Retired Chinese sailboat racer Xu Lijia has showered praise on China's rising tennis stars 🏅. Speaking with CGTN Sports Scene's Greg Laffradi on Saturday, Xu highlighted the stellar performances of Zheng Qinwen, Zhang Zhizhen, and Wang Xinyu during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
Making history in Paris, Zheng Qinwen triumphed over World No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland, becoming the first Chinese player to reach a singles final at the Summer Olympics. Zheng is set to compete against Croatia's Donna Vekic for the women’s singles gold medal on Saturday 🎾.
Meanwhile, Zhang Zhizhen and Wang Xinyu etched their names in Chinese sports history by securing a spot on the podium 🎉. They faced the Czech duo Tomas Machac and Katerina Siniakova in the mixed doubles final on Friday, bringing home a silver medal after a valiant three-set match.
Xu, who is celebrating her 37th birthday at the end of August, boasts an illustrious 20-year career as a sailboat racer. She earned a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics and a bronze at Beijing 2008, and proudly carried China’s flag during the Closing Ceremony in London 2012 🥇🇨🇳.
The accomplishments of Zheng, Zhang, and Wang not only demonstrate the growing prowess of Chinese athletes on the global stage but also inspire the next generation of sports enthusiasts in China and around the world. 🌍✨
