In March, we had the pleasure of reporting on the incredible story of Hend Zaza. Syria's 11-year-old wunderkind qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with a 4-3 win in the women's singles finals of the West Asia Olympic qualification tournament this February in Amman, Jordan. The opponent she edged was Mariana Sahakian of Lebanon, 31 years her senior. With the win, Zaza became one of only two athletes from war-torn Syria to qualify for the 2020 games. This, of course, was before the COVID-19 pandemic cast the globe into chaos, forcing the postponement of the Olympiad until the summer 2021. Zaza has stayed focused, however, training three hours a day, six days a week in her native Hama, Syria. Now comes news of an electrifying opportunity for Zaza, who has been invited by the Chinese Olympic Organizing Committee to train with China's top players. For Zaza, who has made the most of training without the luxury of reliable electricity, let alone modern tables and other basic training equipment, training with the best of the best in China is a dream come true. "I am so looking forward to my trip," says Zaza. "I can't wait!" Judging by activity on Weibo, China's most popular social media platform, the feeling is mutual. Chinese fans are eager to meet the talented tween, who endeared herself to her future hosts by declaring China's Ding Ning her favorite player. Zaza must wait for flights to resume before she can cash in her golden ticket. In the meantime, she will keep on grinding under the flickering lights, propelled onward through a civil war and a pandemic by the binary stars at the end of the tunnel: China and Japan.

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