Zheng delivered a remarkable performance, showcasing powerful and decisive hitting. Zheng emerged as the winner in a fiercely contested gold medal match., securing a convincing 6-2, 6-3 triumph.
As she secured the match point, her joy was evident. She fell to the ground, spreading her arms wide and covering her back in red clay.
"The experience was truly remarkable for me," Zheng told reporters. "I've just created history, and I'm overjoyed by this moment." Zheng added, "The sheer strength I've shown in this tournament, how I've carried myself, the determination in my eyes, and the hunger that propels me. It's a level of intensity unlike any I've demonstrated in any previous tournament."
The victory would have significantly boosted the 21-year-old's confidence going into the final, and she began the match with determination and aggression.
Vekic, who had made history as the first Croatian tennis player to reach an Olympic singles final, initially faced challenges finding her rhythm. However, she eventually matched Zheng's powerful strokes, creating opportunities to break serve but failing to convert them.
Zheng's forceful forehand that sailed past the 28-year-old at 4-1 in the initial set seemed to capture Vekic's frustration.
The next game saw Zheng impressively salvage the situation, producing a magnificent drop volley, leaving Vekic struggling to rediscover a way into the set.
After 48 minutes, the sixth seed established an early lead by clinching her first set point when Vekic couldn't return a forehand.
Zheng's forceful forehand soon gave her a 2-0 lead in the second set. But Vekic answered right away, winning her opening break of the game.
Zheng saw another opening with the score at 4-3. With a smash to earn two break points, she made Vekic furiously toss her racket to the floor. Then Zheng discovered that she was a proxy for the title.
The rest of the match was mostly ceremonial, as Zheng won the match with an easy forehand winner, her eleventh of the contest. With this accomplishment, China added its first-ever singles medal to its collection of tennis honors, which already included Li Ting and Sun Tiantian's gold from the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
"I have a constant strength that drives me forward in the games," Zheng said. Since I frequently let games slip away in regular competitions, I'm not sure how to explain it. But at these Olympic Games, I just refuse to give up; I keep fighting, and ultimately, I succeeded." Her statements communicated a feeling of resolve and tenacity that fuelled her achievement at the famous Olympic stage.
Zheng continued, "I am extremely pleased to be here, to have won the gold medal, and to represent my country. Although I still have a ways to go until I reach my goal of winning a gold medal, I feel like I can play tennis more comfortably today." She spoke with a feeling of relief and pride, as though the weight of expectations had been taken off and she could now approach the sport with a fresh perspective and delight.
Zheng hasn't had an easy time getting the gold medal. Her journey has not been simple at all. She not only defeated bronze medalist Swiatek in the semifinals, but she also had to persevere through two exhausting matches earlier in the competition, each lasting over three hours. Zheng competed in back-to-back, all-out matches against Emma Navarro and Angelique Kerber, fighting her way to the top of her game.
Vekic has a lot to be grateful for. Building on her recent maiden grand slam semifinal appearance at Wimbledon last month, she has accomplished Croatia's best-ever achievement in an Olympic tennis event.
During their run in Paris, the World No. 21 player overcame former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu as well as second seed Coco Gauff.