Brazilians Thainara Oliveira and Talita Simonetti were the sensations of the second day of women's main draw matches in this week's Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour 1xBet Itapema Elite, finishing first in their pool to secure the best result of their careers in a tournament of this caliber in their home sand.

After the conclusion of Friday's schedule at the Meia Praia Beach, 12 teams continue alive in the race for the medals, half of them from hosts Brazil. Thainara and Simonetti and five other duos emerged as the pool winners, while six other tandems, which ranked second or third in their pools, progressed through the Round of 18.

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Partners on the Beach Pro Tour since the start of the season, the 24-year-old Thainara and the 27-year-old Simonetti played in all five Elite events held in Brazil, but never made it as far as they will this week in Itapema, where they are already guaranteed at least a ninth-place finish. They were 13th in Rio de Janeiro, 19th in Saquarema and João Pessoa and 25th in Brasíllia.

The Brazilians started their campaign in Itapema on Thursday with a massive victory over Lithuanian Olympians Monika Paulikiene and Aine Raupelyte and continued to upset higher-seeded opponents on Friday, when they swept (21-17, 21-19) third-seeded Americans Hailey Harward and Molly Phillips to win Pool C.

The up-and-coming Brazilians will return to action on Saturday, when they will face American qualifiers Abby Van Winkle and Devanne Sours in the Round of 12. After finishing third in Pool D, they overcame Canadians Marie-Alex Bélanger and Lea Monkhouse in a three-set (21-9, 30-32, 15-10) battle in the Round of 18 on Friday.

Their compatriots and former FIVB World Ranking leaders Thâmela Coradello and Victoria Lopes also earned a ticket to the Round of 12 after they took Bélanger and Monkhouse down in three sets (21-12, 19-21, 15-13) to win Pool B. Their next opponents will be another Brazilian team, formed by veterans Talita Antunes and Taiana Lima, who eliminated compatriots Vitória Rodrigues and Hegeile 'Hegê' Almeida in two sets (21-14, 21-11).

Lithuania also had two teams topping their pools in Itapema. Qualifiers Ieva Vasiliauskaite and Erika Kliokmanaite emerged as the best team in Pool A after sweeping (21-18, 22-20) the Ukrainian Makhno twins Inna and Iryna and are now set to face Brazilians Verena Oliveira and Kyce Silva, who knocked Harward and Phillips out in the Round of 18 with a three-set (21-17, 20-22, 15-12) victory.

Pool D had Ieva Dumbauskaite and Gerda Grudzinskaite as the winners after they defeated Brazilians Vitória and Hegê in straight sets (21-19, 21-16). In the Round of 12, they will play Brazilians Elize Maia and Carol Horta, who advanced in the event for a third-straight day with a sweep (21-15, 21-14) of the Makhno twins.

Americans Piper Ferch and Teegan Van Gunst took first in Pool E thanks to their two-set (22-20, 21-16) victory over Ukrainians Valentyna Davidova and Anhelina Khmil. They will try to continue pushing forward against World Championship medalists Carol Salgado and Rebecca Cavalcanti of Brazil, who swept (21-14, 21-19) Americans Madelyne Anderson and Kimberly Hildreth in the Round of 18.

Pool F was won by Italians Claudia Scampoli and Giada Bianchi. The Europeans got the better of Anderson and Hildreth, taking them down in two sets (21-19, 21-18), and will play their first elimination match in Itapema against Spanish Sofía Izuzquiza and Ana Vergara, who triumphed in the tie-breaker (21-19, 16-21, 15-12) against Davidova and Khmil.

Beach Pro Tour Itapema Elite - Match Schedule

Saturday's schedule in Brazil will feature both the Round of and the quarterfinals. The four teams that overcome both rounds will play in the semifinals and medal matches on Sunday.

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