'Hot coals in the winter': Zhu leads Chinese charge at Paris 2024
Four Chinese players have reached the quarter-finals of a singles event for the first time in Paralympic wheelchair tennis history as Paris 2024 continues to deliver storylines galore.
Zhu Zhenzhen, Guo Luoyao, Wang Ziying and Li Xiaohui – the same four players that stunned Netherlands to be crowned BNP Paribas World Team Cup champions in May – are now making their mark on the Paralympic stage.
Never before has a Chinese competitor in the men's or quad event reached the last eight of a singles event at a Paralympic Games, while at Beijing 2008, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 two Chinese women reached the quarter-finals.
There is certainly a sense that wheelchair tennis within China is on the rise, and players generating performance-related statistics towards the business end of tournaments only goes to strengthen that argument.
“There is more attention on the sport now and more media coverage,” said Zhu, who will play Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Yui Kamiji for a place in the semi-finals. “We’ve been improving and making new breakthroughs recently, which helps raise our profile.
“It’s a good sign when there is more media attention on us. It helps people support us and when the public see how much we put into our sport and how much we fight out there, maybe it will also help them in some ways.
“I’m thankful for the attention that is on our sport and we’ll continue to work hard to bring wheelchair tennis in China to a higher ground.
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“Personally, I have put in some hard work for wheelchair tennis over the years, but I have also had the support of my country and the team around me. I persevere in the sport because I have a dream, but I am only able to pursue it because of the help given to me.
“Every time I face my toughest moment, somehow there is always someone who brings me help, someone always brings me hot coals in the winter to give me warmth. It might just be us out there on the courts, but there is a whole team supporting us.
“I love wheelchair tennis, and I hope that wheelchair tennis in China can do better. If I can in any way help others, I will do it.”
Chinese success in the women’s singles would follow Zheng Qinwen's triumph at the Olympic Games last month when she won China’s first ever singles gold medal. Zhu also takes inspiration from former world No. 22 Zhang Shuai.
“I can relate to Zhang Shuai very much,” added Zhu. “We both came from an era where there was perhaps not as much support for professional tennis as now. But we both love tennis so much.
“I saw her at Wimbledon this year and we spoke for a long time. We continued playing and persevered because of how much we love this sport. Times have changed a lot and it’s required us to make changes to how we play in order to stay competitive.
“I can see some of myself in her, and we encourage each other.”
A full list of results from the Paris 2024 Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Event can be found here.