China’s Zhang Ziyu a towering presence on debut, but US win World Cup basketball clash

China’s teenage centre Zhang Ziyu sparked a social media frenzy after making her Fiba Women’s Basketball World Cup debut against the United States in Berlin on Friday.

Viral images and clips of the 2.2-metre (7-foot-3) 19-year-old towering over WNBA superstars dominated online commentary, drawing praise from US stars while exposing deep tactical divisions among Chinese fans.

In her 18 minutes off the bench, Zhang presented an unprecedented physical presence, recording a team-high 13 points, six rebounds and two blocks while making nine of 10 free throws, but the Americans still secured a 94-61 victory in their Group D opener at the Max-Schmeling-Halle arena.

Standing more than 25 centimetres (10 inches) taller than the tallest American player, Aliyah Boston, photos of Zhang alongside WNBA stars Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers quickly went viral worldwide, with fans joking that the match-up resembled “adults playing against children”.