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Players fight for the ball in a match between Australia and the Philippines during the 2025 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, which kicked off in the Shenzhen Sports Center in Futian District yesterday. Australia routed the Philippines 115-39. Eight teams are battling for continental supremacy through July 20. It is China’s fourth time to host this prestigious basketball tournament. The previous editions were in Shanghai in 1984, Qinhuangdao in 2005, and Wuhan in 2015. FIBA executive director Hagop Khajirian has highlighted that Shenzhen is an ideal city for hosting Asia’s top national teams, and its unique combination of technological advancement and cultural vibrancy will spotlight the rapid rise of women’s basketball across Asia.Liu Xudong