.The scene in the stands at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier was actually populated along with vermillion streamers, including a glow to the presently orangey sky rising off the reddish clay-based court.These were Chinese flagsu00e2 $" hundreds of themu00e2 $" swaying in loud help for Qinwen Zheng, 21, who would quickly take gold through beating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s singles tennis final.As she put down on the dirt, eyes skyward and also fists stretched in to the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravitational force seemed to sign up: Zheng had actually just created the type of history that stretched far past the stadium as well as the instant. This was Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the sportu00e2 $" and also Zheng had actually made obvious of the simple fact that the Olympics were as, otherwise more, vital to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic success on August 3.Picture: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our experts consistently believe a countryu00e2 $ s tribute resides in face of individual effectiveness, u00e2 $ she stated over a morning appointment at Nikeu00e2 $ s Sportsmen Property, tucked discreetly between the Stade de France as well as the Aquatics Facility in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis region, the time after her conquest. u00e2 $ I dealt with [the Gamings] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotional state, the fight, the mentality: It experienced various than every other event Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Birthed in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began playing ping pong at grow older seven. At age eight, she moved, without her mom and father, to Wuhan for far better coaching, and also considering that adolescence she has actually heavily marvelled at as well as imitated Mandarin professional athletes, such as the ping pong superstar Li Na and also the jogger Liu Xiang, who gained gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually really difficult, u00e2 $ Zheng said, remembering at those early times. u00e2 $ My mama made use of ahead browse through on weekend breaks. When she left, I would certainly keep her leg and also weep. When she was actually gone, I would certainly regularly keep her jacket. This was until I was thirteen. After 13, my mommy decided to quit her work as well as happen stay with me permanent, simply to possess far better growth and much better treatment. After that, it obtained simpler. And our company relocated to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.