.The performance in the stands at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courthouse Philippe-Chatrier was actually dotted along with vermillion banners, adding a glow to the currently orangey air originating off the reddish clay court.These were Mandarin flagsu00e2 $" dozens themu00e2 $" waving in energetic help for Qinwen Zheng, 21, who would certainly quickly take gold through beating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s singles ping pong final.As she put down on the filth, eyes skyward as well as fists extended into the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravitational force appeared to enroll: Zheng had actually simply shaped the type of record that stretched much past the arena as well as the moment. This was Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" and Zheng had made clear of the simple fact that the Olympics were as, or even additional, crucial to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic success on August 3.Photograph: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our company constantly believe a countryu00e2 $ s respect is in front end of private results, u00e2 $ she stated over an early morning meeting at Nikeu00e2 $ s Athlete House, put discreetly between the Stade de France as well as the Aquatics Facility in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis area, the day after her accomplishment. u00e2 $ I addressed [the Games] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotion, the match, the way of thinking: It experienced different than intermittent competition Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began participating in ping pong at age 7. At grow older eight, she moved, without her mother and dad, to Wuhan for better mentoring, and also given that adolescence she has actually profoundly admired and replicated Chinese athletes, such as the tennis star Li Na and also the runner Liu Xiang, that succeeded gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually hard, u00e2 $ Zheng claimed, looking back at those early days. u00e2 $ My mom made use of to find visit on weekends. When she left behind, I will secure her leg and also cry. When she was actually gone, I would regularly store her jacket. This was up until I was 13. After 13, my mama chose to stop her work and also come stick with me full time, simply to have better growth and much better treatment. Afterwards, it acquired less complicated. And our company moved to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.