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Germans upset sixth seeds to grab spot in next round

Misty May-Treanor, front, dives to get the ball during the pool round match between Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor and Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner at the Beach Volleyball World Championships in Gstaad, Switzerland, on Wednesday. PHOTO: EPA

Germany's Helke Claasen and Antje Roder upset their sixth seed compatriots Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig 21-19, 14-21, 17-15 on Wednesday to secure a spot in the second round of the beach volleyball world championships.

After losing to reigning Olympic and world champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh the previous day, South Africa's Judith Augoustides and Leigh-Ann Naidoo rallied to defeat Mika Teru Saiki and Chiaki Kusuhara of Japan 21-16, 23-21. Their victory over the Japanese -- ranked 21st on the World Tour -- kept alive the South African duo's hopes of advancing.

Walsh and May-Treanor, the top-seeded women's duo, downed fellow Americans Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner 21-9, 21-14 to secure a place in the next round. Their main rivals, Larissa and Juliana of Brazil, were also sure to advance after beating Lithuania's Inguna Minusa and Inese Jursone 21-19, 21-13.

On the men's side, the top seeds, Brazilian pair Emanuel and Ricardo, who won gold at last week's Pan American Games on home soil in Rio de Janeiro, won their second match in as many days, defeating Ahren Cadieux and Mark Heese of Canada 21-11, 21-17.

The second seeds Brazilian duo Franco and Cunha defeated Austria's Sebastian Goettlinger and Bernhard Strauss 21-17, 21-14 to lock up a spot in the next round.
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