Paris Olympics: Novak Djokovic hails Zheng Qinwen run, ‘huge for China and for our sport’
- Men’s greatest of all time toasts emergence of Chinese champion, ‘they have been waiting since Li Na’
Novak Djokovic said Zheng Qinwen’s extraordinary run to the women’s 2024 Olympic final was “a huge deal for China and for our sport”.
Zheng shocked world No 1 Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals to book a gold medal clash with Donna Vekic of Croatia on Saturday.
The 21-year-old is the first Asian-born player to reach an Olympic tennis final. At this year’s Australian Open, Zheng became only the second Chinese, after two-times major winner Li Na, to feature in a grand slam final.
Djokovic, who played mixed doubles against Zheng in this season’s United Cup, booked his own Olympic final spot with a 6-4, 6-2, victory over Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti on Friday.
He told the Post that Zheng making the Olympic final was “a huge deal for China, but also for our sport”.
“China is such a huge country, a huge market … and they’ve been waiting for a big champion, a big name, since Li Na.