.The performance in the stands at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courthouse Philippe-Chatrier was dotted with vermillion banners, adding a radiance to the actually orangey sky emanating off the red clay court.These were Chinese flagsu00e2 $" dozens themu00e2 $" waving in energetic help for Qinwen Zheng, 21, who would quickly take gold through beating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s songs tennis final.As she set on the filth, eyes skyward and also fists expanded into the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravity appeared to enroll: Zheng had only forged the sort of background that prolonged far past the arena and also the moment. This was Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" and also Zheng had actually created obvious of the truth that the Olympics were actually as, otherwise more, vital to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic victory on August 3.Image: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our experts regularly believe a countryu00e2 $ s tribute resides in front of individual results, u00e2 $ she claimed over a morning appointment at Nikeu00e2 $ s Sportsmen Residence, tucked discreetly in between the Stade de France as well as the Aquatics Facility in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis region, the day after her triumph. u00e2 $ I handled [the Video games] differentlyu00e2 $" the feeling, the match, the attitude: It really felt different than intermittent tournament Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began playing tennis at grow older seven. At grow older eight, she moved, without her mother as well as papa, to Wuhan for better coaching, and also given that teenage years she has actually greatly appreciated and imitated Mandarin professional athletes, like the tennis superstar Li Na as well as the jogger Liu Xiang, that gained gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was really difficult, u00e2 $ Zheng said, recalling at those very early days. u00e2 $ My mom used to find visit on weekends. When she left, I would certainly secure her lower leg as well as cry. When she was actually gone, I would certainly constantly keep her coat. This was actually up until I was actually thirteen. After 13, my mom decided to quit her task and come stay with me full time, merely to possess far better development and much better care. Afterwards, it received less complicated. And our experts moved to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.