If you can’t stand the heat… get out of the Danube Island

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Melissa Humana-Paredes (left) and Sarah Pavan crashed out of the Vienna Major

Watch out, world! Russians Svetlana Kholomina and Nadezda Makroguzova are on fire at the A1 Major Vienna presented by Swatch – after eliminating another Gstaad medalist!

The young stars came into the tournament off the back of a second successive Euro Under-22 title and in the past two days they have knocked out the top two teams in the world – Canadians Bansley/Wilkerson and Pavan/Humana-Paredes.

Their sensational form on the Danube Island means the pair are now one win away from a quarterfinal and tomorrow will take on… yes, you guessed it, the team ranked third in the world, Brazilians – Maria Antonelli and Carol Solberg.

It hasn’t been a great tournament for the Swatch Major Gstaad medalists – all three of the women’s teams that were on the podium in the Swiss Alps are now out of the tournament, as German silver medalists Chantal Laboureur and Julia Sude were also eliminated. The pair couldn’t see off Czech stars Marketa Sluková and Barbora Hermannová in a three set thriller.

On their victory, Slukova said: “The depth of quality from teams is really high – and that shows with all the Gstaad medalists out.

“It’s tough when we have to play at such a high level in such heat against top teams but sometimes skill doesn’t come into it, it’s physical and mental strength and that’s crucial. We won one and lost one yesterday so it wasn’t easy to come into a game against a team like that.”

The Czech stars already have a gold medal to their name on the World Tour this season, having scooped the top prize in their home tournament in Ostrava. Their bid for another medal continues on Friday when they take on Australians Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artatcho del Solar.

“It’s another tough game, but they all are. They won in Espinho so it won’t be easy but we’re ready,” added Marketa.

There was also good news for three USA teams Larsen/Stockman, Klineman/Ross and Hughes/Summer as they all secured victories to advance to the last 16. There will be an two American teams in the last eight as Klinemann/Ross will meet Fendrick/Sponsil while Larsen/Stockman take on Claes/Hochevar.

Rallies are all the rage 😍 Watch all the action from #ViennaMajor live on BeachStream [link in bio 🙋‍♀️] @a1telekom @swatch @redbull @viennatouristboard @bara.maki.beach @beachteamlaboureursude

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