On a busy day of action, Brazilians Talita Antunes and Larissa Franca secured an automatic last four berth by virtue of winning their group, defeating Canadian rivals Heather Bansley and Sarah Pavan in a bruising encounter 21-23, 21-17, 17-15.

But the Canadians responded in style by knocking-out home hopes April Ross and Lauren Fendrick 21-15, 21-16 to confirm their place.

It represented a sad end to the tournament for the Americans, a makeshift pair playing together in the injury-induced absence of regular partners Brooke Sweat and Kerri Walsh Jennings, who had beaten Brazilian world champions Barbara Seixas and Agatha Bednarczuk earlier in the week.

Seixas and Bednarczuk are also through to the last four after overcoming a 20-17 deficit in the second game to beat Madelein Meppelink and Marleen Van Iersel of The Netherlands 21-13, 26-24.

They will now face a rematch against Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst of Germany, who beat them 21-17, 21-19 in the final pool match this morning, while Bansley and Pavan will resume their rivalry with Antunes and Franca.

Quarter-finals on the men's side of the draw are still to take place tomorrow after pool action came to a close today.

But there will be at least one Brazilian pair in the last four after Evandro Goncalves and Pedro Solberg sealed a place after winning their group.

They will be joined by home stars Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena.

Brazilian world champions Alison Cerutti and Bruno Oscar Schmidt enjoyed two impressive wins today to set up a clash with Daniele Lupo and Paolo Nicolai of Italy for the right to face the Americans.

Fourth-seeded Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen of The Netherlands out-lasted top-seeded US duo Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson 21-11, 25-27, 15-13 in a 54-minute Pool A match to gain a berth in the other quarter-final against Dutch rivals Reinder Nummerdor and Christiaan Varenhorst.

Remaining quarter-finals and semi-finals will take place here tomorrow ahead of two finals scheduled for Sunday (October 4).

Related stories
October 2015: Two Brazilian teams among four unbeaten pairs at FIVB World Tour Finals
September 2015: United States double over Brazil at FIVB World Tour Finals
September 2015: Lupo and Nicolai open FIVB World Tour Finals campaign with victory over top seeds
July 2015: Exclusive: FIVB President Graça hopeful of taking Beach Volleyball World Championships to London
July 2015: FIVB President Graça reveals new LED net ready for competition and predicts explosion in volleyball post-Rio 2016