.The scene in the stands at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Court Philippe-Chatrier was dotted with vermillion banners, incorporating a radiance to the already orangey air rising off the reddish clay court.These were actually Mandarin flagsu00e2 $" hundreds of themu00e2 $" swaying in energetic assistance for Qinwen Zheng, 21, who would very soon take gold by defeating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s songs tennis final.As she put down on the filth, eyes skyward and also fists extended right into the Paris fog, the winu00e2 $ s gravity seemed to sign up: Zheng had actually simply shaped the sort of background that prolonged far past the arena and also the minute. This was Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the sportu00e2 $" and also Zheng had actually created obvious of the fact that the Olympics were actually as, if not additional, essential to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic victory on August 3.Photograph: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our company constantly feel a countryu00e2 $ s tribute remains in face of individual success, u00e2 $ she claimed over an early morning appointment at Nikeu00e2 $ s Professional athlete Residence, tucked discreetly in between the Stade de France as well as the Aquatics Centre in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis area, the day after her conquest. u00e2 $ I handled [the Gamings] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotional state, the match, the mentality: It felt various than intermittent tournament Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng started playing ping pong at grow older 7. At age eight, she relocated, without her mama as well as papa, to Wuhan for better training, as well as since teenage years she has actually greatly appreciated and also followed Mandarin professional athletes, including the ping pong celebrity Li Na and also the distance runner Liu Xiang, who won gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was really tough, u00e2 $ Zheng mentioned, looking back at those early days. u00e2 $ My mom used to come visit on weekends. When she left behind, I will secure her leg and also cry. When she was gone, I would always keep her coat. This was till I was 13. After thirteen, my mama made a decision to quit her task and come visit me full time, only to possess far better development and better treatment. After that, it acquired much easier. As well as our team relocated to Europe when I was 17. u00e2 $.