US women upset Brazilian favourites

Thursday, 9 August 2012 00:41 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

LONDON (Reuters): American beach volleyball pair Jennifer Kessy and April Ross beat the reigning world champions, Juliana Felisberta and Larissa Franca of Brazil, in their Olympic semi-final on Tuesday to set up an all-American women’s final.

It was the first major upset of the event and a crushing outcome for Juliana and Larissa, who have won every trophy available except for an Olympic medal.

Ross and Kessy, who were world champions in 2009, beat the Brazilians by two sets to one on a score of 15-21 21-19 15-12.

May-Treanor and Walsh are the only pair to have successfully defended an Olympic beach volleyball title since the sport made its Games debut in 1996. They won gold in Athens in 2004 and again in Beijing in 2008.