Paris, August 02, 2024, The Europe Today: Chinese tennis favorite Zheng Qinwen stunned the tennis world on Thursday by defeating world No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland to advance to the women’s singles final at the Paris Olympics. This historic victory was accompanied by further success for China, as compatriots Wang Xinyu and Zhang Zhizhen also reached the mixed doubles final, marking the best-ever Olympic results for China in both events.
Zheng’s triumph comes after a grueling three-set win over German veteran Angelique Kerber in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. In a remarkable display of skill and determination, Zheng fought even harder to overcome Swiatek 6-2, 7-5 at Roland Garros, breaking a six-match losing streak against the four-time French Open champion.
“I finally showed I could beat the world No.1 on her best surface. I always knew I could do it, but there is a difference between knowing you can and showing it. Now, I feel my mental strength is at another level, and I am just going to give everything I have in the final,” said Zheng, reflecting on her significant achievement. The 21-year-old will face 13th seed Donna Vekic of Croatia in the final on Saturday.
Zheng expressed her pride in making history for Chinese tennis, saying, “I am so happy that I can make this history for Chinese tennis. I always wanted to be one of the athletes who can get a medal for China, for our country, and right now I’m one of them.”
This success follows in the footsteps of two-time Grand Slam winner Li Na, who finished fourth in the women’s singles at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Zheng’s victory and the achievements of Wang Xinyu and Zhang Zhizhen in the mixed doubles final highlight a new era of excellence for Chinese tennis on the global stage.
