.The performance in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Court Philippe-Chatrier was dotted with vermillion streamers, including a glow to the already orangey air emanating off the reddish clay-based court.These were actually Mandarin flagsu00e2 $" dozens themu00e2 $" swaying in energetic support for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that will quickly take gold by beating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s singles tennis final.As she put down on the gunk, eyes skyward and fists extended into the Paris fog, the winu00e2 $ s gravitation seemed to be to register: Zheng had only created the type of past history that prolonged much past the arena and also the second. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" as well as Zheng had actually made clear of the reality that the Olympics were actually as, otherwise additional, important to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic victory on August 3.Image: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our experts consistently believe a countryu00e2 $ s tribute resides in front of private success, u00e2 $ she mentioned over a morning conference at Nikeu00e2 $ s Sportsmen Home, put discreetly in between the Stade de France as well as the Aquatics Center in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis area, the time after her triumph. u00e2 $ I addressed [the Video games] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotional state, the match, the mentality: It felt different than intermittent competition Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Birthed in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began playing tennis at grow older 7. At grow older 8, she moved, without her mom as well as dad, to Wuhan for much better coaching, and also since adolescence she has actually profoundly appreciated and imitated Chinese professional athletes, such as the ping pong celebrity Li Na and also the distance runner Liu Xiang, who gained gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was really challenging, u00e2 $ Zheng stated, looking back at those early times. u00e2 $ My mama utilized ahead see on weekend breaks. When she left behind, I will keep her lower leg and weep. When she was gone, I would certainly constantly store her jacket. This was until I was thirteen. After thirteen, my mother determined to stop her work and also happen visit me full-time, merely to possess much better growth as well as much better care. Afterwards, it got simpler. As well as our team transferred to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.