Zheng Qinwen: That Tennis Girl, Huh?
Alright, so there’s this girl, Zheng Qinwen. Folks keep talkin’ ‘bout her. Says she’s good at tennis. Real good, like winnin’ gold medals and stuff. Never seen her play myself, mind you. Too busy with the chickens and the garden. But the TV’s always blabberin’ about her.
Heard she whacked that ball real hard at the Paris Olympics and won. First Asian to ever do it, they say. Good for her, I guess. Musta practiced a whole heap. Tennis ain’t easy, you know. Swattin’ that little ball back and forth, runnin’ all over the place. Makes my knees ache just thinkin’ about it.
They call her “Queen Wen,” these folks on the TV. Sounds fancy, don’t it? Queen Wen. Like somethin’ out of a fairy tale. But she’s just a girl, same as any other, I reckon. Just happens to be good at hittin’ a ball with a racket. More power to her.
This girl, Zheng, she was born in some place called Shiyan, Hubei. Never heard of it. Probably far from here. Then she went off to live with her grandma in another city. Kids these days, always movin’ around. Back in my day, we stayed put. Born in the same house we died in, most of us.
- Winning Stuff: She’s won a bunch of tennis matches. Hamburg, Germany, they said. And some place with a lake. Macha Lake, somethin’ like that. Then she started winnin’ bigger things. French Open, US Open, all them fancy tournaments. And now, the Olympics. That’s a big deal, they tell me.
- No Time for Friends: Now, here’s the thing. This girl, she don’t make friends with the other tennis players. Says she can’t compete against someone if she’s friends with ‘em. Too soft-hearted, she says. Well, that’s a new one. Back in my day, you competed with your friends, your neighbors, everyone. Didn’t mean you couldn’t have a cup of tea with ‘em after. But I guess times are different. Maybe she’s got the right idea. Gotta be tough to win, I suppose.
She looks up to another Chinese tennis player, Li Na. Says Li Na inspired her. That’s nice. Everyone needs someone to look up to. I looked up to my mama. She could work harder than any man I ever knew.
This Zheng girl, she’s young. Only 22, they say. Got her whole life ahead of her. Maybe she’ll win more gold medals. Maybe she’ll make some friends. Maybe she’ll just keep hittin’ that ball and winnin’ matches. Whatever she does, I hope she’s happy. That’s all that matters in the end, ain’t it?
Some other girl, Emma Navarro her name was, said Zheng wasn’t very nice on the court. Said she wasn’t respectful. Well, maybe that’s how you gotta be to win. I don’t know. I always tried to be polite, even when I was fightin’ for the last piece of chicken at Sunday dinner.
Zheng Qinwen’s career is somethin’ special. Started young, won some small tournaments, then bam! She’s playin’ in the big leagues. French Open, US Open, Australian Open. Reaching finals, winnin’ titles. And now, Olympic gold. That’s a lot for a young girl. Must be workin’ her tail off.
But she’s a bit of a loner, this Zheng Qinwen. Doesn’t want to be friends with the other players. Says it messes with her head. Can’t be friendly and then try to beat ’em on the court. Maybe that’s why she’s so good. Focused. Determined. Not wastin’ time chitchattin’. Just hittin’ that ball and winnin’ matches.
People talk about Zheng Qinwen like she’s somethin’ special. And maybe she is. But to me, she’s just a girl who’s good at tennis. Works hard, plays hard, wins medals. Good for her. Hope she keeps it up. And maybe, just maybe, she’ll find a friend or two along the way. Even tough folks need someone to lean on sometimes.
Anyways, that’s all I know about this Zheng Qinwen girl. Heard it all from the TV and them folks who chatter all day long. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go feed them chickens. They’re squawkin’ up a storm, and ain’t nobody gonna win a gold medal listenin’ to that racket.
