.The scene in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Court Philippe-Chatrier was actually populated with vermillion streamers, incorporating a radiance to the currently orangey air originating off the red clay-based court.These were actually Mandarin flagsu00e2 $" thousands of themu00e2 $" waving in boisterous assistance for Qinwen Zheng, 21, who will very soon take gold through beating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s songs ping pong final.As she put down on the dust, eyes skyward and also fists stretched into the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravity appeared to enroll: Zheng had actually just built the type of record that prolonged much past the arena and also the second. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the sportu00e2 $" as well as Zheng had actually made obvious of the reality that the Olympics were actually as, or even additional, vital to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic success on August 3.Photo: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our team regularly feel a countryu00e2 $ s respect is in front end of personal success, u00e2 $ she pointed out over a morning conference at Nikeu00e2 $ s Athlete Home, tucked inconspicuously between the Stade de France and the Aquatics Centre in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis place, the time after her victory. u00e2 $ I handled [the Video games] differentlyu00e2 $" the feeling, the fight, the mentality: It felt various than every other tournament Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began playing tennis at grow older 7. At age 8, she relocated, without her mommy and dad, to Wuhan for better mentoring, and since teenage years she has actually deeply marvelled at as well as emulated Mandarin professional athletes, like the tennis superstar Li Na as well as the runner Liu Xiang, that won gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually hard, u00e2 $ Zheng said, looking back at those very early days. u00e2 $ My mother made use of to follow visit on weekends. When she left behind, I would secure her lower leg and also weep. When she was actually gone, I will always keep her coat. This was till I was actually 13. After 13, my mom chose to stop her task and also happen visit me full time, just to possess far better growth as well as better care. Afterwards, it obtained much easier. And also we transferred to Europe when I was 17. u00e2 $.