How are champions forged? The Williams sisters and other tennis icons have offered their perspectives. Yet, the journey of Qinwen Zheng, the newly crowned Olympic champion, might resonate more deeply. Her ascent from humble beginnings to the pinnacle of tennis is a familiar narrative. But how did Zheng’s tennis career take root? And why does her Olympic gold stand as her crowning achievement? The response lies in her parents’ unmatched efforts!

Take for instance some tennis greats. Djokovic’s parents took massive loans to fund his tennis coaching and send him to a relatively safer environment away from home. While Williams’ sisters were trained by their father, Richard, from a very young age, and now share ~50 Grand Slam among them. But when it comes to the Chinese tennis star, the journey is a bit similar with intricate details filled with unimaginable sacrifices of her family that went as far as her father selling something dear to them.

Olympics was the event her father had taught her was even more important than the Grand Slam tournaments; the tennis title that no Chinese player, not even Li Na, had won in singles. Zheng defeated the favorite Iga Swiatek on the court where the Pole has claimed 4 Grand Slam, including the 2024 French Open, to make it to the finals. On Saturday, she walked on to Philippe Chatrier Court and proved it: keeping her cool and winning the women’s singles title with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Donna Vekic of Croatia. It was not always impeccable tennis, but Zheng’s victory, which made her the first Chinese tennis player to win a singles gold or any Olympic medal, was a masterclass in composure and rising to the moment.

After winning the Olympic Gold, Zheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. Why? Her parents, particularly her father, were looking for the big gold, and finally, she has made her parents and country proud. Tennis is not a very popular game when it comes to China, hence the struggles to make it big in it are also massive.  “When I was 14/15, my dad almost sold our house to fund my tennis lessons. He knew I had potential and wanted to give all he could to realize my dream,” revealed Zheng. However, Zheng, at that time, was waiting to make it big on the international stage.

Despite achieving the World No.7 ranking, the Grand Slam dream always ended in heartbreak, marred by early exits. Except one time at the Australian Open 2023, where she was a runner-up. But it seems that everything was moving in the right direction this year, preparing for her Olympics battle. Every frustration of not making it big and the patience was answered in the form of Olympic Gold.

She further remarked, “Yes no doubt, tennis frustrates me, makes me cry and question myself, however, I have always believed that one day I will taste success, and the moment I clinched Gold in the Olympics, all the sacrifices were worth it.” And now after the win she stands at the top, to inspire the upcoming generation.

Qinwen Zheng on winning Olympics and being an inspiration

Olympics are different in more than one way. Firstly, the players play for their nation, unlike in Grand Slam, where they represent themselves while representing their country. Secondly, despite no ranking point on offer, the Olympics draw out the hidden potential in the form of patriotism for the players. There might be many more reasons, but for Zheng, the second one came in handy.

Growing up with her inspiration being the Athens Olympics Gold medalist Li Na Liu Xiang, the Chinese star always wanted to “give hope and some great imagination to young kids.” And she did, as she became the only Chinese woman to win tennis gold. Nothing gives one more happiness than creating a path for the younger generation. She further said, “If you watch my tennis, and it brings you some extra strength in your life, that will make me happy”

Zhengs’s hunger in the Olympics was certainly different from the one felt on the tennis tour. It paid off for the Chinese as she created history in Paris!