BEIJING, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:
1. Sports "Golden Week" boosts vitality in China
During China's National Day holiday, Beijing's National Tennis Center and Shougang Park became sports hotspots, hosting events like the China Open and 2024 WTT China Smash, drawing top athletes and large crowds.
The success of these events, along with others like Shanghai's Formula 1 World Powerboat Championship, highlights China's growing sports tourism industry and the integration of sports with culture and entertainment.
2. Lin Shidong, Sun Yingsha win all-Chinese finals at WTT China Smash
Lin Shidong and Sun Yingsha secured the men's and women's singles titles respectively at the 2024 WTT China Smash, completing China's clean sweep of titles. Lin, 19, claimed his first WTT Grand Smash singles title with a thrilling 4-3 victory over six-time Olympic champion Ma Long, while 23-year-old Sun overcame second seed Wang Manyu 4-2 to win her second career Grand Smash title.
3. China beaten 3-1 by Australia in World Cup qualifier
China took an early lead against Australia with Xie Wenneng's goal in their AFC World Cup qualifier but ultimately lost 3-1 in Adelaide. Despite strong defensive efforts, the defeat marks China's third consecutive loss, leaving them at the bottom of Group C as they prepare for their next match against Indonesia in Qingdao.
4. China's Zheng, Wang into Wuhan Open semifinals
China's tennis star Wang Xinyu secured a dramatic comeback victory in the quarterfinals of the Wuhan Open, defeating Ekaterina Alexandrova 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (6) in a match that lasted nearly three hours on October 11. The victory marks Wang's first time reaching the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event.
Zheng Qinwen later downed third-seeded Jasmine Paolini of Italy 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to face her compatriot Wang in the semifinals.
5. China retains men's team title at Asian Table Tennis Championships
China defended its title in the men's team event with a 3-1 victory over Chinese Taipei at the 27th Asian Table Tennis Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan on October 10.
Earlier on October 9, China's women's team failed to retain its title after losing to Japan 3-1. China's Sun Yingsha, who just became the first paddler to exceed the 10,000-point mark on the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) world rankings, announced her withdrawal from the upcoming matches in the tournament on October 10.■