MELBOURNE, Australia - China has begun its search for the next Li Na, and one of the juniors with the talent to replace the countrys two-time Grand Slam champion may speak better English than she does Chinese. Kevin King Super Bowl Jersey .Xu Shilin, who just turned 17 and goes by the English name Coco, was the first Chinese girl to be No. 1 in the world junior rankings and won the gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games last year. She has also told the Chinese media that her goal is to win a Grand Slam title before shes 20.It is a goal and a dream. Of course, Im working toward that, she said at the Australian Open, where she was the top seed in the girls singles draw before losing Wednesday in the third round. I think anything is possible.Xus rise has been unique compared with the previous generation of Chinese players because her parents decided to develop her talents outside Chinas state-run sports system, choosing instead to move to Florida where she could train at top private academies.Such freedoms were only made possible due to Li Na and a few other current players, who broke free from the state system years ago and were allowed to manage their own careers and keep their own prize money. This paved the way for the next generation of players to choose their own paths.Xus parents made a big decision when they saw how much talent she had at age 8. Her father, Xu Yang, sold the small tennis club he owned in Guangdong province and moved the family to Florida for nearly six years.Her father rolled the dice, said Xus manager Terry Rhoads, who is managing director of Shanghai-based sports consulting firm Zou Marketing. They didnt live well. They struggled.Because Xu was talented, she was invited to train at several different academies and began to climb the junior rankings in the U.S., attracting the interest of the United States Tennis Association, Rhoads said. Instead of having Xu play for the U.S., however, the family decided it was time to return to China.It wasnt an easy transition at first because Xus Mandarin had become so rusty, she was afraid to speak at times. But shes becoming more comfortable now and has already attracted a number of sponsors.Rhoads compares her career trajectory with that of Japanese star Kei Nishikori, who also lived in and trained in the U.S. for many years.If you ask me this is what China needs to do with a bunch of the boys, he said. Coco got tough. She grew up. She saw how difficult it was for her parents.Other top juniors are taking similar paths, choosing to train at private academies in China where they receive coaching, education, room and board and travel expenses in exchange for a percentage of future prize money earned.After Xus loss in singles at the Australian Open junior tournament, she played a girls doubles match against one of these homegrown players, 16-year-old Zheng Wushuang, who trains at the 1123 Junior Tennis Academy in Beijing and is now Chinas second-ranked junior girl. Xu and her Australian partner Sara Tomic won that match, but lost in straight sets in the semifinals Thursday.Sitting courtside Wednesday, Yi Ping, the founder of the academy, said she has only taken on seven of Chinas most promising players in order to maximize the resources she can provide them. One of Chinas largest insurance companies, Ping An, is the academys main sponsor.With the academy becoming more famous, there are more junior players who want to come in, Yi said. But we want to see the great potential in players and decide if we want to have them. We want to have all the top junior players in our club.Xu, who now has a Belgian coach, believes her father made the right decision for her development.I think its very different than going down the traditional Chinese route, Xu said. I got a lot of good experience from that time, in Florida.Rhoads said Xu is already fielding questions from the media about becoming the next Li Na. But he said its going to take some time before Xu is anywhere close. Li won her first major at the French Open in 2011 at the age of 29.I think if the Chinese fans and the media are patient, theyre going to see something special, he said. Li Na didnt hit her stride until she was 24, 25 years old.And although she admires Lis career, Xu doesnt want to be compared to anyone.I respect her a lot. I like her a lot. But I just want to be myself, obviously. Lane Taylor Super Bowl Jersey . -- J.R. Sweezy was the one part of the Seattle Seahawks offensive line that had avoided injuries or having to change positions this season. Reggie White Super Bowl Jersey . Last year, Matt Kuchar closed with a 4-under 68 to beat Kevin Chappell by two strokes for his second win of the 2013 season and sixth of his career.TORONTO - It appears Mark DeRosa will finish his 16th major league season with the Toronto Blue Jays, the club valuing his experience and leadership so much it wouldnt lose him to a waiver claim. “Hes helped stabilize some things” said manager John Gibbons. “I know hes really helped Lawrie. Hes just that proven vet that everybody bounces things off of. Hes got the right things to say at the right time. Its been a frustrating year but, you know, hes helped stabilize some things.” According to numerous reports, DeRosa was claimed on revocable waivers on Wednesday. A routine paper move, had the player cleared the Blue Jays would have been free to trade DeRosa at any point in August or September. Once DeRosa was claimed, the Jays had a decision to make: deal or no deal with the selecting club. CBS Sports reported the team which took DeRosa was, like the Blue Jays, under .500, therefore not increasing the veterans likelihood of competing in the playoffs. DeRosa has a World Series ring as a member of the 2010 San Francisco Giants but, due to injury, he doesnt consider himself a contributor to the championship. The Blue Jays hold an option on DeRosa for 2014 for $750,000. The 38-year-old doesnt yet know whether hell play next season. “I go back and forth on it everyday,” said DeRosa. “I think my family will play a huge part in that. Thats something, in the offseason, well sit down and discuss as a family. Ive been gone for a long time and my wife always has the line, ‘Do you want to raise 24 men or do you want to raise your own son? A little bit below the belt for her to tell me those things but I understand wholeheartedly. Itll be a family decision but I still think I can compete.” DeRosa has proven to himself he can still play. Coming off three down seasons thanks to two surgeries to repair a torn tendon sheath in his wrist, the first of which was botched, DeRosa knew in spring training he had some pop back in his bat. He was driving the ball during batting practice, something he couldnt do during the worst days of his injury. This season, afforded more of an opportunity to play than he anticipated, hes hit seven home runs and posted an OPS of .769, which is above his career average. “Im appreciative of the way Gibby has used me,” said DeRosa. “I dont think coming out of spring training I was expecting or he was expecting to use me as much as he has. Im glad Ive changed that opinion. I know the team has had something to do with that and our struggles have given me more opportunity to play. Hes handled me really great. Hes kept me fresh. Hes kept me involved. The way hes handled me has been perfect.” More valuable than his numbers is DeRosas ability to connect with anyone in the clubhouse. Lawrie tops the list and the two have shared neighbouring locker stalls since the start of spring training. Theyve golfed together, can be seen arriving to visiting ballparks together, and have struck up a friendship despite a 15-year age difference. “Hes been tremendous,” said Lawrie, who at 23 is the mentee to DeRosas mentor. “What a good dude. I havent met anybody for that fact, in baseball, thats been around the game like him. His personality is exactly like mine. Hes just one of the guys. He has good energy. He comes to the clubhouse everyday with a smile, brings a good attitude. Packers Super Bowl Jerseys. . Hes just been around the game a long time. Hes been to 11 postseasons. Hes been in the game for 14, 15 years. There are not a lot of guys that have been around like he has and have gone to the extent, hes won a World Series and hes done all these things and he knows what it takes to win. He knows what it takes to be in the big leagues for a long, extended period of time and thats beneficial to me.” “Being more of a big brother for him,” said DeRosa of his responsibility toward Lawrie. “Letting him vent, letting him say what he needs to say and then picking and choosing what battles to fight with him. You dont just want to flood a guy with a million things to think about. I think with him its got to be in steps but he has to understand the importance of being accountable, being in the right place at the right time, being consistent.” Lawrie has touched nerves this season, perhaps no more so than when he stared down Adam Lind and third base coach Luis Rivera when Lind didnt score on a fly ball during a June 22 game against Baltimore. DeRosa said then, and repeats now, that Lawrie has a unique intensity which comes from a good place even if, on occasion, its appearance is ugly. As to the fundamentals of the game, DeRosas spoken to Lawrie about how the intensity, the constant movement, can be beneficial on defence but ineffective in the batters box. Hes been persistent in delivering the message, as well as others, and he believes its starting to sink in. When sharing his wisdom, hes quick to remind teammates hes passing along information from the greats with whom hes played; the likes of Albert Pujols, Chipper Jones and Gary Sheffield. DeRosa is someone players, and even the manager, can confide in. “I talk to him about different things, no question,” said Gibbons. “The thing about DeRo, hes a levelheaded guy. I mean, hes highly intelligent and hes been around, man. Hes been around winners his whole life, his whole career.” “He tells you straight up, hes not going to lie to you,” said Lawrie. “He tells you everything thats on his mind and says Im going to be honest with you. I say, go ahead and shoot me with it because thats how I am, I like to know the truth, I like to know whats on his mind and obviously everyone elses but for myself, a guy thats 38-years-old thats been around the game for this long and done everything hes done, its a lot of fun for myself.” DeRosa is a stand-up guy, good to his teammates, good to his coaches, good to those around the team. An Ivy Leaguer, he quarterbacked Penns football team for three seasons in the mid-1990s, DeRosa is also intelligent and approachable on all matters of the game. Hell play again in 2014 if he gets the blessing of his wife and two children and if he feels like going through the rigours of another offseason of training. Dont mistake the decision hell make, whatever it is, for his view of the Blue Jays. “I still believe in the talent in this room,” he said. “I know it hasnt jelled for whatever reason. There are a ton of reasons why it hasnt worked from an offensive standpoint and a pitching standpoint, a defensive standpoint. I still believe that this team is capable of great things with a couple of tweaks, a couple of adjustments.” ' ' '