.The performance in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courthouse Philippe-Chatrier was dotted with vermillion banners, incorporating a radiance to the presently orangey air originating off the reddish clay court.These were actually Chinese flagsu00e2 $" thousands of themu00e2 $" swaying in loud support for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that will very soon take gold by beating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s songs tennis final.As she lay down on the dust, eyes skyward and fists stretched into the Paris fog, the winu00e2 $ s gravitational force seemed to sign up: Zheng had actually simply created the type of past that prolonged much past the arena and the second. This was Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" as well as Zheng had actually made clear of the fact that the Olympics were actually as, otherwise additional, vital to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng celebrates her Olympic victory on August 3.Picture: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our experts consistently believe a countryu00e2 $ s honor resides in face of personal effectiveness, u00e2 $ she pointed out over a morning meeting at Nikeu00e2 $ s Athlete House, tucked discreetly between the Stade de France and also the Aquatics Centre in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis region, the time after her conquest. u00e2 $ I treated [the Gamings] differentlyu00e2 $" the feeling, the match, the attitude: It experienced various than every other tournament Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng started participating in ping pong at grow older 7. At grow older eight, she moved, without her mom and dad, to Wuhan for far better mentoring, and given that teenage years she has actually greatly admired as well as emulated Chinese athletes, such as the tennis superstar Li Na as well as the runner Liu Xiang, that won gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was truly difficult, u00e2 $ Zheng claimed, looking back at those early days. u00e2 $ My mother made use of to come go to on weekends. When she left, I would certainly hold her lower leg as well as weep. When she was actually gone, I will always store her coat. This was till I was 13. After 13, my mama determined to quit her work as well as happen remain with me permanent, just to have far better growth and far better care. Afterwards, it got simpler. As well as our experts relocated to Europe when I was 17. u00e2 $.