The Olympic gold medallists were in ruthless form as they dispatched Sara Hughes and Kelly Claes of the United States 21-16, 21-16 at the Red Bull Beach Arena on Danube Island. 

Ludwig and Walkenhorst will take on another American pairing in the last eight as they will face Brooke Sweat and Summer Ross.

The American team battled past Kristyna Kolocova and Michala Kvapilova of the Czech Republic as they fought back from a set down to claim a 17-21, 22-20, 15-12 victory.

Brazil's Talita Antunes and Larissa França, who lost in the bronze medal match at last year's Olympic Games, prolonged their stay at the competition as they joined the Olympic champions in progressing to the next round.

Antunes and França set up an all-Brazilian quarter-final clash as they ousted Anouk Vergé-Dépré and Joana Heidrich of Switzerland 21-19, 21-16.

Men's Olympic champions Alison Cerutti and Bruno Oscar Schmidt of Brazil also safely progressed today as they booked their place in the last 16 of the tournament.

The Brazilian pairing proved too strong for Latvia's Rihards Finsters and Edgars Tocs with a comfortable 21-15, 21-7 win.

Christiaan Varenhorst, who finished second at the 2015 edition of the Beach Volleyball World Championships in The Hague along with Reinder Nummerdor after they lost to Cerutti and Schmidt, and new partner Maarten Van Garderen are also through.

The Dutch duo overcame Saymon Barbosa Santos and Alvaro Morais Filho of Brazil 21-17, 21-18.

The event in the Austrian capital continues tomorrow.