US, China reach beach volleyball final

Reuters

Americans Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh

Americans Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh saw off Brazil in the semi-finals yesterday to move within a step of becoming the first team to defend an Olympic beach volleyball title. May-Treanor and Walsh have not lost a match for a year and have never dropped a set at the Olympics. They are favourites to beat China's Tian Jia and Wang Jie in the final tomorrow. "They are perfect. Nobody is going to beat them," said Brazil's Renata Ribeiro who lost to the US duo 21-12, 21-14 with her partner Talita Antunes. Tian and Wang saved three match points in the second set to beat their younger compatriots Zhang Xi and Xue Chen 22-24, 29-27, 15-8.