Talking Balls: Grand Finals, Bought Titles & Tennis Hits Town

Starting with the CSL. Beijing Guoan are still in the hunt for the AFC Champions' League places. A 3-0 win over Henan Construction helped. Guangzhou have now wrapped up the league, buying their way to the title just a season after being promoted. Meanwhile, a horrific injury to Tianjin's Luciano left him with a fractured skull. No one wants to see that in sport. Good luck to him in his recovery.

The China Open started today but mono, ruptures and a syndrome has kept Novak Djokovic, Venus Williams and Robin Soderling away. Djokovic is sad, going so far as to say "I am very sad to announce I will not participate in the China Open." Tennis fans would have to make do with Pete Sampras taking on Marat Safin to open the new Diamond Stadium. For those that were wondering it's Soderling who has mono.

Team China will be playing basketball at the Olympics. They beat Jordan to become Asian champions and book a spot in London. Here's what the coach Bob Donewald had to say.

Li Na wants to be at London 2012 too. Here she is after getting the animated treatment for a Weibo ad. Here's China Smack's take on the cartoon.

And finally, it's the AFL Grand Final tomorrow and Frank's Place is the place to be. Get over there for some Australian rules football and drinking.

Photo: China Daily