:strip_icc()/s02.video.glbimg.com/x720/9736897.jpg "Ana Patricia/Rebeca fall to Swiss duo and medal tradition in beach volleyball depends on Alison/Álvaro | olympics")
The Brazilian participation in the women’s beach volleyball tournament at the Tokyo Olympic Games is over. In a tough game, with an alternation of advantage and a lot of balance, Ana Patrícia and Rebeca fell against the Swiss pair Verge-Depre/Heidrich on Tuesday morning in Japan. The defeat by 2 sets to 1 (21/19, 18/21 , 12/15) for the quarterfinals, left in the hands of Alison and Álvaro the responsibility of maintaining the Olympic medal tradition in Brazil.
–
–
Swiss duo beat Brazil and advance to semifinals — Photo: REUTERS/Pilar Olivares
– –
Ana Patrícia regretted the elimination, but praised the duo’s behavior even with difficulties in the preparation period. The Brazilian revealed that she was sick on the eve of the match:
–
– I’m sure there was no lack of a fight for us. These last few days have been incredibly difficult. Yesterday, I passed out in Rebecca’s lap, my blood sugar dropped. I spent the night very badly.
–
“I’m going sad for the loss, but very happy for the fight. In many moments there I thought to give up, because I couldn’t take it anymore, but she was on my side. I’m sure we’ll go home with a clear conscience “
–
–
Ana Patrícia and Rebeca in action in the match against the Swiss pair — Photo: REUTERS
– –
Since beach volleyball entered the Olympic program, the country has never returned home without being on the podium. At the premiere, in Atlanta-1996, men passed in white, but women guaranteed gold and silver. In Beijing-2008, which had been the only participation without a medal in the women’s, the men’s took silver and bronze. There are 13 medals coming from the modality in six editions of the Olympics.
–
With the victory over Ana Patrícia/Recebe, the Swiss pair dispute the semifinals with the Americans April and Alix, who eliminated the Germans Ludwig and Kozuch, tormentors of Agatha and Duda.
–
Brazilian Medals in Beach Volleyball
–
- Feminine – Gold (Jaquelina/Sandra) and Talk (Monica/Adriana)
–
- Feminine – Talk (Adriana Behar/Shelda) and Bronze (Adriana / Sandra)
- Male – Talk (José Marcos / Ricardo)
–
- Feminine – Talk (Adriana Behar/Shelda)
- Male – Gold (Ricardo / Emanuel)
–
- Male – Talk (Márcio/Fabio) and Bronze (Ricardo / Emanuel)
–
- Feminine – Bronze (Juliana/Larissa)
- Male – Talk (Alison/Emanuel)
–
- Feminine – Talk (Agatha/Barbara)
- Male – Gold (Alison/Bruno Schmidt)
–
Switzerland strategy decides tie-break
–
The match started very evenly, with a change of advantage and few errors until the score was tied at 9×9. That was when the Swiss took advantage of Brazil’s unforced mistakes in sequence in attack, reception and serve to open 14×10. de Rebeca replaced the Brazilian pair in the game, but Switzerland managed the advantage and even had five balls to close the set after a challenge indicating a touch on Ana Patrícia’s net. Brazil still saved three set-points, but Verge-Depre closed in 21/19 a partial where the six errors of the Brazilians against three made the difference.
–
–
Ana Patrícia’s blocks made the difference in the second set — Photo: Reuters
– –
Brazil came back more aggressive and Ana Patrícia mounted a wall in the blockade. The set continued until eight, when the Brazilian closed the door to Verge-Depre, putting 10 x 8 on the scoreboard. A defense by Rebeca that turned into an attack guaranteed a three-point advantage, which the pair managed with intelligence until the final stretch of the set. Relentless in defense, Rebeca attacked to make 18 x 14. The Swiss still reacted, but Brazil took the game to the tie-break with 21/18.
–
In the decisive set, the Swiss duo changed their strategy on the serve, forced Ana Patrícia and was happy. The Brazilian made reception errors that allowed the opponents to build a controllable advantage until the victory by 12/15 in a serve error by Ana Patrícia.
– – –
