In a monumental achievement for Chinese tennis, Zheng Qinwen defeated Croatia’s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 to claim the gold medal in the women’s singles tennis final at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics on Saturday. Zheng’s victory marks the first time a Chinese and Asian player has stood atop the podium in an Olympic singles tennis event.
Emerging as China’s top tennis star over the past three years, Zheng has already made a significant impact in Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) competitions. Reflecting on the difference between Olympic, Asian Games, and WTA matches, Zheng expressed that she always feels a profound sense of support when representing the Chinese national team.
Zheng’s path to gold included a remarkable semifinal victory over World No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland. Overcoming six consecutive defeats against Swiatek, Zheng described this triumphant match as her best performance to date.
The success didn’t stop with Zheng. Her compatriots, Zhang Zhizhen and Wang Xinyu, made history by securing the silver medal in the mixed doubles competition. Zheng believes that these achievements signify a significant boost for the development of tennis in China.
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Reference(s):
Zheng Qinwen talks about Olympic gold: Huge success for Chinese tennis
cgtn.com
