Berlin, Germany, June 21, 2014 – Maria Antonelli and Juliana Felisberta upset USA’s April Ross and Kerri Walsh with a 2-1 (18-21, 21-14, 15-12) win in the quarterfinals at the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Berlin smart Grand Slam on Saturday.
The Brazilian qualifiers now face home team Karla Borger and Britta Büthe in the semifinal at 16.00 this afternoon.
New pair Antonelli and Juliana, who reached the final four for the third time this year, had to come back from behind after losing the first set. In the tiebreak they jumped ahead three points after a big block by Juliana on Ross.
The Brazilians had their first match point at 14-11 and at their second Antonelli scored the winner with a nice shot down the line.
“We were very focussed during the match”, said Antonelli. “Now we only need to think about the semifinal. It was a good match, but now we need to focus on the next two.”
For Borger and Büthe this will be their first semifinal since the FIVB World Championships in Stare Jablonki last year, where they finished second.
The German team defeated Brazil’s Agatha Bednarczuk and Barbara Seixas 2-0 (21-19, 21-15).
“We served well”, said Büthe. “And in the middle of the first set we had some lucky balls.”
“It feels good to be playing”, Borger said. “We have been able to score at some close moments. All we want to do now is have fun, have good weather and play in front of this great audience.”
Czech eliminate title defenders Talita/Lima
In the other semifinal at 17.00, Prague Open champions Kristyna Kolocova and Marketa Slukova will play against China’s Wang Fan and Yuan Yue.
The Czech team eliminated last year’s champions Talita Antunes and Taiana Lima, winning 2-1 (14-21, 21-19, 15-11).
“First of all I want to thank my partner”, said Kolocova after scoring the winning point. “I played crap in the beginning, you could all see that, and she helped me. Marketa really started to serve well.”
Kolocova said she did not care whom they would have to play in the semifinal. “If we play well we can beat any team.”
Wang Fan and Yuan Yue, who won silver in Shanghai this season, defeated Australia’s Louse Bawden and Taliqua Clancy 2-0 (21-18, 23-21).
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