.The performance in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courthouse Philippe-Chatrier was actually dotted along with vermillion ensigns, adding a glow to the presently orangey sky emanating off the red clay court.These were actually Chinese flagsu00e2 $" hundreds of themu00e2 $" swing in energetic help for Qinwen Zheng, 21, who would certainly very soon take gold by beating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s single people tennis final.As she put down on the filth, eyes skyward and also fists expanded into the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravity seemed to register: Zheng had merely forged the sort of record that expanded much past the stadium and also the moment. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" as well as Zheng had made clear of the simple fact that the Olympics were actually as, or even more, crucial to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng celebrates her Olympic triumph on August 3.Picture: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our team regularly think a countryu00e2 $ s honor resides in face of individual effectiveness, u00e2 $ she mentioned over a morning appointment at Nikeu00e2 $ s Athlete House, tucked discreetly between the Stade de France as well as the Aquatics Center in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis area, the day after her conquest. u00e2 $ I treated [the Video games] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotion, the fight, the attitude: It experienced different than every other event Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng started participating in ping pong at age seven. At age 8, she relocated, without her mother and papa, to Wuhan for far better mentoring, and given that teenage years she has greatly admired and mimicked Chinese professional athletes, such as the tennis superstar Li Na and also the distance runner Liu Xiang, who won gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually really hard, u00e2 $ Zheng mentioned, looking back at those early days. u00e2 $ My mama utilized to come go to on weekends. When she left behind, I would certainly keep her lower leg as well as weep. When she was gone, I would certainly constantly store her coat. This was until I was actually thirteen. After thirteen, my mommy chose to stop her project as well as happen stay with me full time, just to possess far better development and better treatment. Afterwards, it acquired simpler. And our team transferred to Europe when I was 17. u00e2 $.