.The scene in the stands at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier was actually dotted with vermillion streamers, adding a radiance to the presently orangey air rising off the reddish clay-based court.These were actually Chinese flagsu00e2 $" hundreds of themu00e2 $" swing in energetic help for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that would very soon take gold by defeating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s singles tennis final.As she lay down on the dirt, eyes skyward as well as fists extended right into the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravity seemed to enroll: Zheng had merely forged the kind of background that prolonged much past the stadium and also the second. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the sportu00e2 $" as well as Zheng had created no secret of the reality that the Olympics were actually as, or even even more, important to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic victory on August 3.Image: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our experts regularly feel a countryu00e2 $ s honor remains in face of personal success, u00e2 $ she said over an early morning conference at Nikeu00e2 $ s Athlete House, put inconspicuously between the Stade de France and the Aquatics Center in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis area, the day after her triumph. u00e2 $ I addressed [the Gamings] differentlyu00e2 $" the feeling, the fight, the attitude: It really felt different than every other competition Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began playing tennis at age 7. At age eight, she moved, without her mother and dad, to Wuhan for better training, as well as because teenage years she has actually greatly admired and replicated Chinese professional athletes, such as the ping pong star Li Na and also the distance runner Liu Xiang, who succeeded gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually actually difficult, u00e2 $ Zheng pointed out, recalling at those very early times. u00e2 $ My mama used ahead check out on weekend breaks. When she left behind, I will keep her leg as well as weep. When she was actually gone, I would certainly constantly keep her coat. This was till I was thirteen. After thirteen, my mother made a decision to quit her job and also happen stay with me full time, simply to have much better growth as well as much better treatment. After that, it obtained simpler. And our team transferred to Europe when I was 17. u00e2 $.