On August 1, Beijing time, the 2024 Paris Olympic Games ushered in the 6th competition day. The mixed doubles semi-finals of tennis were staged on Court 7, with China's Wang Xinyu/Zhang Zhizhen taking on Netherlands' Scholes/Kurhoff! In the end, the Chinese pair defeated their opponents 2-6/6-4/10-4, and Wang Xinyu/Zhang Zhizhen became the first pair in the history of the Chinese delegation to break into the Olympic tennis mixed doubles final, making history!
In the first set, the Netherlands served first. In the first game, the Netherlands started slowly, Wang Xinyu/Zhang Zhizhen won the break point 40-30, Schules volleyed in front of the net, and the Netherlands were the first to be broken. In the second game, the Netherlands won consecutive break points 40-0, Zhang Zhizhen served straight to the first solution, Wang Xinyu broke the second with a backhand volley in front of the net, Kurhoff volleyed a backhand to the net and came to a deuce, Zhang Zhizhen made a long forehand, and the Netherlands team cashed in the fourth break point to complete the break, 1-1. In the third game, Wang Xinyu performed brilliantly, and the Netherlands successfully held serve.
In the 4th game, Wang Xinyu's fairy ball was judged out of bounds, the Netherlands combination forced a break point with a forehand volley, Zhang Zhizhen resolved with a backhand volley, Wang Xinyu issued a double fault, Schols pulled the ball into the net with a forehand, Zhang Zhizhen got the game point with high pressure in front of the net, and then hit a long backhand volley, Wang Xinyu sent a break point with a forehand diagonal out of bounds, Zhang Zhizhen volleyed and flew in the front of the net, and the Chinese combination was broken again. The Netherlands held serve strongly in a love game to take the score to 4-1. In the 6th game, Scholes volleyed in front of the net, got a break point at 40-30, Kurhoff went out of bounds with a forehand, and Zhang Zhizhen had two straight serves to complete the hold. In the 7th game, Scholes served straight to cash in the game point and completed the hold, leading 5-2. In the 8th game, Wang Xinyu/Zhang Zhizhen had a must-serve game in the first set, Wang Xinyu's serve fluctuated, and two double faults were served, the Netherlands won consecutive set points 40-0, Scholes received a straight serve, and the Netherlands won the first set 6-2.
The second set continued with the Netherlands taking the lead. The Netherlands continued their hot hand and successfully held serve in the first game. In the second game, Wang Xinyu/Zhang Zhizhen improved their state in time and successfully held serve, 1-1. In the third game, Zhang Zhizhen received a straight serve 40-15 to get a break point, and Schols made a double fault and was the first to break in the second set. In the fourth game, Zhang Zhizhen played a magical volley in tennis, and the Chinese pair Love Game completed the hold and led 3-1. After that, the two sides held serve in each game, and Wang Xinyu/Zhang Zhizhen led 4-2. In the 7th game, the Netherlands maintained their hand and successfully completed the hold. The two pairs battled in the eighth game, with Wang Xinyu/Zhang Zhizhen defusing two break points and holding serve tenaciously to take a 5-3 lead. In the 9th game, the Netherlands had to hold serve in the second set, and the Netherlands won the set point 40-15 and successfully held serve. In the 10th game, the Chinese pair's serve won the set, and Wang Xinyu/Zhang Zhizhen held serve strongly in the love game and pulled back a set 6-4.
In the deciding set, Schuls volleyed the next point in front of the net, Zhang Zhizhen won the winning point with a forehand on the bottom line, and then served straight to lead 2-1. Zhang Zhizhen backhanded the hair straight, Scholes made a double fault, and Wang Xinyu/Zhang Zhizhen led 4-1. Zhang Zhizhen scored with high pressure in front of the net, and Schuls scored with a backhand volley, and the Chinese pair led 5-2. Schulls hit a backhand volley, and the Chinese pair bounced the tennis ball out of bounds to lead 5-4. Schulls returned the ball and went out of bounds, and Zhang Zhizhen chased the ball to force Schulls to hit the ball out of bounds, and the Chinese pair led 7-4. Zhang Zhizhen's forehand crossed in a straight line, Scholes made a double fault in the key points, and sent consecutive match points, and the mainland combination successfully cashed in and won the deciding set 10-4, winning 2-1!