"I have been dreaming of this moment for a long time"

Fernando Murciego | 30 Jul 2024 | 21.23

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Every professional athlete dreams of certain goals since they are children, dreams that later push you on difficult days to not give up. In the case of Qinwen Zheng, that desire was called Olympic Games which she has been able to fulfill in Paris 2024 for the first time at the age of 21. However, no one has prevented her from suffering until reaching the quarterfinals of the singles draw, where she will fight for a medal and give her country an unforgettable day. In a conversation with WTA, the Chinese player explains to what extent she feels the excitement of being in a unique event, an event she has dreamed of being in so many times.

"I have been waiting for this moment for a long time, the Olympic Games have always been one of my childhood dreams," says the tennis player from Shiyan. "I really wish to do something great for China, I have always loved the pressure, that pressure that only tennis can give you. When you win a tournament, you feel happier because you are a champion, and that is very hard to achieve, it's something that everyone wants, everyone fights for that. I will fight to the end here, I will break myself if I have to, this event only happens every four years, so I will give it my all for the Olympic Games," adds the current world No. 7.

Interestingly, this tournament comes after two completely opposite experiences for her. First, the disappointment of being eliminated in her debut at Wimbledon, with the pain that always comes from leaving a Grand Slam without victories. That wound would heal days later at the WTA 250 in Palermo, where the Asian tennis player pulled out her best tricks to defend her crown in Italy and increase her individual trophy collection to three. Between these two memories, the Chinese player has been building her path to Paris, the most important event on her calendar.

"At Wimbledon, unfortunately, the 'house' was not as clean as it is now, I think I caught some virus there. It was a tough moment for me, but I recognize that my first-round opponent was also playing very well. I tried to fight all the way, but I couldn't escape from that match, it was just bad luck that it happened at that moment. That's how tennis is, all you can do is keep working and wait for your moment, wait for an opportunity to arise and try to seize it," emphasized Pere Riba's pupil.

FOCUSED ON THE MEDAL

Advancing through rounds against Sara Errani, Arantxa Rus, and Emma Navarro, the latter saving a 7-6 and 5-3 situation that seemed impossible to turn around, the Chinese player knows that she is getting closer to the goal every day, the dream of winning a medal that would etch her name in history, even if she has to avoid some distractions that always appear in the Olympic Village, where athletes share their anecdotes with compatriots or with tennis players from other nations.

"I'm not thinking about it too much either, I just focus on enjoying on the court, savoring every moment and competing. The Olympic Games are a very important event, I want to give it my all, I don't want the pressure to stop me. I want everything to be normal, to be able to give 100% of myself. I consider myself a kind person, but when I compete, I feel in a way that I really can't make friends. On days when I don't compete, I become a different athlete, there I try to share my stories and listen to others', exchange different points of view," Qinwen evaluates.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, “Llevo soñando con este momento mucho tiempo”

WTA