.The scene in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier was actually dotted along with vermillion ensigns, adding a glow to the already orangey sky rising off the reddish clay-based court.These were actually Chinese flagsu00e2 $" numerous themu00e2 $" waving in boisterous assistance for Qinwen Zheng, 21, who would soon take gold through defeating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s songs tennis final.As she set on the filth, eyes skyward and also fists extended in to the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravitational force appeared to enroll: Zheng had actually simply shaped the kind of past that prolonged far past the coliseum and also the instant. This was Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" as well as Zheng had created clear of the reality that the Olympics were as, or even additional, important to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng celebrates her Olympic victory on August 3.Image: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, we regularly think a countryu00e2 $ s respect remains in face of personal results, u00e2 $ she mentioned over a morning meeting at Nikeu00e2 $ s Professional athlete House, put discreetly in between the Stade de France and also the Aquatics Centre in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis region, the day after her triumph. u00e2 $ I managed [the Games] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotion, the match, the way of thinking: It felt various than intermittent competition Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Birthed in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng started participating in ping pong at grow older 7. At grow older eight, she moved, without her mama as well as papa, to Wuhan for much better training, and also given that teenage years she has actually heavily marvelled at and also mimicked Chinese sportsmens, like the tennis celebrity Li Na and also the runner Liu Xiang, who won gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was definitely tough, u00e2 $ Zheng mentioned, recalling at those very early times. u00e2 $ My mommy used to follow visit on weekend breaks. When she left behind, I would secure her lower leg and cry. When she was actually gone, I would constantly store her coat. This was up until I was actually thirteen. After 13, my mom decided to stop her project as well as happen stay with me permanent, just to possess far better development as well as far better care. Afterwards, it obtained less complicated. As well as our experts moved to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.