PARIS — Switzerland ousted Americans Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes from the beach volleyball tournament at the Paris Games on Tuesday night, ending the chances of bringing a fifth women's gold in the last six Olympics back to the sport's birthplace.
Nina Brunner and Tanja Hueberli won 21-18 and 21-19 to advance to the semifinals at the Eiffel Tower Stadium. The other American women's team, Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth, were eliminated in the round of 16 on Monday.
Top-ranked David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig of Sweden jump-set their way into the semifinals earlier Tuesday, beating Evandro and Arthur of Brazil 21-17, 21-16.
Germany beat the Netherlands in straight sets to reach the final four, where one win guarantees it a gold or silver medal, and even a loss would leave it with a chance for the bronze. «We were quite nervous, but I screamed everything out, every 'nervosity' — is that a word?» said the 6-foot-11 German Nils Ehlers after he and Clemens Wickler won 22-20, 21-15. «I was very nervous, for sure.