The ongoing rivalry between Brazil and the USA continues to captivate fans as the two nations prepare to face each other once more in the semifinals of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite16 in Rio de Janeiro. Sunday's final four promise thrilling action with two Brazilian duos meeting two American pairs on the sand, reigniting one of the sport’s most competitive matchups.
Semifinal Matchups
- Thamela Coradello and Victoria Lopes (Brazil) vs. Kelly Cheng and Molly Shaw (USA)
- Carol Solberg and Rebecca Cavalcanti (Brazil) vs. Terese Cannon and Megan Kraft (USA)
Coradello and Lopes secured their place in the semifinals with intense tie-break victories, the most notable being against Italy's Valentina Gottardi and Reka Orsi Toth. Their resilience and physical gameplay drew a strong response from the Rio crowd.
Meanwhile, Cheng and Shaw advanced impressively, eliminating No. 2 seeds Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova (Latvia) and later defeating Swiss sisters Anouk and Zoe Verge-Depre in a tightly contested match.
Redemption in the Rematch
Solberg and Cavalcanti are hungry for revenge against Cannon and Kraft. The American pair had bested them earlier in the tournament during the Round of 12. However, both duos have since recovered, pushing forward with confident performances to earn another crack at the title.
Cannon and Kraft punched their semifinal ticket after overpowering fellow Americans Julia Donlin and Lexy Denaburg in a spirited three-set battle.
What Comes Next?
The semifinals commence at 11:00 local time (14:00 UTC), with the winners advancing to the championship match scheduled for 18:00. As Rio plays host to this high-stakes event, the Beach Pro Tour continues to showcase a blend of veteran skill and emerging talent that underlines the global growth of beach volleyball.
For more details, visit the official event page at Volleyball World.
