Tian Jia and Wang Jie of China won over their compatriots Zhang Xi and Xue Chen in the semifinals of beach volleyball tournament at the Beijing Olympics on Tuesday.

　　Tian/Wang needed to play three sets before downing their fellow Chinese duo.

　　Zhang/Xue won the first set 24-22. They trailed at the beginning of the second sect but were able to come from behind. The two sides traded set points in the latter part of the second set and scored the highest points in the beach volleyball tournament at the Beijing Olympics. The set ended 29-27 in favor of Tian/Wang.

　　The third set went in the advantage of Tian/Wang, who beat the younger duo 15-8.

　　"Both of us played to our best standard in the match. I hope both of our two teams will have good performance in our next matches," said Tian after the match
　"My partner (Wang Jie) played excelently in the match. It seemed she was not for the first time at the Olympics," she added.

 
　　"I have done my best in the match. I have played and practiced beach volleyball for eight years and all that has been for the Beijing Olympics," the 24-year-old Zhang said at the press conference.

　　Her parter Xue Chen was sustained a waist injury when she tried to save but failed to touch the last ball.

　　About the loss of the third set, Zhang said, "We lack experiences and they captured our gaps and curbed our ways of offensive."

　　"I hope Tian and Wang would play better in the final against the United States and I hope I can give my strength to them," she said.

　　On the coming final against defending champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, Wang said, "They are a very strong team, both in experience and techniques. We are going to face big difficulties in the match."

　　"We'll do our best and we don't think about the result," she added.
第三次参加奥运会的田佳终于有机会成为沙排赛场的绝对主角。她在１９日与同伴王洁战胜了队友薛晨／张希冲进了北京奥运会女子沙滩排球决赛。

 
　　２７岁的田佳在赛后噙着泪水说：“这是我自己的突破！我终于实现了自己的奥运梦想，请大家在决赛继续为我们加油吧！”

　　这是一场紧张、刺激的中国内战。田佳／王洁世界排名第二，而更为年轻的薛晨／张希世界排名第四，两对选手在此前的比赛中都是五战五胜会师半决赛。比赛的过程跌宕起伏。第一局双方就把比分拖到了２１分以上，薛晨／张希２４：２２险胜。第二局更是打出了本届奥运会开赛以来的最高分，２９：２７，田佳／王洁扳回一城。关键的第三局，经验起到了关键的作用，都是第一次参加奥运会的薛晨和张希从一开始就乱了节奏，没能像前两局一样，给对手强有力的冲击，最终８：１５输掉了第三局，并以总比分１：２失去了晋级决赛的机会。

　　第三次参加奥运会的田佳赢得比赛后异常激动，她哭着说：“中国运动员会师半决赛是我们这个项目的突破，而自己冲进决赛则是个人的突破。薛晨她们实力比我们强，我们今天打得很艰难，取得胜利是个奇迹，我感谢我的同伴。”

　　输掉比赛的张希也没有气馁，她说：“我们的奥运会还没有结束，我练沙排八年了，２１号的铜牌争夺战，我将全力以赴。”

　　北京奥运会女子沙排决赛将于２１日举行，田佳／王洁将挑战卫冕冠军、美国组合沃尔什／梅·特雷纳，而张希／薛晨将于同一天与巴西对手争夺铜牌。