Brazil's Alison Cerutti and Bruno Oscar Schmidt moved into the quarter-finals ©FIVB

Brazilian world champions Alison Cerutti and Bruno Oscar Schmidt booked their place in the quarter-finals of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Vitória Open, ending the run of Poland’s Piotr Kantor and Bartosz Losiak.

The Polish pair triumphed at the Rio Grand Slam last weekend but, after finishing second in their pool, were forced to come through a first round tie in this event that is part of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour.

They faced the challenge of Brazil’s Leo Gomes and Rodrigo Vieira Bernat, who progressed through the pool phase after a three-way tie.

Kantor and Losiak wrapped up a rapid 21-19, 21-15 victory to set up a challenge against another Brazilian pairing.

Alison and Bruno had the bonus of being able to rest having had a bye into the second round after winning their pool.

The home favourites took full advantage of their additional preparation time, sweeping to a 23-21, 21-19 triumph.

They will face their compatriots Saymon Barbosa and Guto Carvalhaes in the quarter-finals after they overcame fellow Brazilians Alvaro Filho and Ricardo Santos 15-21, 21-19, 15-12.

Third seeds Reinder Nummerdor and Christiaan Varenhorst, from The Netherlands, progressed to the last eight after beating Canada’s Grant O’Gorman and Sam Pedlow 21-15, 21-16.

Germany's Katrin Holtwick and Ilka Semmler earned a three set win in their second round tie
Germany's Katrin Holtwick and Ilka Semmler earned a three set win in their second round tie ©FIVB

Brazil also celebrated success in the women’s competition as Larissa Franca and Talita Antunes brushed aside Canada's Taylor Pischke and Melissa Humana-Paredes, with the top seeds winning 21-16, 21-12.

They will now face Chantel Laboureur and Julia Sude in tomorrow’s semi-finals, following the Germans 15-21, 21-17, 16-14 win over Slovakia's Dominika Nestarcova and Natalia Dubovcova.

The second seeds were also victorious with Kerri Walsh and April Ross cruising to a 21-17, 21-14 win over fellow Americans Brittany Hochevar and Jennifer Fopma.

Walsh and Ross are now set to meet Brazil’s Maria Antonelli and Liliane Maestrini after they defeated Switzerland’s Anouk Verge-Depre and Isabelle Forrer 32-30, 21-19.

Brazil’s Taiana Lima and Juliana Felisberta were the victims of the biggest shock of the day.

The third seeds lost 21-18, 21-18 to Switzerland’s Joana Heidrich and Nadine Zumkehr.

The Swiss paring face a quarter-final with Germany’s Katrin Holtwick and Ilka Semmler following their 21-19, 16-21, 15-10 win over Italy’s Marta Menegatti and Viktoria Orsi Toth.