Bolt looking to his first football start in Sydney

China. “Other players are now doing really well so I think China has a good future,” she said.

Torrential downpours delayed play at the Hong Kong Open on Thursday by more than four hours, but after second-round matches eventually got under way eighth seed Alize Cornet went down to Thailand’s Luksika Kumkhum after a drama-filled clash which saw both players struggle to hold their serve.

The France world number 44 — who lost in a third set tie-break after almost three hours — appeared frustrated on court, repeatedly throwing her racket to the floor, shouting to herself and clashing with the chair umpire over disputed line calls.

Fans were sympathetic over the effect the rain delay had on players.

One supporter had waited since 3 pm for the chance to see Cornet, saying she was determined to see some action before she had to fly back to Germany on Friday.

“It’s been a long afternoon, and it’s tough for the players, they have to warm up and then cool down — it’s hard for them mentally,” said Barbara Isbanner.

But the weather appeared to have little effect on Kristina Kucova, who glided through her match with Viktoriya Tomova with the loss of just one game. The Slovak had caused an upset on Monday after she knocked out Jelena Ostapenko.

The result means she has scored backto-back WTA main draw wins for the first time in two years. SYDNEY: Sprint superstar Usain Bolt looks set to make his first start as a professional footballer on Friday, a challenge he said could determine if he has a future in the sport of his boyhood dreams.

Bolt said the coach of his Central Coast Mariners, Mike Mulvey, had indicated he would be in the starting line-up in a friendly against Macarthur South West United in Sydney. “For me, that’s always a good step, when the coach is satisfied with your fitness to put you in the starting line up — that’s always a big step,” Bolt told Mariners’ club media on Wednesday.

“I am just happy to get the chance and go out there and start, and do my best because that is the key thing.”

The eight-time Olympic champion made his footballing debut in late August in a 20-minute cameo as a substitute on the left wing, nearly scoring but tiring quickly.

Bolt said he had improved his fitness since, and expected to spend more time up front.

— AFP — AFP Zhang Shuai of China hits a return during her quarterfinal match against Naomi Osaka of Japan at the China Open in Beijing. Wang Qiang of China hits a return during her semifinal match against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark at the China Open in Beijing.