Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/699819
164 Z heng: I remember a lot of things about the moment of victory and standing on the podium. It was very exciting to play the Olympics in China as there were always lots of fans cheering and supporting us, and I still remember that lots of matches had been suspended due to the bad weather. It was so special, you know, most likely you only have one chance in your life to play the Olympic Games on home soil. The semifinal was the most special. It was a good match – the atmosphere, you can imagine. We didn't play well enough in the first set but we had a good recovery in the second one. Unfortunately, we couldn't level the score after wasting the set point. Some of the fans and volunteers cried but still clapped for us which was the most beautiful memory. My family were really happy and after the (bronze medal) match we spoke on the phone. They said they watched the game on TV and even if it's a bronze medal, it's already special enough as I won it at an Olympic Games and in Beijing as well. Compared with other tournaments, the Olympic Games is very special, not only because it's only held every four years, but also because you play not just for yourself. It is the whole country who are behind you, which means you need to handle a different level of pressure. It was a very special memory indeed when you know that everyone is cheering and supporting you in the stadium and thousands of people are watching your match on TV. I do feel very proud playing for my own country and I will remember that feeling forever. Y an: At the end I was excited, happy and had a sense of achievement. Because I was representing China, having an Olympic medal left me feeling more honoured. Winning an Olympic medal is the best moment in my life. People don't view me differently because of it, but more people support me and love tennis now. When I went home afterwards, many Chinese people were very surprised and they kept on supporting me. The hardest thing about competing for a medal was that the opponents we were facing were quite strong, and playing in my home country, I felt more pressure. In our quarterfinal, we finished the match at 3:30am! That was something I hadn't faced in my career before. My advice to players competing is, enjoy the Olympic Games and try your best. In the opening ceremony, the crowd kept cheering me which was very exciting. Getting a medal is a special moment in my life and it let the public understand tennis and helped it to be popular. I keep my medal in a safe place. ZHENG JIE & YAN ZI China, P.R. Some of the fans and volunteers cried but still clapped for us which was the most beautiful memory.