Gloves off for hoops divas

By Alastair Himmer

BEIJING (Reuters) - If the sparks flying during the run-in to the Beijing Olympics are anything to go by, the women's basketball tournament has the potential to turn really nasty.

Australia's Lauren Jackson warned there could be "broken bones" after the competition gets under way on Saturday following a spiteful warm-up game against the United States.

World champions Australia, who took silver behind the Americans at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, play the first game of the competition against Belarus in Group A.

The U.S. team, bidding for their fourth successive Olympic title but smarting from their flop at the world championships in 2006, open their campaign against the Czech Republic.

The gloves are already off for the Australians, who have promised they will fight fire with fire in Beijing after being given a taster of what to expect from the United States.

"We're used to playing against teams that are going to beat the crap out of us, because we are so good," Jackson said.

"People have to stop us somehow and that's the way they're going to stop us. People like Penny (Taylor) and myself and Belinda Snell you just can't let go to the basket because we'll kill people.

"So they're going to really stop us anyway that they can and generally that's when black eyes and broken bones occur." The Americans take on the Czech Republic in their Group B opener with slam-dunking Candace Parker and veteran Lisa Leslie set to take centre stage.

"There are no easy games any more," U.S. coach Anna Donovan told Reuters. "You don't just go and pick up a gold medal. The rest of the world has caught up to us."

American Becky Hammon, who opted for Russian citizenship to play in the Olympics, takes to the court when the world silver medalists face Latvia in Group A.

Hosts China face a tricky opener against Spain while New Zealand's "Tall Ferns" tackle Mali in Saturday's other Group B game. The other Group A game involves Brazil and South Korea.

(Editing by Alison Williams)

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