Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 14, 2016 – Brazil’s Larissa Franca and Talita Antunes saved four match points against them before they advanced to the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games beach volleyball semifinals when they defeated Switzerland’s Nadine Zumkehr and Joana Heidrich 2-1 (21-23, 27-25, 15-13) at the Copacabana Beach Arena on Sunday.
Here’s what they said after the match….
Larissa Franca, Brazil
“It was important today that we had a lot of patience and we also had the experience of three Olympic Games, so we are grateful that we were able to use that to help us win.
“Today is Father’s Day, a very special day for families so we want to dedicate that to all the fathers out there who have helped us in our careers. Then there was the crowd, who were the third player today.”
Nadine Zumkehr, Switzerland
“Too bad they showed their very best at the right moments. It is tough to take because we did a lot of things right. It was an incredible atmosphere and the best game I have ever had the chance to play. The audience was crazy and I really want to keep that in my heart becase it is unforgettable.
“It really, really hurts that we lost, but it shows our qualities and in the end with the match points they always managed to get a hand to the ball. They deserved to win, but I think we gave them a good game.”
Joana Heidrich, Switzerland
“It is hard to accept, but I think we had a really great game. We had a chance to finish, but we were unable to do it. They are a great team and they solved problems well. It was a great game maybe they had a little bit more luck or are more used to this situation.
“Despite the result now I am really happy with how we have played here.”