Team Muirhead prepare for must-win matches starting with Japan in Beijing 2022 women's curling

Team GB are approaching a crucial juncture in the women's curling competition at Beijing 2022.

Eve Muirhead, Jennifer Dodds, Vicky Wright, and Hailey Duff are coming off a 7-3 defeat by Canada and sit joint-fifth, alongside the Canadians and Republic of Korea, in the round robin standings. The top four teams progress to the semi-finals.

Team Muirhead, who have recorded three wins and three losses so far, are back in action on Tuesday 15 February at 14:05 local time in a crucial match against Japan, who currently sit in second place.

They will then face the hosts People's Republic of China on Wednesday 16 February at 09:05 and they close out the round robin against ROC on Thursday 17 February at 14:05.

'Every game from now is a final'

Team skip Muirhead is a veteran, even if she's only 31, and knows how important the next three tests are. The Sochi 2014 bronze medallist has been the Great Britain women's skip at every Olympic competition since her debut at Vancouver 2010.

"We need to take every game from now as if it's the final. That gives us good focus and concentration.

"I've been in this position a lot of times, knowing that you need to win the rest of your matches. We just need to learn from our mistakes and what we did wrong.

"We need to go back, refocus and forget about this game. It's hard to just forget about it but we're capable of doing that and I do believe we're capable of winning our last three."

'The curling gods aren't always with you'

Muirhead has already had a Games to remember as she was one of the flagbearers for Team GB during the Parade of Nations at the Opening Ceremony.

But now her focus is fully on the action, and was frustrated by the Canada defeat.

"It was a little frustrating, I didn’t feel like we were too far away. It was a matter of inches in that game.

"The curling gods aren't always with you - let's hope in our last three games that we play well.

"We know we have to, we've got tough opposition, but it is in our own hands.

"Japan are always going to be a tough game. We'll come out with a lot of fire and hopefully get the win."

'We are some of the strongest and fittest out there'

Edinburgh's Dodds, who is a childhood friend of her Team GB mixed doubles partner and men's skip Bruce Mouat, reflected on the defeat and gave her assessment of the team's "three finals" ahead.

"It was obviously disappointing. It was a matter of inches in that game, and we were the wrong side of it this time. We just missed the shots to put them under pressure. We weren't playing badly out there.

"We've got Japan [next] and that's going to be another tough game and another battle.

"I think three wins will probably get us in, so it's almost like a play-off stage from now on.

"That would be the ideal situation if we could win three but we know we've got three tough teams there, so we need to bring our best performances to have a chance."

Dodds also competed in the mixed doubles competition earlier at Beijing 2022 where she and Mouat made it all to the semi-finals, only to lose out 6-5 to eventual runners-up Norway.

"I'm feeling great. [In] Mixed doubles I stand around and do not do much compared to the ladies!

"To be fair, back at the NCA (National Curling Academy) we've done so much training and throwing. All of us are some of the strongest and fittest out there, so we have been prepared for this moment.

"I'm feeling good at the moment physically and mentally."

When and where to watch the GB women's curling team at Beijing 2022

The full schedule for the women's curling competition is here.

From the Opening Ceremony to athlete action, here's where and how you can watch the Winter Games in your region via the Official Olympic Broadcast Partners.

Keep up with all the action in our Live Blog updates throughout Beijing 2022, here.