Xue Chen/Zhang Xi of China Enter Women Semis at China Shanghai Open
Brazil and host China earned the first two semi-final spots in China Shanghai Jinshan Open after winning a pair of Beach Volleyball matches each here Friday, but the South American entry of Talita Antunes and Renata Ribeiro was a “surprise”.
Seeded fourth in the 32-team women’s Main Draw at the US$350,000 China Shanghai Jinshan Open, Talita and Renata upset top-seeded Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca to join third-seeded Xue Chen and Zhang Xi of China as the only unbeaten teams in the second SWATCH_FIVB World Tour event this season.
Talita and Renata beat their Brazilian rivals 21-19 and 21-19 win in 44 minutes. In the previous 24 international meetings between the two teams, Juliana and Larissa won 21 times, including two wins at March’s season opening event in Australia.
Before Talita and Renata advanced to the “final four”, Xue and Zhang gained a semi-final berth by defeating seventh-seeded Rieke Brink-Abeler and Hella Jurich of Germany 21-14 and 21-16 in 36 minutes.
Tian Jia and Wang Jie, who were upset in the first-round Thursday by 31st-seeded Mayra Garcia and Bibiana Candelas of Mexico, were attempting to become the first women’s team ever to win six-straight elimination matches to reach a SWATCH semi-final. However, sixth-seeded Tamsin Barnett and Natalie Cook spoiled the Chinese bid with a 21-18 and 21-16 elimination win in 46 minutes over Tian and Wang.
Cook, the three-time Olympian and Sydney 2000 gold medalist with Kerri Pottharst, and Barnett face Garcia and Bibiana Candelas. The winner of the Australia-Mexico match challenges Juliana and Larissa for a semi-final spot opposite of Xue and Zhang, who defeated Cook and Barnett earlier Friday 21-19 and 23-21 in 49 minutes.
In the upper half of the contender’s bracket, fifth-seeded Shelda Bede and Ana Paula Connelly of Brazil play ninth-seeded Vasso Karadassiou and Vassiliki Arvaniti of Greece with the winner challenging Brink-Abeler and Jurch for a “final four” spot opposite of Talita and Renata.
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