Walsh Jennings/Branagh, Behlen/Schneider Among Espinho Pool Winners

Espinho Four Star

• Espinho, Portugal
• July 3-8, 2018
• Schedule/Results
• Live Streaming

While the men finished up qualifying action, the women got rolling in the main draw with 32 pool play matches, crowning eight champions.

German qualifiers Anna Behlen/Sarah Schneider carried on their success in the main draw, winning both of their matches in Pool H en route to the title. The duo topped Americans Brittany Hochevar/Kelly Claes (21-18, 23-21) and Portugal’s Gabriela Coelho/Vanessa Paquette (24-22, 21-17).

The rest of the eight qualifiers dropped their opening round match. Poland’s Jagoda Gruszczynska/Aleksandra Wachowicz, Spain’s Angela Lobato/Amaranta Navarro and Brazil’s Ana Patricia Ramos/Rebecca Cavalcanti Barbosa Silva rebounded with second round wins to move on to Friday. 

Joining Behlen/Schneider as pool play winners were:

• Pool A: Melissa Humana-Paredes/Sarah Pavan (Canada)
• Pool B: Anastasija Kravcenoka/Tina Graudina (Latvia)
• Pool C: Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson (Canada)
• Pool D: Maria Antonelli/Carol Solberg Salgado (Brazil)
• Pool E: Taliqua Clancy/Mariafe Artacho del Solar (Australia)
• Pool F: Kerri Walsh Jennings/Nicole Branagh (USA)
• Pool G: Taiana Lima/Carol Horta (Brazil)

Ten of the 32 matches went to tiebreak with Japan’s Megumi Murakami/Miki Ishii participating in two of those. First, the Japanese pair bested Germany’s Kim Behrens/Sandra Ittlinger (21-15, 16-21, 15-12). The duo then lost to Taiana Lima/Carol Horta 22-20, 23-25, 15-8).

Four of the pool title matches went the distance with Latvia’s Kravcenoka/Graudina, Clancy/Artacho del Solar and Walsh Jennings/Branagh joining Taiana Lima/Carol Horta with tiebreak wins to seal their dominance.

Walsh Jennings/Branagh won an all-American pool title match in Pool F, besting No. 6 seed Sara Hughes/Summer Ross 21-19, 19-21, 15-11.

Also missing out on pool titles among the Top 8 seeds were No. 2 Barbara Seixas De Freitas/Fernanda Alves (Brazil) and No. 8 Coelho/Paquete (Portugal).

Nicole Branagh – Kerri Walsh Jennings – Espinho Four Star – pool play