Chinese tennis player Zheng Qinwen, who won the gold medal in women's tennis singles at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has been honored as one of the "Touching China's 2024 Persons of the Year" for her historic victory and tenacious spirit.
Initiated in 2003, the "Touching China" awards honor those who have touched the nation with their tenacity, bravery and wisdom. An award ceremony of "Touching China's 2024 Persons of the Year" was aired on Saturday evening by the China Media Group (CMG).
In an interview with CMG ahead of the ceremony, Zheng expressed her surprise at the recognition.
"I was very surprised at first. Seeing so many messages, I realized that I had actually inspired quite a few young people around my age. I think my story is a good one to tell children. There's no such thing as inherent talent in this world. You have to strive for it step-by-step through your own efforts to achieve what you want," she said.
However, it was not a surprise for many fans. Zheng's unwavering determination throughout the 2024 Paris Olympics resonated deeply with the nation.
Back to last summer, the sixth seed Zheng competed in five grueling matches over five days under scorching heat. Her quarterfinal match against former world No. 1 German veteran Angelique Kerber was a hard-fought battle which lasted over three hours.
After making a comeback in the deciding tiebreak, Zheng let go of her racket and fell to the ground, bursting into tears.
"If it were an ordinary match, I might have lost, but this was the Olympics," she said afterward. Zheng's inner drive was palpable.
"There were many times on the court, I have a fire burning inside me. But I had to control it, not let it consume me. That fire is actually my desire to win and my demands on myself. But I also know that if I don't control it, it will burn me up," Zheng said.
In the semifinal, Zheng overcame the four-time champion Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros, securing her place in the final in her Olympic debut. In the final, she defeated Croatia's Donna Vekic in straight sets to win the first-ever women's tennis singles gold medal for China.
Having never beaten Swiatek before, Zheng attributed her composure to the lessons learned in previous hard-fought victories.
"If I'm too obsessed with winning, it can actually affect performance. I need to find the right balance. It's OK to have desire for victory, but not to dwell on it. Instead, I should focus on what I need to do in the present. Even when I lose, I still live each day to the fullest. If I need to train, I go training in the best possible condition. That's what should do to prepare for the next victory, because the road is long. After a loss, the next day it's in the past. The same goes for a win," she said.
Zheng's journey has been marked by a steady ascent in the world rankings, from outside the top 600 in 2020 to the top 10 after reaching the Australian Open final in 2024 and top 4 this year. She also reached the final of the 2024 WTA Finals in her debut and lost to American Coco Gauff in a three-hour battle.
The year 2025 is not an easy one for Zheng so far as she has grappled with persistent pain in right elbow for months and withdrawn from a tournament due to neck injury. She still managed to reach quarter-final at the French Open, setting a personal best in the tournament but suffered a first-round loss at Wimbledon.
Facing challenges from opponents, Zheng remains focused on improvement and renews mindset during ups and downs.
"I'm still searching for ways to win more. Now, if I lose, people assume I'm in bad state and wining is what I should do. I need to celebrate every victory because they are hard-earned. I've learned to enjoy each win because I've found that only when you truly savor the victory can you approach the next match with even greater fighting spirit," Zheng said.
Asked about her dream of winning a Grand Slam, Zheng stressed the importance of process.
"I ask myself this question too, but I know these things can't be rushed. Everyone asks about my dreams. I don't hide it. My dream is to win a Grand Slam. I'm not afraid to tell everyone, because it's been my dream since childhood. You have to reach it step by step, match by match," she said.
From a tennis-loving little girl from Shiyan City of Hubei Province, to an Olympic gold medalist, Zheng's been moving toward her dream step by step while inspiring many others.
In July, Zheng underwent arthroscopic surgery on her right elbow. She was absent from North American hard-court season and has withdrawn the last major event of this year U.S. Open in late August.
"This is just a short break, and I see it as a necessary step toward a better version of myself on court," she posted on social media with a photo of her lying on hospital bed.
Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen honored as 'Touching China's 2024 Persons of Year'
