.The scene in the stands at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier was dotted along with vermillion ensigns, incorporating a radiance to the presently orangey air originating off the reddish clay court.These were actually Chinese flagsu00e2 $" thousands of themu00e2 $" swaying in lively assistance for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that will soon take gold through beating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s singles tennis final.As she set on the gunk, eyes skyward and also fists expanded right into the Paris fog, the winu00e2 $ s gravity seemed to register: Zheng had merely created the sort of background that stretched much past the arena and also the second. This was Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" as well as Zheng had created no secret of the truth that the Olympics were actually as, otherwise more, necessary to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic victory on August 3.Image: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, we regularly feel a countryu00e2 $ s tribute is in front of individual success, u00e2 $ she mentioned over a morning conference at Nikeu00e2 $ s Professional athlete House, put quietly in between the Stade de France and the Aquatics Center in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis location, the time after her accomplishment. u00e2 $ I handled [the Video games] differentlyu00e2 $" the feeling, the match, the way of thinking: It felt various than intermittent event Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Birthed in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng started playing ping pong at age seven. At grow older 8, she moved, without her mommy and also father, to Wuhan for far better coaching, as well as since teenage years she has heavily appreciated and also emulated Chinese sportsmens, like the ping pong superstar Li Na and the distance runner Liu Xiang, that succeeded gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was really hard, u00e2 $ Zheng said, remembering at those very early days. u00e2 $ My mama used ahead go to on weekends. When she left, I would certainly keep her lower leg as well as weep. When she was gone, I will constantly store her coat. This was actually up until I was actually 13. After thirteen, my mother decided to stop her work and also come remain with me full time, only to possess better growth and much better care. Afterwards, it got less complicated. As well as our company relocated to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.