Canada's Humana-Paredes, Wilkerson move on to beach volleyball semis in Qatar
CBC Sports | Posted: March 8, 2024 11:56 AM | Last Updated: March 8
Duo downs top-ranked Brazilians Ana Patricia, Duda in straight sets
Canada's Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson are moving onto the semifinals at the season-opening Elite16 beach volleyball tournament in Doha after a statement win on Friday.
The Canadians took down the top-ranked Brazilian duo of Ana Patricia Silva Ramos and Eduarda Santos Lisboa in straight sets (21-19, 21-19) in the quarterfinals.
Brazil had only dropped one set in its previous three group-stage matches.
But Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson, ranked fourth, matched the Brazilians in attack points and errors while gaining an edge in block points (5-2) and serves points (2-1) — small advantages that added up to enough in the two-set victory.
WATCH | Canada vs. Brazil in the quarterfinals:
Earlier, the Canadians, who are both 31-year-old Torontonians, beat Brazil's 14th-ranked team of Agatha Bednarczuk and Rebecca Cavalcanti (16-21, 21-17, 15-11) in the Round of 12.
They'll next face Latvia's Anastasija Samoilova and Tina Graudina in the semifinals on Saturday at 2 a.m. ET — a rematch of Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson's lone group-stage loss, a three-set affair in which the Canadians totalled more points but ultimately fell short.
Watch live coverage from Doha on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem, with action continuing Friday and again Saturday at 2 a.m. ET.
Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson finished the group stage with a 2-1 record.
In 2023, the Canadians placed at least fifth in each of their nine appearances at Beach Pro Tour tournaments and the world championship in Mexico.
They won gold medals at the Jurmala Challenge and Montreal Elite16, and bronze at the Ostrava Elite16.
Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson were also Canada's flag-bearers at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, where they captured the country's first women's beach volleyball medal at the Games with a silver.