Zheng's golden tennis legacy

"Since I was a child, you can have a lot of inspiration on me and I always want to become one of the agents that I can inspire all the young kids to make them want more tennis."

Despite only being at the start of her career, Zheng understands the importance of her role, not just to win matches and tournaments, but also to inspire the next generation.

More than a decade on from Li Na's heroics at the same venue in the French Open, Chinese fans now have a new star to look up to. While the Olympics may not rank as highly for some tennis fans when compared to the Grand Slams, for many Chinese fans - including Zheng's father - the Olympics remains the peak.

"I know he always treats the Olympic Games more important than any of the Slams. I think all the Chinese fans are the same, including me, as you can see.

"Since I was 10, my father always talked about Grand Slams and the Olympics. I know the Olympics mean more to him than a Grand Slam. In 2022, I mentioned in an interview that I was looking forward to the 2024 Olympics. But I also knew high expectations could lead to disappointment," Zheng admitted. "This Olympics has been a rollercoaster for me, with unprecedented pressure and tension.

"I felt like I represented all of Chinese tennis, knowing the Chinese people were cheering for me. Winning the gold made all the hard work and struggles worthwhile."