BEIJING -- Basketball legend Michael Jordan now owns his Chinese name, after Chinas highest court sided with him Thursday following a yearslong legal battle over a trademark dispute.The former NBA star has fought a Chinese sportswear maker since 2012 over the name Qiaodan, pronounced CHEEOW-dan, the transliteration of Jordan in Mandarin.Qiaodan Sports, a company based in southern China, had registered the trademark under which it was selling its own shoes and sportswear.Jordan has been known by the Chinese characters for Qiaodan since he gained widespread popularity in the mid-1980s. He had previously argued unsuccessfully in Beijing courts that Qiaodan Sports had used his Chinese name, his old jersey number 23 and basketball player logo to make it look like he was associated with their brand.The Supreme Peoples Court on Thursday announced that it was overturning two rulings by Beijing courts against Jordan from 2014 and 2015 that had found there wasnt sufficient evidence to support the athletes allegations over the use of his image, and that Qiaodan was the translation of a common family name as the Chinese company claimed.It also ordered the trademark bureau to issue a new ruling on the use of the Chinese characters in the brand name Qiaodan, effectively awarding the trademark to Jordan. The company can continue to use the Romanized spelling of the name, however.Chief judge Tao Kaiyuan said there was an established link between Jordan and the Chinese characters for Qiaodan, which are commonly used by the public when referring to the former basketball player, meaning that Jordan was entitled to protection under the Trademark Law.The courts judgment was shown live on its website.Jordan said in a statement that millions of Chinese fans and consumers had always known him by the name Qiaodan and that he was happy the court recognized his right to protect his name.Chinese consumers deserve to know that Qiaodan Sports and its products have no connection to me. Nothing is more important than protecting your own name, and todays decision shows the importance of that principle, Jordan said.In a statement after the ruling, the company defended its actions but said it would respect the courts decision.In a twist in the legal saga, Qiaodan Sports successfully countersued Jordan in 2013 for preventing it from pursuing a stock market listing because of the trademark lawsuit.The case reflects the difficulties faced by foreign individuals and companies in protecting their copyrights in China, where domestic firms have long taken a cavalier attitude toward intellectual property.Numerous Chinese companies sell products with names that sound similar to well-known foreign brands, often with only one or two letters changed.Chinese law protects foreign companies in cases where their brand was already famous in China before being registered by a Chinese firm seeking to capitalize on its notoriety.However, Apple Inc. lost a legal battle earlier this year when a Beijing court ruled the company had failed to prove that iPhone was a famous brand in China before a Chinese company applied for the iPhone trademark in 2007. The Chinese company uses iPhone on its handbags and mobile phone cases.---Associated Press writer Christopher Bodeen and researcher Yu Bing contributed to this report. Nike Odyssey React Wholesale .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Nike Air Presto Clearance .com) - The Montreal Canadiens embark on their first road trip of the season as they head out west to battle the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. http://www.nikereactsale.com/epic-react-flyknit-shoes.html . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. Nike Epic React Flyknit Cheap . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. Nike Air More Uptempo Wholesale . However, he did make them miss him a little less. Cundiff, who had the unenviable job of replacing Dawson last season, agreed Thursday to a one-year, $1. JACKSON, Miss. -- After Kevin Streelman opened the Sanderson Farms Championship with a 9-under 63 on Thursday, he and several other players said it would take 20 under or better to win.Chris Kirk isnt into predictions, but he does know what hell need to do Sunday for his fifth PGA Tour title and second in the event.Ive tried to predict scores before, and Ive never done a very good job of it, so Ive kind of quit, said Kirk, the highest-ranked player in the field. Im just going to go out and stay very aggressive, and Ill try to make as many birdies as I can, thats for sure.Kirk had eight birdies in a 7-under 65 to share the third-round lead with Luke List.List also shot 65 to match Kirk at 14 under at the Country Club of Jackson.Cody Gribble (67), Canadas Graham DeLaet (68), and 2009 U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover (68) were a stroke back.Second-round leader Grayson Murray had a 72 to drop two shots behind. He missed several short putts and had a double bogey on the shortest par-4 on the course.Kirks first PGA Tour title came in the event in 2011, when it was known as the Viking Classic and was played at Annandale Golf Club in nearby Madison. He has won three times since, including twice in 2014, when he finished second in the FedEx Cup standings.List, chasing his first PGA Tour victory, had seveen birdies in a bogey-free round.dddddddddddd.List opened the week with a 71 that included four bogeys. He got hot Friday, making five straight birdies at one point, and hasnt made a bogey over his last 27 holes.While Kirk has been in this position before, its all new for List, who has had just two top-10 finishes in three years on the tour and has never been higher than ninth place after 54 holes.On Sunday, hell be in the final group with Kirk and Gribble.The more patient and chill I can be out there the better, List said. Of course, Ill be nervous and excited to compete for relatively the first time in major contention, so Ill just be trying to do the same thing, get the ball in the fairway and go from there.Kirk played Wednesdays pro-am with a fever. He said he has felt a little better each day since.His game has responded accordingly, and with three wins in the last three years hes by far the most accomplished player in the final pairing.That helps a little bit, I guess, but it doesnt make it any easier, he said. Winning out here is extremely difficult. You have to play incredibly well, and you have to get some good breaks long the way. Im happy to have a chance. ' ' '