Ross, Walsh Jennings upset

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Costa Mesa resident April Ross and partner Kerri Walsh Jennings were upset in the round of 16 at the Federation International de Volleyball Beach Volleyball World Championships on Thursday.

The No. 3-seeded Americans were bested, 21-19, 17-21, 15-13, by the No. 12-seeded Chinese duo of Fan Wang and Yuan Yue.

“This is going to hurt, but this is going to fuel us,” Walsh Jennings told a television reporter after the match. “We have Gstaad [another FIVB event July 7-11 in Switzerland] next week.”

Ross, an Olympic silver medalist and a Newport Harbor High alumna, and Walsh Jennings, a three-time Olympic champion, are the dominant team on the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals domestic beach tour, which returns to action July 17-19 at the New York City Open.

The FIVB world championships marked Walsh Jennings’ first action since she dislocated her right hitting shoulder on May 27. She had had four previous surgeries on the same shoulder. The Americans won their first four matches in the tournament before being upset.

Costa Mesa resident Brooke Sweat, who along with Lauren Fendrick were seeded No. 15, advanced to the quarterfinals before being eliminated by the No. 4-seeded German duo of Ilka Semmler and Katrin Holtwick, 21-18, 21-15, on Thursday.

Earlier Thursday, Sweat and Fendrick handled the No. 13-seeded Italian tandem of Marta Menegatti and Viktoria Orsi Toth, 21-18, 21-19, in the round of 16.

— From staff reports