Gstaad, Switzerland, July 12, 2013 – There will be no shortage of drama and emotions on the penultimate day of competition at the Gstaad Grand Slam on Saturday, with both the men’s and women’s finalists to be decided before the end of play.
The men’s competition is wide open, but the last two sets of world champions remain in the draw along with five other FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour gold medallists.
On Saturday they will play three rounds of matches, with the clash between Dutch veterans Reinder Nummerdor and Richard Schuil and USA’s Switzerland-born Phil Dalhausser and Sean Rosenthal the pick of the fixtures.
In the women’s tournament, the equation is far more straightforward; win and reach the final. The newly crowned world champions, Chen Xue and Zhang Xi, and most successful team of the year, Talita Antunes and Taiana Lima, remain in the draw, but will come face to face in the semifinals.
Brazilians end Ross and Walsh‘s run in Gstaad
April Ross and Kerri Walsh’s run came to an end on Friday when they lost in straight sets to Brazilians Maria Antonelli and Agatha Bednarczuk, but the pair are confident that once they have hit their stride that they will be challenging beach volleyball’s leading teams.
“We each saw a glimpse of our potential and that’s amazingly exciting. I think we can be the most dominant side in the world and I think this is a great start,” Walsh said.
MOREWorld champs march on in Gstaad
New world champions Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen equalled their best World Tour result of the year by beating Grzegorz Fijalek and Mariusz Prudel to reach the second elimination round and guarantee a ninth-place finish.
Since their victory in Poland life has been a whirlwind for the duo and in their only day back home between Mazury 2013 and Gstaad, they were in high demand from fans and media.
MORELili and Seixas eye medals after reaching last four in Gstaad
Liliane Maestrini and Barbara Seixas are on course for a third consecutive medal after reaching the semifinals. The Brazilians beat USA’s Emily Day and Summer Ross 2-0 (21-12, 21-11) to stand one win away from their first World Tour final having gone through qualification before the main draw.
Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst will be aiming to stop Lili and Seixas, while in the other semifinal China’s world champions Xue and Zhang Xi will meet the year’s most successful side, Talita and Lima.
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