China has won more than 110 medals already, in leading the table ahead of host Korea and Japan, in the 17th Asian Games. It may be tough for a sports follower to identify most of those medallists.
But, not a tennis player of the calibre and fame of Zheng Jie, who was ranked No.15 in singles and No. 3 in doubles, thanks to her exploits of winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon doubles events, apart from making the semifinals of singles.
It is difficult for her to escape as just another Chinese! The 31-year-old had won the individual singles gold in the Asian Games in Doha in 2006.
ADVERTISEMENT
Thus, it was perplexing when another Chinese was at the medal ceremony with Zhang Ze to receive the medal for mixed doubles.
Apparently, the original Zheng Jie, who lost in partnership with Ze Zhang, againt Sania Mirza and Saketh Myneni, in the mixed doubles semfiinals, had flown to Beijing for the WTA event.
The WTA organisers had been very cooperative in scheduling Zheng Jie’s doubles match for Tuesday.
ADVERTISEMENT
The medal protocol had to be strictly followed in the Asian Games and the organisers perhaps decided to put another Chinese in Zheng Jie’s place for the ceremony on Monday evening!
When the players were about to get onto the podium, the Chinese girl actually asked Zhang whether she should accept the medal in her hand. Zhang kept a studied silence and the girl acted her part very well.
Much in contrast, the ATP had declared that any player competing in the Asian Games on Monday while being entered in any of the ATP-500 events would fetch a fine of $100,000 and face a suspension of three years.