Rio de Janeiro, August 6, 2016 – USA’s Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross began their Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games campaign by beating Australia’s Nicole Laird and Mariafe Artacho 2-0 (21-14, 21-13) at the Copacabana Beach Arena on Saturday.
Here’s what they said after the match….
Kerri Walsh Jennings, USA
“We knew it was going to be really electric out there and was going to be a really long day. It is tricky to know when to eat and when to nap, but I think we got it right to day.
“It is under the lights at Copa and it is a great atmosphere. The biggest challenge for all of us is how to turn it off. We now virtually have two days off before we play again.”
April Ross, USA
“We practiced and watched video this morning and then we had our own time from 1.30 till 10. We napped, put our feet up. I tried to do something mindless so did some crossword puzzles.”
Nicole Laird, Australia
“I think we missed an opportunity today. They are a very strong team, but at our best we match up well and that is the opportunity that slipped away today.
“In a way it is good to get that game out of the way. We knew we could knock them off, so it is good to get that game out of the way. We’ve felt it and know what the atmosphere is like and we have to find a way to have a much better game on the court.”