Canada upset Spain while two German teams went head to head for survival in the women's Elimination rounds as the road to Rio continued on day four of the Swatch Beach Volleyball Major Series on Friday. Matchups are now set for the opening women's Quarter Final battles this afternoon.

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Photocredit: Jörg Mitter

At the side courts packed with spectators, the 18th-seeded Canadian team of Valjas/Broder, rising stars this season, needed only two sets to crush the hopes of Spain's Liliana/Elsa Baquerizo, who as the seventh seeds were strong favorites. But the Canadians' work is far from over: this afternoon they will take on the number three seeds, Brazil's Agatha/Barbara Seixas.

The afternoon action Friday will also feature another North America-Brazil matchup. The U.S. team of Fendrick/Sweat defeated Russians Birlova/Ukolova in the morning's Elimination to advance to what will be their toughest fight of the tournament yet, a Quarter Final against the top women's team in the world, Larissa/Talita Antunes in the buzzing atmosphere of Center Court.

In the German head-to-head, 11th-seeded Borger/Büthe dominated second seeds Holtwick/Semmler  in only two sets. In the Quarter Finals they'll be challenged by the Australian team of Bawden/Clancy, number 22 seeds who are charging this week and needed only 35 minutes to crush the 24th-seeded Brazilians Lili Maestrini/Carol Maximo.

Meanwhile, another German team, Laboureur/Sude with the 13th seed, were ousted by the 17th seed Canadians Bansley/Pavan in a three-set endurance test. Bansley/Pavan will play the ninth-seed Italian pair of Menegatti/Orsi Toth in the Quarter Finals.

In a highlights from the men's morning Pool play, the Russian team of Semenov/Krasilnikov rebounded from a disappointing showing at last week's FIVB World Tour stop in Moscow to take down the Turkish team of Gogtepe/Giginoglu that had been hot all week. Austria's Clemens Doppler and Alexander Horst clinched their pool win in two sets against the world's number two seeds, Ricardo Alex Costa Santos and Emanuel Rego.

Women's Quarter Final rounds begin at 13:05 CET, Friday, June 5.