.The performance in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier was actually populated along with vermillion ensigns, adding a glow to the actually orangey sky originating off the reddish clay court.These were Mandarin flagsu00e2 $" numerous themu00e2 $" swaying in lively help for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that will very soon take gold through defeating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s single people tennis final.As she put down on the dirt, eyes skyward and also fists stretched right into the Paris fog, the winu00e2 $ s gravity appeared to register: Zheng had actually only shaped the sort of background that stretched much past the arena as well as the second. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" and also Zheng had actually made no secret of the simple fact that the Olympics were actually as, otherwise additional, vital to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng celebrates her Olympic success on August 3.Image: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our team always strongly believe a countryu00e2 $ s honor remains in front of private excellence, u00e2 $ she claimed over an early morning meeting at Nikeu00e2 $ s Athlete Residence, put discreetly in between the Stade de France as well as the Aquatics Facility in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis area, the day after her conquest. u00e2 $ I treated [the Gamings] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotion, the fight, the attitude: It really felt various than every other competition Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng started playing ping pong at age 7. At age 8, she relocated, without her mother and also father, to Wuhan for far better mentoring, and due to the fact that adolescence she has actually deeply appreciated and imitated Mandarin sportsmens, like the tennis star Li Na and also the jogger Liu Xiang, that gained gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually actually challenging, u00e2 $ Zheng said, recalling at those very early days. u00e2 $ My mother made use of ahead see on weekend breaks. When she left behind, I would keep her lower leg as well as weep. When she was actually gone, I would constantly hold her coat. This was till I was 13. After 13, my mommy made a decision to stop her work and come remain with me full-time, only to have better growth as well as better care. Afterwards, it got easier. As well as we transferred to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.