In the second round of the mixed doubles round robin tournament of the Beijing Winter Olympic Curling Event, the combination of Ling Zhi and Fan Suyuan of China took on the combination of Hewitt and Gill of Australia. Both pairs are participating in the Winter Olympics for the first time. In the first round of the match, the Chinese team defeated the world champion and the runner-up team of the last Winter Olympics 7-6, while the Australian team lost to the United States 5-6.
In the first set, the Chinese team backhand. Ling Zhi cast a beautiful shot and threw the yellow pot into the red zone, near the center of the circle. The second throw gently bumps the yellow pot from the previous throw, squeezing the latter toward the center of the circle. In the third shot, Ling Zhi made a mistake and almost squeezed his own yellow pot out of the red zone, although he squeezed the red pot out of the red zone through double flying. Gill's last shot was perfect, pushing the Chinese team's yellow pot out of the red zone, and his own yellow pot remaining in the red zone. Fan Suyuan's last shot played the advantage of the backhand, pushing the red pot out of the red zone and scoring 1 point for the Chinese team. 1 to 0.
In the second inning, the Australian team backhand. Ling Zhi made a perfect shot, throwing the yellow pot to the center of the circle, and the second shot put the yellow pot on the periphery to defend, but then was violently knocked away by Hewitt. Ling Zhi took a third shot, rearranged the defense on the perimeter, and was knocked away by Hewitt's red pot. Ling Zhi re-defended, and Hewitt pushed the yellow pot open, and the red pot was close to the center of the circle. Fan Suyuan made a mistake in his last shot, and instead squeezed the red pot towards the center of the circle. Australia scored a point and the two sides drew 1-1.
In the 3rd inning, the Chinese team backhand. Hewitt threw it directly to the center of the circle. Fan Suyuan knocked the red pot away, and his own yellow pot entered the red zone. Hewitt made a mistake in the second throw, but instead helped the Chinese team a lot, putting the yellow pot into the red zone. Ling Zhi threw a beautiful double fly, squeezing the opponent's red pot out of the center of the circle. Fan Suyuan made the last shot, Ling Zhi let the yellow pot bypass the opponent's defense by wiping the ice, reached the center of the circle but pushed the other yellow pot open, and finally regretted only 2 points. 3-1, the Chinese team extended its lead.
In the 4th inning, the Australian team backhand. Fan Suyuan reached the center of the circle, but was pushed open by Jill. Hewitt's two-shot opened the top of the yellow pot to the center of the circle, and the three-shot bypassed the defense to approach the red zone, making a perimeter defense. Ling Zhi threw four beautiful double flights, opening the opponent's red pot all over the red zone, leaving only a yellow pot, but then it was opened by Hewitt. Fan Suyuan made the last double fly, knocking the opponent's 2 red pots vigorously into the air, giving the opponent a chance to get up to 1 point. But the other side made a mistake in the last shot, and the red pot went directly out of the base camp. Neither side scored a point in the game. The score was still 3-1
In the 5th inning, the Chinese team backhand. Hewitt's two-shot reached the center of the circle perfectly, Ling Zhi hit the ball vigorously to knock the 2 curlers apart, and the yellow pot in the red zone was also pushed away. Hewitt continued to defend on the perimeter, and Ling Zhi vigorously hit the ball and flew twice, destroying the opponent's defense. Fan Suyuan made a beautiful double fly in the last shot, knocking the red pot out of the red zone, successfully leaving the yellow pot. The Chinese team scored another point, and the score came to 4-1.
Innings 6, Australian backhand. At the beginning of the game, both sides made mistakes of varying degrees. Ling Zhi continuously threw defensive pots and pushed the opponent's 2 red pots out of the red zone. Fan Suyuan made the last shot, pushed the red pot out of the red zone, and once again adopted a point control strategy to prevent the other party from taking 2 points. Jill's last throw knocks the yellow pot away, so that 3 red pots are closer to the center of the circle. Australia chased three points in a row to tie the score at 4-4.
In the 7th set, the Chinese team backhand. As soon as Hewitt entered the red zone, he placed a defense on the periphery, and Ling Zhi made three mistakes, too strong, away from the red zone. Hewitt threw the red pot into the red zone again with three shots, and Ling Zhi perfectly reached the center of the circle with one shot, and one shot to recover the previous disadvantage. But Huey had a stunt that squeezed the yellow pot in the center of the circle apart. Fan Suyuan's last throw turned the tide, the yellow pot bypassed the defense, and the red pot in the center of the circle was opened, so that 2 yellow pots were closer to the center of the circle. The Chinese team scored two consecutive points, 6-4.
In the 8th inning, the Australian team backhand. The battle for the center of the circle is fierce in this game. Ling Zhisan tried to top the red pot without success, and Hewitt flew vigorously and knocked a yellow pot away. Currently 3 red pots and 1 yellow pot in the center of the circle. Fan Suyuan made a mistake in his last shot, the strength was too light, and he could only arrange a defense on the periphery. Australia had a chance to score three straight points. After the technical suspension, Gill made a serious mistake in the last shot, and the red pot went straight out of bounds, resulting in only 1 point.
In the end, the Chinese team won 6-5, winning 2 consecutive games, one step closer to qualifying from the group. It is worth mentioning that before the Winter Olympics, the Chinese pair of high-value people once announced in a high profile: the goal of this competition is to stand on the podium and let the national flag fly!