Brazilian duo considered favorites in women’s beach volleyball, Ana Patrícia and Duda beat Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova, from Latvia, in the quarterfinals of the sport at the Paris Olympic Games. 
With the victory, in sets of 21 to 16 and 21 to 10, the two advance to the semifinals, having as opponents the Australians Mariafe and Clancy.
Played on the central court of the Eiffel Tower, the match had a difficult start for the Brazilians, after the Latvian duo quickly opened up a 6-0 lead.
The technical timeout requested by the Brazilian duo paid off and, with an ace from Ana Patrícia, the duo tied the match at 7-7.
Latvia reached the eighth point after a short ball from Anastasija, but a service error led to the match being tied again. With an ace from Duda, Brazil took the lead again on the scoreboard, making it 10-8.
Latvia then called a timeout. But soon after the restart, Brazil’s lead increased to three points, with Duda scoring the eleventh point, putting Brazil’s initial scare behind them.
With a ball stuck in the corridor and a block made by player Tina, Latvia got closer to the scoreboard again, leaving the set at 11 to 10. It was then the Brazilians’ turn to ask for a new technical timeout.
On the return, another block by Tina Graudina tied the match at 11-11. Brazil did not let themselves be affected and, with a second ball passed by Ana Patrícia, they now definitively regained the advantage on the scoreboard, making it 13-11 and, subsequently, 15-12 with another block by Ana Patrícia.
Both teams had a strategy to turn the score around in the blocking. In one of them, Ana Patrícia scored the 19th point, increasing the difference in the score to five points, when Latvia had 14 points.
With a heavy attack by Duda, Brazil reached set point, at 20 to 15, and then, also by blocking, closed the first set at 21 to 16.
Second set
Showing their rapport, Ana Patrícia and Duda began the second set with a backhand lift, which allowed Duda to place a quick ball deep; and with Ana Patrícia exploiting Anastasija’s block to make the score 3-1.
Ana Patrícia then made her fifth successful block in a direct dispute with Anastasija, increasing the Brazilian advantage to 4-1. Another technical timeout for Latvia, which was beginning to see its game dominated by its opponents.
With a great save from Duda, Brazil counter-attacks and scores their fifth point.
The Brazilian serves managed to create difficulties for the Latvian duo to use one of their most striking characteristics: second-touch returns.
The 9-3 score came after an unusual play. In the middle of a rally, Ana Patrícia made a header pass. Then, a ball thrown out by Latvia resulted in a Brazilian point. With a diagonal pass, Duda scored the tenth point, leaving the set at 10-4.
Once again, trying to pass a second ball to surprise the Brazilians, Latvia ended up falling even further behind on the scoreboard, with a save by Duda followed by a pass by Ana Patrícia. With a serve point, Brazil made it 13 to 6.
The Brazilian team manages to maintain concentration, further increasing the advantage, leaving the score at 18 to 8. Afterwards, match point after Duda prevented a ball placed by Anastasija from touching the ground.
The final point of the match came from a service error committed by the Latvian team, the Brazilian duo closed the second set at 21 to 10.
The semi-final against the Australian duo Mariafe and Clancy will be on Thursday afternoon (8).
