Hottest ticket in town? Beach volleyball players sweat it out on the sands but arena is still hit with curse of the empty seats

The beach volleyball got off to an exciting start as players hit the sand at Copacabana Beach, with a win and a loss for the Australian female teams at the game's spiritual home. 


Australia's Louise Bawden and Taliqua Clancy won in straight sets against Costa Rica's Karen Cope Charles and Nathalia Alfaro. Later that night USA team Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross thrashed Australia's Mariafe Artacho Del Solar and Nicole Laird.