The women's main draw of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour 1xBet Itapema Elite started with a big upset on Thursday, as one of the main favorites to win gold, Brazilians Carol Salgado and Rebecca Cavalcanti, were taken down in the first round of pool play matches at the Meia Praia Beach.

Returning to action after taking bronze at the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship less than two weeks ago, the home favorites were shocked by Lithuanians Erika Kliokmanaite and Ieva Vasiliauskaite, who, one day after overcoming the event's qualifier, topped the Brazilian Olympians in straight sets (22-20, 22-20) in Pool A.

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Partners for the first time in 2023, the 40-year-old Kliokmanaite and the 25-year-old Vasiliauskaite reunited for the second half of this season after not competing on the Beach Pro Tour in 2024 and have appeared in only three events before making the trip to Brazil this week - their only participation in an Elite tournament happened in October, when they ranked 13th in Cape Town.

The victory against the number two team in the FVB World Rankings places the Europeans in a good spot to go further in Itapema and they need just another pool play victory to advance directly to the Round of 12. On Friday, they will play against the Ukrainian Makhno twins Inna and Iryna, who defeated the Japanese Matsumoto sisters Non and Ren also in two sets (21-18, 23-21).

World Championship semifinalists Thâmela Coradello and Victoria Lopes had a stronger start than Carol and Rebecca in Pool B, winning the Brazilian duel against qualifiers Elize Maia and Carol Horta in two sets (21-14, 21-16) to claim their first victory. Also triumphing in their opening match in the pool were Canadians Marie-Alex Bélanger and Lea Monkhouse, who overcame Puerto Ricans Maria Claudia Gonzalez and Allanis Navas in the tie-breaker (16-21, 21-18, 15-13).

Pool C had Americans Hailey Harward and Molly Phillips beating Spanish Sofía Izuzquiza and Ana Vergara in three sets (21-16, 14-21, 15-13) and Brazilians Thainara Feitosa and Talita Simonetti upsetting Lithuanian Olympians Monika Paulikiene and Aine Raupelyte in straight sets (21-13, 29-27).

In Pool D, the first-round winners were Lithuanians Ieva Dumbauskaite and Gerda Grudzinskaite, who prevailed over Americans Abby Van Winkle and Devanne Sours in three sets (21-19, 12-21, 15-12), and Brazilians Vitória Rodrigues and Hegeile 'Hegê' Almeida, who also needed the tie-breaker (21-18, 13-21, 22-20) to get the victory over Finnish Anniina Parkkinen and Valma Prihti.

Starting ahead in Pool E were Ukrainians Valentyna Davidova and Anhelina Khmil, who downed Brazilian qualifiers Brazilians Verena Oliveira and Kyce Silva in a three-setter (21-19, 16-21, 15-7), and Americans Piper Ferch and Teegan Van Gunst, who dominated Japanese Asami Shiba and Reika Murakami to a two-set (21-17, 21-16) victory.

Pool F started with a pair of impressive comebacks, as Italians Claudia Scampoli and Giada Bianchi defeated Americans Kelley Kolinske and Madison Shields 2-1 (19-21, 21-16, 16-14) and Americans Madelyne Anderson and Kimberly Hildreth turned the tables on Brazilian veterans Talita Antunes and Taiana Lima, triumphing in the tie-breaker (18-21, 21-12, 15-13).

Beach Pro Tour Itapema Elite - Match Schedule

Pool play will be completed in Itapema on Friday with another 12 matches. The duos that prevail in the six duels involving first-round winners will advance directly to the Round of 12, while the losers go to the Round of 18. The other six matches will have the winners making it to the Round of 18 and the losers exiting the tournament.

The Round of 18 matches will be held later in the day on Friday. The Round of 12 and the quarterfinals are scheduled for Saturday, with the semifinals and medal matches ending the event on Sunday.

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