis player, was beating Magdalena Rybarikova in a second-round match, there was just one fan shouting encouragement in Mandarin with a solitary Chinese flag.Contrast that scene with a stadium in the Australian capital on Sunday where thousands of red-shirt wearing Chinese supporters cheered on Chinas soccer team as it defeated North Korea in a group match at the Asian Cup.With Li transitioning from tennis star to soon-to-be-mother, her departure from the sport raises an interesting question in China: Can tennis keep its nascent fan base and continue to grow in the country without its global superstar?Its literally the billion-dollar question. Ultimately, no one knows, said Richard Heaselgrave, the commercial director for Tennis Australia, which has a considerable stake in the answer as host of the Australian Open, the self-described Grand Slam of Asia-Pacific.Theres no doubting that tennis popularity has grown immensely in China due to Lis success. According to the WTA, a Chinese television audience of 116 million watched Li become the first Asian player to win a major at the French Open in 2011.Adding the Australian Open title last year cemented her status as one of Chinas top celebrities — she now has more than 23 million followers on Sina weibo, Chinas Twitter equivalent, more than almost all other athletes.Sensing a golden opportunity, the WTA jumped on Lis success to expand aggressively in Asia, with a record seven tournaments in China this year, second only to the U.S.Now that Chinas biggest star is no longer playing, though, some believe this rapid growth may have been premature.Zhang Bendou, the tennis writer for Titan Sports, the largest sports newspaper in China, said the crowds were visibly thinner at the Shenzhen Open tournament earlier this month without Li there to defend her title from the year before.Its embarrassing to see the pictures, he said. If the tournaments cannot attract enough sponsors and spectators and media interest, (China) will lose them eventually. I think they are in danger, some of them.Part of the problem is that because tennis is relatively new to the country, Chinese fans typically only pay attention to the big-name stars and local players, Zhang said.This partly explains why the mens tennis tour has been more cautious to expand in China — there are no bankable Chinese mens players yet. Only one made the main draw at the Australian Open — Zhang Ze, who lost in the first round to 33-year-old Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt.Heaselgrave is optimistic the Australian Open will retain its Chinese fan base. To help ensure this, Tennis Australia has signed LI to a three-year contract to act as the tournaments unofficial ambassador in China and recently signed a new contract with China Central Television to produce bespoke TV and digital content from the tournament for Chinese consumers.Theres talk of opening Tennis Australia training centres for casual and club-level players in Shanghai and Beijing, as well.Were absolutely nowhere near being the Grand Slam of Asia-Pacific that we want to be, but weve made a big start, Heaselgrave said.The Chinese Tennis Association, meanwhile, is busy trying to find the next homegrown star.There are now 11 female players ranked in the top 200, led by Peng Shuai, the recent U.S. Open semifinalist, at No. 22. But the one Chinese Fed Cup captain Peng Wang is most excited about is 17-year-old Xu Shilin, the No. 2 girl in the junior rankings, who goes by the English name Coco. The top seed in the girls draw at the Australian Open, she has the potential to be the next Li Na, Peng said.Everyone I think in China has confidence now, the coaches, the players, he said. So they work hard, more than before. MLB Jerseys .ca. Hi Mr. Fraser, When I was watching the Heritage Classic in Vancouver there was a play midway through the third where Ottawa crashed the Canucks net and it came off its moorings. Offcial Jerseys .Sinclair, from Burnaby, B.C., led the Canadian team with three goals at the four-nation competition. She also earned tournament most valuable player honours.The Canadian captain scored on a penalty kick in the 63rd minute and added the winning goal a minute later. https://www.cheapjerseysjustwholesale.com/. - All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers looked spry enough in pregame warmups Sunday for Green Bays divisional playoff game against Dallas. Wholesale Jerseys . Adam LaRoche will take that. "I like our position in the standings and I like how our team is playing," LaRoche said after Washington swept a day-night doubleheader from the Cubs on Saturday. Cheap Jerseys From China . The Brazilian international goalkeeper was beaten twice in the first 12 minutes of his Reds debut in a 3-1 preseason loss to Columbus Crew in Florida earlier this week.BURNABY, BC – Ahead of Saturdays Pacific Nations Cup (PNC) opener at Swangard Stadium, Canada head coach Kieran Crowley has released his starting roster to face Japan. The international test match, which will be LIVE on TSN and streamed at www.irb.com at 6pm pt/9pm et, will be the first game of the year for Canadas Mens Fifteens Team. Having won their last sevens games, including last weekend against 8th ranked Samoa, the Brave Blossoms pose a stiff challenge for Canada. Japan has had Canadas number on recent occasions, including a 16-13 victory last year in Nagoya which was Canadas only loss of the PNC. Newly appointed Captain Tyler Ardron will lead the team from the number 8 position, with Jebb Sinclair and John Moonlight also in the back-row. Canadas tight-five includes the experienced front-row of Hubert Buydens, Ray Barkwill and Jason Marshall with Tyler Hotson and Jamie Cudmore in the engine room. Calgary, Albertas Gordron McRorie is set to receive his first cap after being announced as starting scrumhalf and Harry Jones will lead the backline from flyhalf. "Its a huge honour for me to be selected for my first cap against Japan this weekend and I look forward to the challenge," said McRorie after the announcement. The centre pairing of Nick Blevins and Ciaran Hearn, who started side-by-side on six occasions last year for Canada including against Japan, slot in outside of Jones. Canadas back-three includes an exciting blend of speed, power and experience with the announcement of Taylor Paris and Jeff Hassler on the wing and James Pritchard at fullback. Canadas substitutions consist of Andrew Tiedemann, Aaron Carpenter, Jake Ilnicki, John Phelan and Adam Kleeberger in the forwards with Phil Mack, Connor Braid and DTH van der Merwe in the backs. Unavailable for selection for Canada due to injuries were Liam Underwood and Nanyak Dala. Added to Canadas training roster was Albertas Kyle Gilmour after a strong showing in last weekends BC Invitational versus Canada Selects game at Klahanie Park in West Vancouver. "I think theres some really good depth in this group, and theres a lot of good competition amongst the roster," said Crowley. "Japan are a strong, well-coached side and they will be a difficult game for us. We narrowly lost last year in Nagoya and I know our guys will be keen to take them on again on Saturday." CANADAS ROSTER TO FACE JAPAN: 1. Hubert Buyddens – (Manawatu Turbos/Prairie Wolf Pack) Saskatoon, SK 2.dddddddddddd Ray Barkwill – (Niagara Wasps RFC/Ontario Blues) Niagara Falls, ON 3. Jason Marshall – (Atlantique Stade Rochelais) Vancouver, BC 4. Tyler Hotson – (London Scottish RFC) Vancouver, BC 5. Jamie Cudmore – (ASM Clermont Auvergne) Squamish, BC 6. Jebb Sinclair – (London Irish/Atlantic Rock) Fredericton, NB 7. John Moonlight – (James Bay AA/Ontario Blues) Pickering, ON 8. Tyler Ardron – Captain (Ospreys/Ontario Blues) Lakefield, ON 9. Gordon McRorie – (Calgary Hornets/Prairie Wolf Pack) Calgary, AB 10. Harry Jones – (UBCOB Ravens/BC Bears) Vancouver, BC 11. Taylor Paris – (SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne) Barrie, ON 12. Nick Blevins – (Calgary Hornets/Prairie Wolf Pack) Calgary, AB 13. Ciaran Hearn – (Castaway Wanderers/Atlantic Rock) Conception Bay South, NL 14. Jeff Hassler – (Ospreys/Prairie Wolf Pack) Okotoks, AB 15. James Pritchard – (Bedford Blues) Parkes, NSW, Australia 16. Andrew Tiedemann – (Castaway Wanderers/Prairie Wolf Pack) St. Albert, AB 17. Aaron Carpenter – (Cornish Pirates RFC) Brantford, ON 18. Jake Ilnicki – (Castaway Wanderers/BC Bears) Williams Lake, BC 19. Jon Phelan – (Castaway Wanderers/Atlantic Rock) Montreal, QC 20. Adam Kleeberger – (Castaway Wanderers/BC Bears) White Rock, BC 21. Phil Mack – (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC 22. Connor Braid – (James Bay AA/BC Bears) Victoria, BC 23. DTH van der Merwe – (Glasgow Warriors) Regina, SK Unavailable due to Injury: Nanyak Dala – (Castaway Wanderers/Saskatoon Wild Oats) Saskatoon, SKLiam Underwood – (Ontario Blues) Toronto, ON CANADAS MENS STAFF: Kieran Crowley – Head CoachGareth Rees – ManagerNeil Barnes – Assistant CoachBen Herring – Assistant CoachMike Shelley – Assistant CoachCalum Ramsay – Performance AnalystDanielle Mah - PhysiotherapistCarla Brash, Mike Cook – Athletic TherapistsAndy Evans – Strength and Conditioning CoachTodd Silverthorn – Assistant ManagerJames Kent – Logistics and Assistant AnalystMark Winokur – Assistant ManagerPete Du Toit – Team DoctorBryan Kelly – Media Manager ' ' '