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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’

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Zheng Qinwen is the first Asian-born player to reach an Olympic singles final. Photo: Xinhua

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”.

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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”.

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“I just made history”: China’s Zheng hopes to enjoy tennis more after Olympic gold win

“I just made history”: China’s Zheng hopes to enjoy tennis more after Olympic gold win

“China is such a huge country, a huge market … and they’ve been waiting for a big champion, a big name, since Li Na.

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