.The scene in the stands at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courthouse Philippe-Chatrier was populated along with vermillion ensigns, incorporating a glow to the actually orangey sky rising off the reddish clay-based court.These were Chinese flagsu00e2 $" hundreds of themu00e2 $" waving in lively support for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that would soon take gold through defeating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s single people tennis final.As she lay down on the dust, eyes skyward and fists expanded into the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravitational force seemed to sign up: Zheng had actually just shaped the sort of background that prolonged far past the stadium and the instant. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" and also Zheng had actually created no secret of the truth that the Olympics were actually as, if not additional, important to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic victory on August 3.Image: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our experts constantly believe a countryu00e2 $ s tribute resides in face of personal effectiveness, u00e2 $ she stated over an early morning appointment at Nikeu00e2 $ s Professional athlete Property, put quietly between the Stade de France and also the Aquatics Center in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis location, the time after her accomplishment. u00e2 $ I handled [the Video games] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotion, the fight, the mentality: It really felt different than every other event Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began participating in ping pong at grow older 7. At grow older 8, she moved, without her mom as well as papa, to Wuhan for much better coaching, as well as given that adolescence she has heavily marvelled at and also emulated Chinese sportsmens, including the tennis star Li Na and also the runner Liu Xiang, who gained gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually really challenging, u00e2 $ Zheng said, remembering at those very early times. u00e2 $ My mother made use of to follow check out on weekends. When she left behind, I would hold her leg as well as cry. When she was gone, I would certainly regularly keep her jacket. This was actually till I was thirteen. After thirteen, my mom decided to stop her task as well as come remain with me full time, just to possess much better development as well as far better care. Afterwards, it got less complicated. And our experts transferred to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.