China Sports Weekly (5.4-5.10)

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2025-05-10 17:31:18

BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:

1. China's Zhao becomes first Asian to win World Snooker Championship

Zhao Xintong celebrates with the trophy during the award ceremony at the 2025 World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, Britain, on May 5, 2025. (Photo by Zhai Zheng/Xinhua)

China's Zhao Xintong became the first Asian player to win the World Snooker Championship after beating veteran Mark Williams 18-12 on May 5.

Starting his first qualifying match on April 7, Zhao maintained his sensational form to win 111 frames across nine matches to become the world champion.

The 28-year-old will start the next season as the world No. 11, while there are nine more Chinese players in the world's top 32.

Ding Junhui was the first Asian to reach the final at the snooker worlds in 2016 before losing to Mark Selby.

2. China beats S. Korea to clinch 14th Sudirman Cup title

Wang Zhiyi of China in action in the women's singles match against An Se-young of South Korea during the final at the BWF Sudirman Cup in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, on May 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

China clinched the 2025 Sudirman Cup title after beating South Korea 3-1 in the final on May 4.

In the mixed doubles, Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping beat Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jung to move China ahead. In the following women's singles, China's Wang Zhiyi lost to world No. 1 An Se-young 21-17, 21-16.

Shi Yuqi had a comfortable win over Jeon Hyeok-jin in the men's singles, while Olympic women's doubles silver medalists Tan Ning and Liu Shengshu sealed victory for China after defeating world No. 3 Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee.

China has won the biennial badminton mixed team world championship 14 times since Indonesia was crowned in the first edition in 1989. South Korea triumphed four times.

3. A clean sweep for China at Diving World Cup Super Final in Beijing

Quan Hongchan in action in the women's 10m platform at the 2025 World Aquatics Diving World Cup Super Final in Beijing, on May 3, 2025. (Photo by Na Yuqi/Xinhua)

With the last two gold medals going to Chen Jia and Zhu Zifeng, China swept all nine gold medals at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup Super Final, which concluded at the National Aquatics Center on May 4.

In addition, Chen Yuxi, a triple winner in Beijing, and Zhu Zifeng, the men's 10m platform champion, lifted the crystal trophy as the Best Female and Male Divers.

The Super Final consisted of nine events and featured 75 divers from 17 countries and regions.

4. Zhejiang, Beijing level 1-1 in CBA Finals

Richard Solomon (C) of the Beijing Ducks vies with Barry Brown (L) of the Zhejiang Lions during Game 2 of their 2024-2025 season Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league finals in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, on May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

The Zhejiang Lions edged the Beijing Ducks 103-96 at home on May 9, leveling the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) best-of-seven finals at 1-1, after Beijing clinched a 101-87 road victory two days earlier.

Barry Brown led Zhejiang with 31 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Sun Minghui added 28 points and nine rebounds, while Hu Jinqiu contributed 21 points.

Game 3 will take place on Beijing's home court on May 12.

5. China's Zheng clinches first clay-court win of season in Italian Open

Zheng Qinwen returns a shot during the women's singles 2nd round match against Olga Danilovic of Serbia at the WTA Italian Open in Rome, Italy, on May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen advanced to the third round of the WTA Italian Open on May 9, defeating Serbia's Olga Danilovic 6-1, 6-4 in their first clay-court meeting.

Seeded eighth, Zheng received a first-round bye. Her opponent, world No. 33 Danilovic, had lost to Zheng in straight sets at the 2023 United Cup.

Zheng dominated the opening set, racing to a 5-0 lead. Despite facing four break points in the seventh game, she held serve and sealed the set 6-1 with an ace.

The second set saw both players exchange breaks early, with Zheng edging ahead 3-2. She later won four consecutive points to claim the eighth game and closed out the set 6-4, securing her first clay-court win of the season. ■