against Miami RHP Jacob Turner (0-2, 6.59).

Geregistreerd op: 07 Mrt 2018 Berichten: 510

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. Mason Crosby Jersey .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. Bart Starr Jersey . Although Olivetti, a qualifier, had 13 aces, he failed to force a single break-point chance on Gasquets serve and lost his own three times. Gasquet next plays third-seeded Jerzy Janowicz of Poland, who won had 18 aces in a 6-2, 6-4 win against seventh-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France. Clay Matthews Jersey .com) - After Tom Brady added to an already illustrious legacy, Malcolm Butler established his by leaving the Seattle Seahawks, well, deflated. http://www.packersshopfootball.com/packers-montravius-adams-navy-blue-jersey/ . The 28-year-old from Rochester, Alta., was selected by the Redblacks from the Saskatchewan Roughriders roster in the 2013 CFL Expansion Draft.MIAMI -- With the retractable roof open and the Milwaukee Brewers in town, pitcher-friendly Marlins Park became a launching pad. Mark Reynolds hit a pair of two-run homers and the Brewers won a record-setting slugfest at spacious ballpark, beating Miami 9-5 Friday. Giancarlo Stanton and Garrett Jones hit two solo homers apiece for Miami, and Khris Davis homered for Milwaukee. The teams combined for seven home runs, the most since their park opened in 2012. "I think having the roof open helps," Reynolds said. Brewers manager Ron Roenicke wasnt so sure. "Its hard to say," he said. "My gosh, there were some long home runs by both sides. Those balls were crushed. There were a lot of fireworks going on." Milwaukee didnt need slugger Ryan Braun, who sat out after a flare-up of the oblique strain that sent him to the disabled list earlier this season. The Brewers hope he can rejoin the lineup by Sunday. Reynolds homered in the fourth and again in the fifth, increasing his season total to 11. It was his 20th career multihomer game. Miami lost despite hitting a season-high four home runs. Stantons two tape-measure homers increased his season total to 14, most in the NL, and his 47 RBIs lead the majors. It was his 12th career multihomer game, tying Hanley Ramirezs franchise record. Even so, Miami fell to 5-17 against the Brewers since the start of 2011. The ball was flying from the first inning. Davis homer carried more than 430 feet into the beer garden, Stantons homers travelled just as far, and Jones reached the upper deck. It has been nearly three years since three players hit two homers in a major-league game. Marco Estrada (4-2) didnt pitch from the stretch until there were two out in the seventh, because all four of Miamis baserunners to that point hit home runs. "Real weird game," Roenicke said. Roenicke made three pitching changes without a glitch. Onn Thursday at Atlanta, he summoned a reliever when no one was warming up. Reggie White Jersey. Estrada gave up five runs and departed after 6 2-3 innings. He has an ERA of 3.98 despite allowing 16 homers, the most in the majors. "I obviously didnt do the greatest job, but I kept the team in there," he said. "I know I have given up a lot of home runs, and today was no different. If I keep them to one-run homers, good things will happen. All I can say is we won." Along with all of the offence, there were some long outs as well. Two balls hit by Carlos Gomez would likely have been homers in Milwaukee. Gomez had three doubles and a single for the Brewers, who totalled eight extra-base hits. The NL Central leaders hit for the cycle in the fifth off Tom Koehler when Jean Segura singled, Scooter Gennett tripled, Gomez doubled and Reynolds homered. "They seemed to hit every mistake that was made pretty hard," said Koehler (4-4). "Thats why theyre in first place." Koehler went five innings and gave up seven runs, including both homers by Reynolds. Koehler came into the game with an ERA of 0.64 at home, best in the majors. "He made a lot of mistakes over the middle of the plate," manager Mike Redmond said. "Thats a very aggressive team, and obviously you saw the power that they have. And when you make mistakes against good teams, they make you pay." Miami fell to 19-7 at Marlins Park, still the best home record in baseball. Notes: RHP Jimmy Nelson will be recalled from Triple-A Nashville to start Sunday for the Brewers in place of RHP Yovani Gallardo, who was scratched after he threw a bullpen session before the game and said his sprained left ankle was still sore. Gallardo is not expected to go on the disabled list. ... Milwaukee RHP Wily Peralta (4-3, 2.1 Cool

is scheduled to start Saturday against Miami RHP Jacob Turner (0-2, 6.59). Wholesale Jerseys From China Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Jerseys 2020 ' ' '