.The scene in the stands at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Court Philippe-Chatrier was dotted with vermillion ensigns, incorporating a glow to the actually orangey sky originating off the red clay court.These were Chinese flagsu00e2 $" manies themu00e2 $" swing in loud help for Qinwen Zheng, 21, who would quickly take gold by 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 prolonged in to the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravitational force seemed to be to sign up: Zheng had actually only created the kind of past that expanded much past the stadium and the minute. This was Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the sportu00e2 $" as well as Zheng had made no secret of the reality that the Olympics were actually as, if not additional, essential to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic victory on August 3.Image: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our company regularly think a countryu00e2 $ s honor resides in front end of personal results, u00e2 $ she pointed out over a morning conference at Nikeu00e2 $ s Professional athlete Property, tucked inconspicuously in between the Stade de France and also the Aquatics Centre in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis place, the time after her conquest. u00e2 $ I alleviated [the Video games] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotion, the fight, the way of thinking: It experienced different than every other competition Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began playing tennis at age 7. At grow older 8, she relocated, without her mother and papa, to Wuhan for far better coaching, and also considering that adolescence she has actually profoundly appreciated and also mimicked Mandarin athletes, like the ping pong superstar Li Na and also the jogger Liu Xiang, that succeeded gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually really tough, u00e2 $ Zheng pointed out, recalling at those very early days. u00e2 $ My mom utilized ahead visit on weekends. When she left, I would certainly keep her lower leg as well as cry. When she was gone, I would certainly consistently hold her coat. This was actually until I was 13. After thirteen, my mom made a decision to stop her project as well as come stay with me full time, merely to possess far better growth and also far better care. Afterwards, it obtained simpler. As well as our team transferred to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.