The pair, who lifted their first-ever FIVB World Tour title with victory in the American city last week, moved to the brink of the main draw by beating Yury Bogatov and Maksim Hudyakov of Russia 18-21, 21-13, 15-12 at the Vodny Stadium Beach Sports Centre.

That win set-up a crucial clash with ninth seeds Martins Plavins and Haralds Regza for a spot in the group stages and it was the Latvian team who managed to progress.

Plavins, a bronze medallist at London 2012 with Janis Smedins, and Regza advanced courtesy of a 21-19, 21-18 win in just 30 minutes to end the Brazilians’ hopes of claiming a second straight crown.

The Latvian pair had earlier ousted Mykola Babich and Iaroslav Gordieiev of Ukraine in their first qualifying contest by the same scoreline.

Georgios Kotsilianos and Nikos Zoupanis of Greece managed to earn qualification for the main draw at a FIVB World Tour Grand Slam event for just the second time as they picked up two victories on the opening day.

The Greeks proved too strong for Aliaksandr Dziadkou and Aliaksandr Kavalenka of Belarus in their opener, recording a comfortable 21-15, 21-19 win, before beating Italian brothers Matteo and Paolo Ingrosso 21-18, 21-16.

In the women’s competition, Eduarda Lisboa and Elize Maia of Brazil justified their position as top seeds for the qualification tournament as they earned a straightforward 21-14, 21-14 triumph against Khanittha Hongpak and Rumpaipruet Numwong of Thailand.

“It would be especially hard since all the best teams in the world are here this week,” Duda said.

“Not to discredit the competitors in the other events, but those fields were different. 

“I feel that I am playing very well and transitioning between playing with Eliza and Ana Patricia has not been difficult.”

They will be joined in the main draw by Lane Carico and Summer Ross of the United States, who thrashed Daria Mastikova and Elizaveta Novikova of Russia 21-11, 21-12 before eliminating seventh-seeded Barbara Hansel and Stefanie Schwaiger of Austria 21-16, 21-12.