.The scene in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Court Philippe-Chatrier was dotted with vermillion ensigns, including a glow to the already orangey air rising off the red clay-based court.These were Mandarin flagsu00e2 $" hundreds of themu00e2 $" swaying in loud help for Qinwen Zheng, 21, who will very soon 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 fists prolonged right into the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravitational force appeared to enroll: Zheng had just created the sort of past that stretched much past the stadium and also the minute. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" and also Zheng had actually made clear of the reality that the Olympics were as, or even even more, significant to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng celebrates her Olympic victory on August 3.Photo: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our company consistently think a countryu00e2 $ s tribute remains in front of personal excellence, u00e2 $ she pointed out over a morning conference at Nikeu00e2 $ s Sportsmen House, put quietly between the Stade de France and also the Aquatics Center in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis area, the day after her triumph. u00e2 $ I treated [the Video games] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotional state, the fight, the mentality: It really felt various than intermittent event Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Birthed in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng started participating in tennis at grow older 7. At age 8, she moved, without her mom and also father, to Wuhan for much better training, and because teenage years she has actually greatly admired and emulated Mandarin sportsmens, including the ping pong celebrity Li Na as well as the runner Liu Xiang, that gained gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually really hard, u00e2 $ Zheng said, remembering at those very early times. u00e2 $ My mom utilized to follow browse through on weekend breaks. When she left behind, I will secure her leg and cry. When she was actually gone, I would consistently store her jacket. This was up until I was thirteen. After 13, my mommy decided to quit her project and happen stay with me full time, merely to possess far better growth and also better care. After that, it got easier. And our experts relocated to Europe when I was 17. u00e2 $.