Beijing, August 9:

Yao Ming will get his first taste of the Beijing Olympics on Sunday in the toughest possible situation — against the US men’s basketball team.

Yao, along with Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang, are the two biggest names at the games, which are in the world’s most populous country for the first time. Fourteen more gold medals will be awarded on Sunday including four in the pool.

Tennis also starts, with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal entered in the men’s competition and top-ranked Jelena Jankovic in doubt for her match with a sore right calf. More gold medals will be awarded in archery, cycling, synchronized diving, fencing, judo, shooting and weightlifting.

The badminton competition is again playing on Sunday, along with athletes competing in beach volleyball, boxing, equestrian, field hockey, gymnastics, rowing, sailing, football, team handball, volleyball and water polo.