.The performance in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courthouse Philippe-Chatrier was actually populated with vermillion streamers, adding a glow to the already orangey sky originating off the reddish clay court.These were actually Mandarin flagsu00e2 $" numerous themu00e2 $" swaying in loud support for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that would certainly soon take gold by defeating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s single people ping pong final.As she set on the gunk, eyes skyward as well as fists stretched in to the Paris fog, the winu00e2 $ s gravity appeared to enroll: Zheng had merely shaped the kind of history that expanded far past the arena as well as the instant. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the sportu00e2 $" as well as Zheng had actually made obvious of the fact that the Olympics were actually as, or even additional, essential to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng celebrates her Olympic victory on August 3.Picture: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our team constantly believe a countryu00e2 $ s honor is in face of personal results, u00e2 $ she stated over an early morning meeting at Nikeu00e2 $ s Athlete Property, tucked quietly in between the Stade de France and the Aquatics Center in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis region, the day after her conquest. u00e2 $ I managed [the Games] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotion, the match, the mentality: It felt various than every other competition Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began playing tennis at age seven. At age 8, she relocated, without her mommy as well as daddy, to Wuhan for much better training, and also due to the fact that adolescence she has heavily marvelled at and replicated Mandarin sportsmens, such as the ping pong star Li Na and also the runner Liu Xiang, that won gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually actually hard, u00e2 $ Zheng stated, looking back at those very early days. u00e2 $ My mommy used to come check out on weekends. When she left, I would certainly hold her leg and weep. When she was actually gone, I would certainly consistently hold her jacket. This was actually up until I was actually 13. After thirteen, my mother decided to quit her task and come stay with me permanent, only to possess much better development as well as much better care. After that, it obtained less complicated. As well as our company relocated to Europe when I was 17. u00e2 $.