.The scene in the stands at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier was actually populated with vermillion ensigns, adding a glow to the currently orangey air rising off the reddish clay-based court.These were Mandarin flagsu00e2 $" thousands of themu00e2 $" swaying in loud help for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that would certainly soon take gold by defeating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s singles ping pong final.As she lay down on the gunk, eyes skyward and also fists extended into the Paris fog, the winu00e2 $ s gravitational force seemed to sign up: Zheng had actually just created the kind of background that prolonged far past the arena and also the moment. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the sportu00e2 $" as well as Zheng had made clear of the reality that the Olympics were actually as, or even even more, significant 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 honor resides in front end of private effectiveness, u00e2 $ she stated over an early morning appointment at Nikeu00e2 $ s Athlete Home, put discreetly between the Stade de France and the Aquatics Center in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis region, the time after her triumph. u00e2 $ I addressed [the Games] differentlyu00e2 $" the feeling, the fight, the way of thinking: It felt various than intermittent tournament Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Birthed in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng started participating in tennis at grow older 7. At age 8, she moved, without her mommy and daddy, to Wuhan for much better training, and since adolescence she has actually greatly appreciated and followed Mandarin sportsmens, such as the tennis superstar Li Na and the distance runner Liu Xiang, that gained gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually actually hard, u00e2 $ Zheng mentioned, remembering at those early times. u00e2 $ My mother used ahead visit on weekends. When she left behind, I would certainly hold her lower leg and weep. When she was actually gone, I would always hold her jacket. This was actually up until I was 13. After thirteen, my mother chose to stop her work and happen stick with me permanent, simply to possess better development and far better treatment. After that, it received simpler. As well as we transferred to Europe when I was 17. u00e2 $.