May-Treanor, Walsh open with win in beach volleyball

May-Treanor, Walsh open with win in beach volleyball

Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor hug after defeating Japan in their opening game. (Tribune photo by Wally Skalij / August 9, 2008)

BEIJING - The U.S. beach volleyball contingent promised to help bring some West Coast-style, beach-party fun to the Far East with the sport they invented and popularized.

But playing in a steady drizzle from the first set and before a sparse Sunday morning crowd, the most they could hope for at Chaoyang Park Beach Volleyball Ground was a stubborn display by America's best as Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh defeated Japan's Mika Teru Saiki and Chiaki Kusuhara in straight sets, 21-12, 21-15.

After Latvia's upset of Americans Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser on Saturday night, May-Treanor and Walsh did not mind the relative lack of style points in the 36-minute match.

"That was a reminder to us that the Olympics is the Olympics," Walsh said. "Everyone comes to play ball. You have to go out there like you're playing the No. 1 seed, which is what Misty and I do. But that was a little wake-up call, to be sure."


Sunday's victory was the American team's first match against Japan in over a year, and Walsh and May-Treanor said they were leery of their opponents, regardless of the No. 23 seed. Indeed, Saiki, with a different partner, defeated the American team of Jenny Johnson-Jordan and Annette Buckner-Davis in the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

"The Olympics have officially begun now," Walsh said.

U.S. teams have won three gold medals, two silvers and a bronze at three previous Games. May-Treanor and Walsh, both competing in their third Olympics, are the defending gold medalists and with Sunday's victory extended their winning streak to 63 straight matches.

"We never even think about the streak until the media brings it up," May-Treanor said.

Despite their world standing, May-Treanor and Walsh are seeded No. 2 here and China No. 1.

"It's one match and done," May-Treanor said. "We have many to go. We're here for the same reason that everyone else is here, to stand on the top podium."