.The scene in the stands at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courthouse Philippe-Chatrier was populated along with vermillion streamers, adding a radiance to the presently orangey sky emanating off the red clay-based court.These were Mandarin flagsu00e2 $" numerous themu00e2 $" swing in loud support for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that would quickly take gold by beating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s singles ping pong final.As she put down on the dust, eyes skyward and fists prolonged into the Paris fog, the winu00e2 $ s gravity appeared to enroll: Zheng had simply built the type of background that expanded much past the stadium as well as the second. This was Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" and Zheng had actually made no secret of the simple fact that the Olympics were actually as, or even even more, vital to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng celebrates her Olympic success on August 3.Photo: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our experts consistently think a countryu00e2 $ s honor is in front of private results, u00e2 $ she pointed out over an early morning conference at Nikeu00e2 $ s Professional athlete Home, tucked inconspicuously in between the Stade de France as well as the Aquatics Facility in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis location, the time after her conquest. u00e2 $ I alleviated [the Games] differentlyu00e2 $" the feeling, the battle, the way of thinking: It felt various than every other competition Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng started participating in tennis at grow older seven. At grow older 8, she relocated, without her mother as well as papa, to Wuhan for much better coaching, and given that teenage years she has deeply marvelled at and also replicated Mandarin athletes, such as the tennis star Li Na and also the jogger Liu Xiang, who gained gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually truly tough, u00e2 $ Zheng claimed, remembering at those very early times. u00e2 $ My mother made use of to find go to on weekends. When she left, I would keep her leg and also cry. When she was actually gone, I would consistently hold her coat. This was actually up until I was 13. After thirteen, my mama determined to stop her task and come stay with me full-time, just to have far better development as well as much better care. After that, it obtained easier. And we transferred to Europe when I was 17. u00e2 $.