August 03, (THEWILL) – Qinwen Zheng made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics, becoming the first Chinese player to win a gold medal in tennis singles. The 21-year-old sixth seed defeated Croatia’s Donna Vekic 6-2 6-3, in the final at Roland Garros.
The match on Court Philippe Chatrier saw Zheng deliver a composed performance despite the pressure. She was buoyed by enthusiastic support from a large Chinese contingent in the crowd. Vekic fought hard but could not overcome Zheng’s determined play.
The decisive moment came when Zheng served for the match at 5-3. She reached match point after her 28-year-old opponent hit a backhand wide, then clinched victory with a well-placed forehand winner. Zheng celebrated by falling onto her back, overcome with joy at her achievement.
This gold medal represents the most significant accomplishment of Zheng’s career to date. It also marks a milestone for Chinese tennis, which has seen growing success in recent years. In the bronze medal match, Poland’s Iga Swiatek defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2, 6-1.
The tennis event at the Paris Olympics has provided exciting moments and notable performances. Zheng’s victory over pre-tournament favourite Swiatek in the semi-finals was particularly impressive, setting the stage for her historic win in the final.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.