Furious Chinese fans turn on teen Zhang Ziyu, ex-WNBA star Han after shock loss to Japan
Formerly hailed as 'phenomenal' and the 'twin towers' of the team, the pair were among their side's leading scorers in the 90-81 semi-final loss in Shenzhen, with 17 and 18 points respectively.
But those points came on their worst shooting nights of the tournament, where teenager Zhang made 50 per cent of her attempts, and Yu 37 per cent.
The change in public opinion was swift and brutal, especially for the 7ft 5in (2.26 metre), 150kg (330lbs) Zhang, who had previously earned nothing but accolades. Defeat brought comments about her weight and speed around the court, with the politest suggesting she had 'no mobility' and 'no technique inside the paint'.
'You can't expect a player like this to turn the situation around. She's not Yao Ming,' said one commentator.
'The reason why Yao Ming is successful is that he is not just tall,' another replied.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
19 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Fan Zhendong condemns ‘battlefield' of China's toxic fan culture
Table tennis superstar Fan Zhendong has voiced a wish for the public to dampen down China's so-called toxic fan culture, saying it had caused him anxiety. Advertisement Fan spoke out in a television interview screened during the second leg of the Chinese Table Tennis Super League in Fujian, which ended on Monday with the Olympic champion having been dominant. The 28-year-old from Guangzhou said fans' actions sometimes hurt not only athletes but also teams, teammates, friends and families. 'To this day, I still can't get over it, and I still think that they shouldn't be in this place that should be pure,' Fan told Phoenix TV in a 26-minute interview that he shared on Chinese social media. 'Sport should not be reduced to a battlefield for fans. It belongs to love, passion, persistence and unity.'
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
Pan Zhanle predicts ‘amazing support' as Beijing named host of swimming worlds
Beijing has been chosen as the host city for the 2026 edition of the short-course world swimming championships, it was revealed on Tuesday. More than 1,000 athletes from over 200 countries and regions will descend on China's capital for the six-day competition, according to an announcement at the World Aquatics General Congress in Singapore. The annual championships, held in a 25-metre pool, will take place three years before Beijing hosts the World Aquatics Championships, contested in an Olympic-standard 50m pool. Next year's short-course edition adds another significant competition to the list of those held in China. The country will be staging the meet for a third time after doing so previously in Shanghai in 2006 and Hangzhou in 2018. Officials said the championships would be organised in close cooperation with the China Swimming Association and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports. Zhou Jihong, the Chinese association's president, said the governing body was 'thrilled and deeply honoured to host the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in 2026 in Beijing, a city with a proud Olympic history and a passion for aquatic sports'. 'This prestigious competition brings together the world's best swimmers, and with the remarkable number of world records broken at the last edition, we anticipate another great spectacle,' he added. 'We look forward to welcoming swimming fans from around the globe and providing an unforgettable experience for all.'
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
China's Zhang Zhizhen says he is on track to play at Ultimate Tennis Showdown in Hong Kong
China's Zhang Zhizhen has said he expected to return to action in time for October's Ultimate Tennis Showdown in Hong Kong – but would first have to get to grips with the rules of the innovative event. From his career-high ranking of No 31 on the ATP list last July, Zhang, still nursing a shoulder injury, had seen his position slide to No 165 this week. But he said on Monday that he should be back in six weeks' time and confirmed he was on course to play in November's National Games. 'If everything goes well, I should be returning in the week of September 8, at the Challenger Tour event in Guangzhou,' he said. 'I am still recovering, [but] everything is getting better.' Zhang, whose last tournament was an ATP Masters 1000 event at Indian Wells in the United States in March, said he had been enjoying the time off with his daughter, who was born last August. Australians Alex de Minaur (left) and Nick Kyrgios are part of the line-up in Hong Kong. Photo: AFP But as he returns to the court, the 28-year-old said he planned to prepare specially for the two-day UTS, which runs at Kai Tak Arena from October 14 to 15.
