Latvian beach volleyball players Tīna Graudiņa and Anastasija Samoilova faced a tough defeat in the round of 16 at the first 'Elite 16' tournament of the season in Brazil on Friday. Seeded third in the tournament, they lost to the top-seeded Olympic champions Ana Patrícia and Eduardo Lisboa from Brazil, with a score of 0-2, marking a disappointing early exit for the world champions. This result means they finish the tournament in a tie for ninth place, earning 600 ranking points.

In their group stage matches, Graudiņa/Samoilova demonstrated a mix of performances. They initially lost against American duo Corie Savi/Devona Newberry, a tough match that ended 1-2. However, they bounced back in their second match, claiming a strong victory against Brazilian athletes Maiara Martins Silva and Talita Simonetti, winning 2-0. In a tight third match, they managed to secure a victory against the American team of Piper Ferch/Tigana Van Gunst, finishing 2-1. Despite their efforts to advance beyond the group stage, the defeat in the knockout rounds ultimately curtailed their hopes for a successful tournament finish.

On the men's side, Latvian duo Ardis Bedrītis and Artūrs Rinkevičs qualified for the main competition but unfortunately lost all three of their matches in that stage. The tournament held in João Pessoa is a key part of the professional beach volleyball tour and offers significant ranking points and exposure for competing teams, highlighting the competitive nature of the sport at this level.