By Tang Yue

A revelation about the unborn child of Chinese basketball star Yao Ming and his wife Ye Li has sparked frantic debate on online forums and in the nation's media.

Yang Lan, a China Daily columnist and popular talk show host, revealed on Thursday that the couple is having a girl.

"Yao told me about his excitement of becoming a father, especially when he first heard his daughter's heartbeat on the monitor," Yang wrote in her China Daily column.

The baby has been a hot topic on television, in newspapers and the Internet since late last month, when it was announced the couple is expecting.

Fans have speculated on the gender, name, nationality, height and future profession of the child.

One puzzle has now been solved but Yang's disclosure has triggered fresh attention.

The baby is due in July but already several versions of a composite photograph of what she could look like are circulating the Web.

Yao, who plays centre for Houston Rockets in the NBA, stands at 2.29m, while Ye is 1.9m tall. Scientists predict their baby will also grow to about 1.9m, leading to speculation among Chinese about whether she will follow her parents into the sport of basketball.

Many expect her to join the national women's team like her mother, who is a former power forward. However, some believe volleyball could be better choice as the women's national team has already won six world titles.

"No matter whether she chooses basketball or volleyball, she will probably be successful with her height and sporting talents," read a comment piece in the New Culture Post. "But she will probably have greater achievements as a volleyball player and help the team to win world titles."