Zheng Qinwen first Chinese player ever to win Olympic tennis singles gold
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China's Zheng Qinwen returns to Croatia's Donna Vekic during their women's singles final at the Paris Olympics.
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PARIS – She wanted to do it for her country, and on Aug 3 her dreams came true.
China’s Zheng Qinwen may be just 21, but she showed that she has the calmness and fight of a champion when she defeated Croatia’s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the women’s tennis singles final at the Paris Olympics.
“The last point I was really nervous. My hand was shaking actually,” she said. “But I never felt so hungry like this to win a match.
“I could give everything I can, but I know tennis doesn’t work like this. It’s not like you give everything and get the results all the time.
“So I feel super proud of myself that this time I beat the pressure. I beat my own limit. I didn’t know if I was able to go through five matches in a row. Especially seven hours in two days. I feel in this tournament I broke through my limit.”
Her route to the final did not come easy – she had to beat world No. 1 and four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek on the Pole’s favourite clay court of Roland Garros in the semi-finals.
“Everyone knows how I want to get this medal for my country,” she had said after that win.
By making the title showdown, Zheng had already surpassed her idol and compatriot, two-time Grand Slam winner Li Na who finished fourth at Beijing in 2008.
But the Australian Open finalist is now the clear winner on the world’s biggest stage, and China have a new champion.
“In the future it doesn’t matter how far down I am, I’ll remember this moment and it will cheer me up,” Zheng added.
There was also good news for the country in table tennis.
History repeated itself for China’s defending champion Chen Meng when she beat teammate Sun Yingsha to win the women’s singles gold medal, just as she had done at the Tokyo Games.
Sun, the world No. 1, won the opening game 11-4. But Chen remained calm under pressure, especially when she went behind in the sixth game, to win the match 4-2.
Second seed Chen said that she was “surprised” after she outclassed her compatriot 4-11, 11-7, 11-4, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6 at the South Paris Arena 4.
“I think there are no losers in today’s competition, because the both of us have given it our all,” she said.
“We fought from the start till the end, and I felt a bit surprised (with my win), as I have lost to her multiple times in the past three years. So to win today I’m very happy.”
In gymnastics, the Philippines’ Carlos Yulo was the pride of South-east Asia when he won the men’s floor exercise.
The 24-year-old broke down in tears after matching the achievement of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who won gold in Tokyo – the two are the nation’s only Olympic champions.
Yulo scored 15.000 to push defending champion Artem Dolgopyat of Israel into second with 14.966. Britain’s Jake Jarman scored 14.933 to take bronze at the Bercy Arena.
American star Simone Biles won the women’s vault gold – her third of these Games and her seventh Olympic title overall.
The 27-year-old, who led the US to team victory before grabbing the all-around title, produced a pair of stunning vaults to notch a resounding win over Olympic and world champion Rebeca Andrade of Brazil.
“I am super excited, I landed my vaults really well, successfully, so I couldn’t be more proud of myself,for the work I have put in to get to this point,” Biles said.
Rhys McClenaghan, meanwhile, earned Ireland their first-ever Olympic medal in gymnastics when he struck gold on the pommel horse with a smooth performance.
Nariman Kurbanov of Kazakhstan took silver, while American Stephen Nedoroscik – who went viral for being the “Pommel Horse Guy” in Paris – captured bronze.
In golf, Spain’s Jon Rahm fired a second straight five-under 66 and was tied with Olympic champion Xander Schauffele (68) at the top of the leaderboard after the third round on a 14-under 199 total.
England’s Tommy Fleetwood carded a 69 and was one shot behind them.
In shooting, South Korea’s Yang Ji-in won the women’s 25 metres pistol event. France’s Camille Jedrzejewski took the silver, while Hungary’s Veronika Major took bronze. REUTERS, AFP
