Top-seeded Brazilians Larissa and Talita narrowly beat Nadine Zumkehr and Joana Heidrich of Switzerland 21-23, 27-25, 15-13 to advance to the women’s beach volleyball semifinals.
The Brazilian duo entered the tournament as strong medal contenders and made it through pool play and the Round of 16 without dropping a single set. Larissa and Talita ended their set streak in the quarterfinal face-off against the Heidrich/Zumkehr.
The Swiss women took the first set 23-21. The Brazilian women, feeling pressure from the 17th-seeded Zumkehr/Heidrich, battled back in the second set to win 27-25 to force a decisive third set. Larissa/Talita found their rhythm in the third but not without pushback from the Swiss. The Brazilians won the final set to win the match 21-13, 27-25, 15-13 and will advance to the semifinals.
Larissa and Talita will play Germany’s Kira Walkenhorst and Laura Ludwig in the women’s semifinals on Aug 16.