Zheng Qinwen makes history with Olympic singles gold

PARIS: Zheng Qinwen became the first Chinese player to win an Olympic Games tennis singles gold medal on Saturday when she defeated Croatia´s Donna Vekic in the final.

The 21-year-old Zheng came through 6-2, 6-3, winning only China´s second ever tennis gold after Li Ting and Sun Tiantian´s women´s doubles triumph at Athens in 2004.

Zheng´s victory came on the same Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros where in 2011 celebrated compatriot Li Na became China´s first Grand Slam champion in a landmark moment for the sport.

"Nothing can describe my emotion, every round was super difficult and I did everything I could to get a medal for my country," said Zheng.

"I feel my country will be proud of me, I´m proud of myself. My family are at home, I´m sure they are screaming at the TV.

"I just fight every match. I have a special energy playing for my country. I never give up."

World number seven and Australian Open runner-up Zheng took advantage of settling into a groove faster than her opponent and broke for a 2-0 lead.

Vekic and Zheng went head-to-head with some brutal hitting but the Chinese star´s 12 winners to the Croatian´s three proved crucial and her accuracy shone again with a set-clinching break in the eighth game.

Zheng had saved a match point in her gruelling third round win over Emma Navarro and then ended four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek´s 25-match winning run at Roland Garros to reach the gold medal match.

Match-hardened by those tests of character, Zheng held to love in the opening game of the second and broke again for a 2-0 lead as the errors piled up for 28-year-old Vekic.

However, the Croatian, who knocked out world number two Coco Gauff in the third round, and saved a match point in her quarter-final win over Marta Kostyuk, hit back with her first service break of the contest.

Zheng thwarted any hint of a revival by converting a fourth break point for a 5-3 lead before sealing victory in the next game.

Earlier Australia´s Matthew Ebden and John Peers won the men´s doubles gold with a thrilling victory over Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram of the United States.

The unseeded pair came back from a set and break down to win 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/1), 10-8 against their fourth-seeded opponents.

It was Australia´s second Olympic men´s doubles title after Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde triumphed in Atlanta in 1996.

For Peers, it was a second Games medal to go with the bronze he claimed alongside Ashleigh Barty in the mixed doubles in Tokyo three years ago.