.The performance in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courthouse Philippe-Chatrier was actually populated along with vermillion streamers, adding a glow to the already orangey air originating off the reddish clay court.These were Chinese flagsu00e2 $" dozens themu00e2 $" swing in energetic assistance for Qinwen Zheng, 21, who will very soon take gold by defeating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s songs ping pong final.As she set on the dirt, eyes skyward and also fists prolonged in to the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravitational force appeared to sign up: Zheng had simply created the kind of background that stretched much past the arena as well as the second. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" and also Zheng had made obvious of the simple fact that the Olympics were as, or even additional, vital to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng celebrates her Olympic victory on August 3.Image: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, we constantly feel a countryu00e2 $ s tribute remains in front end of personal effectiveness, u00e2 $ she stated over a morning appointment at Nikeu00e2 $ s Professional athlete House, put quietly between the Stade de France as well as the Aquatics Facility in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis region, the time after her conquest. u00e2 $ I addressed [the Gamings] differentlyu00e2 $" the feeling, the fight, the attitude: It really felt various than intermittent competition Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Birthed in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began participating in tennis at grow older 7. At grow older 8, she relocated, without her mother as well as daddy, to Wuhan for better training, and considering that adolescence she has actually profoundly admired and replicated Chinese sportsmens, including the tennis celebrity Li Na and the jogger Liu Xiang, that won gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually actually hard, u00e2 $ Zheng said, remembering at those early days. u00e2 $ My mommy used to come see on weekend breaks. When she left, I would secure her leg and also cry. When she was actually gone, I would constantly keep her jacket. This was until I was 13. After 13, my mother determined to quit her project and happen stay with me permanent, just to possess better development as well as better treatment. Afterwards, it got simpler. As well as our team transferred to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.