Tennis

Zheng Qinwen Records China's First Olympic Tennis Gold Medal in Paris #.\n\n( L-R) Silver medallist, Croatia's Donna Vekic, gold medallist, China's Zheng Qinwen and also bronze medallist Poland's Iga Swiatek position with their medals on the platform at the discussion service for the girls's singles ping pong event on Courthouse Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Coliseum during the Paris 2024 Olympic Video Games, in Paris on August 3, 2024. Picture by Patricia DE MELO MOREIRA\/ AFP through Getty Images).\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Chinese banner soared coming from her shoulders like a cape.\n\n\n\nA smiling Zheng Qinwen escalated into record sweeping Croatian Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 on Courthouse Philippe Chatrier to become the 1st Mandarin gamer to record an Olympic ping pong gold medal.\n\n\n\nMORE: Shapovalov Disqualified in DC QF with Shelton.\n\n\n\nDischarging one last forehand victor down the line, Zheng attacked her means into background then plunged to the red clay falling flat on her back in sheer elation while her carton went bonkers.\n\n\n\n\" That suggests everything given that since I was a little kid I truly prefer the gold award for my nation,\" Zheng told NBC's Britney Eurton. \"Possibly certainly not gold-- just a medal-- and also this time around I made it.\n\n\n\n\" A gold medal, no person performed that in ping pong in Asia. I think therefore pleased to make record ... Yeah, this emotion is unbelievable.\" There was significant reason for large party.\n\n\n\nIn her Olympic debut, the 21-year-old Zheng certainly not only became a champ from a 10th different country to catch an Olympic females single people gold medal, she completed one of the most powerful tournament operate of her profession.\n\n\n\nZheng conserved a suit point beating United States Emma Navarro 6-7( 7 ), 7-6( 4 ), 6-1 in a controversial clash. That resurgence was an overture to Zheng stopping three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber 6-7( 4 ), 6-4, 7-6( 6) in an impressive quarterfinal.\n\n\n\nIn the semifinals, Zheng barked with seven of the last eight video games shocking Polish world No. 1 Iga Swiatek 6-2, 7-5 and also snapping the four-time French Open champion's 25-match Roland Garros succeeding streak in the process.\n\n\n\nQinwen Queen of Paris! Qinwen Zheng ends up being the 1st Chinese gamer to ever before succeed a singles gold medal at the Olympic Tennis Event! #Paris 2024 #Olympics

tennis pic.twitter.com/ZNYR2lND8Nu2014 ITF (@ITFTennis) August 3, 2024.
Today's final was much closer than the scoreline advises.
Australian Open finalist Zheng broke in the opening video game, warded off 3 rest aspects in the 1st set and also had fun with more hostility as well as grace than the professional Vekic.
Settling intense trembles, Zheng maintained her nerve at closing opportunity defeating two Grand Slam champs as well as her fellow champions en option to the gold award.
" Well the final aspect I'm actually stressed my hand is actually drinking actually every match when I bowel movement my body is shaking," Zheng informed NBC's Britney Eurton. "Because I never ever experience therefore famished, like this, to gain one paired.
" I might provide whatever I can, yet I know tennis does not operate similar to this. It's certainly not you provide every thing and also acquire continuously the result you desire. I experience thus proud of myself that this moment I beat the pressure, I beat excess of on my own.".
Both girls had actually conserved a match aspect en course to this historical Olympic ultimate.
Using a 10-match winning streak into this gold-medal match, Zheng opened with a peace of mind hold at 15.
Armed with the assurance that stems from succeeding 13 of her last 15 matches, Vekic looked a little unreliable at the beginning spraying three forehand inaccuracies to yield the break as well as a 2-0 cause the Chinese.
The 21-year-old Zheng rejected a pair of break aspects-- tolerating the 2nd when Vekic overlooked a forehand down free throw line long-- and also stung a serve victor resolving a stressful hold for 3-0.
Factors were actually increasing bodily as Zheng glued a topspin forehand simply inside the standard that helped her keep at 30 for 4-1 after 26 minutes of play.
Encountering a 2nd break point in the seventh video game, Zheng stepped forward threw down a hit and also flicked a fine forehand drop battery to wait. Evading the predicament, Zheng slid a brief forehand to store for 5-2.
Diminishing a dropper, Zheng turned up a reply. Vekic seemed to play an out round as a jumping Zheng stabbed a backhand volley for 15-30.
Tiny frames inevitably swayed the set in Zheng's support. The Chinese split a forehand down the line on video game point. Vekic stood up an index finger to suggest it was actually out, having said that the chair umpire checked the spot and also reigned the drive really good. Instead of a Vekic hold the game proceeded.
The 13th-seeded Croatian narrowly overlooked her own forehand down the line to experience set point. Pounding a heavy forehand, Zheng snatched a one-set lead along with her second rest of the final.