.The performance in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier was populated along with vermillion ensigns, adding a glow to the presently orangey air rising off the reddish clay court.These were Chinese flagsu00e2 $" hundreds of themu00e2 $" swaying in boisterous support for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that would certainly quickly take gold by beating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s singles ping pong final.As she put down on the dirt, eyes skyward and fists extended right into the Paris fog, the winu00e2 $ s gravitation seemed to register: Zheng had actually only shaped the kind of record that stretched much past the arena and also the instant. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" as well as Zheng had actually made no secret of the fact that the Olympics were actually as, or even additional, important to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic triumph on August 3.Picture: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our experts always feel a countryu00e2 $ s tribute remains in face of private success, u00e2 $ she said over an early morning meeting at Nikeu00e2 $ s Athlete Property, put inconspicuously between the Stade de France as well as the Aquatics Facility in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis area, the time after her conquest. u00e2 $ I handled [the Video games] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotional state, the match, the attitude: It felt various than every other tournament Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Birthed in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began participating in tennis at age seven. At grow older 8, she relocated, without her mom and also dad, to Wuhan for much better training, and also given that adolescence she has profoundly appreciated and followed Chinese athletes, such as the tennis superstar Li Na as well as the distance runner Liu Xiang, that succeeded gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually actually hard, u00e2 $ Zheng mentioned, remembering at those early days. u00e2 $ My mom used to come see on weekend breaks. When she left behind, I would certainly hold her leg and weep. When she was actually gone, I will regularly store her coat. This was actually up until I was 13. After thirteen, my mommy determined to quit her work and also come stay with me full time, simply to have much better growth and also much better care. Afterwards, it got less complicated. As well as our team relocated to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.