.The performance in the stands at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courthouse Philippe-Chatrier was actually dotted with vermillion streamers, adding a radiance to the already orangey sky rising off the red clay-based court.These were Mandarin flagsu00e2 $" thousands of themu00e2 $" swing in boisterous support for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that would certainly quickly take gold through defeating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s single people ping pong final.As she put down on the dirt, eyes skyward and fists expanded right into the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravitation seemed to sign up: Zheng had actually just created the type of past history that expanded far past the coliseum as well as the moment. This was Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the sportu00e2 $" and also Zheng had actually created clear of the reality that the Olympics were actually as, if not more, vital to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic success on August 3.Photograph: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our team constantly strongly believe a countryu00e2 $ s respect is in front of personal excellence, u00e2 $ she stated over an early morning appointment at Nikeu00e2 $ s Athlete Property, tucked discreetly in between the Stade de France and also the Aquatics Center in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis region, the time after her victory. u00e2 $ I dealt with [the Gamings] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotion, the fight, the attitude: It really felt different than every other event Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Birthed in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began playing tennis at age 7. At grow older 8, she moved, without her mother and also daddy, to Wuhan for much better coaching, as well as because teenage years she has heavily admired and also followed Chinese professional athletes, like the ping pong superstar Li Na and the runner Liu Xiang, who won gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually really tough, u00e2 $ Zheng mentioned, remembering at those early days. u00e2 $ My mama made use of ahead visit on weekend breaks. When she left, I will keep her leg and cry. When she was gone, I will always keep her jacket. This was actually up until I was thirteen. After thirteen, my mama determined to quit her job and also happen stay with me full-time, just to have much better development and also better care. After that, it acquired less complicated. And also our team relocated to Europe when I was 17. u00e2 $.