Brazil beach volleyball champs out of semis

BEIJING (Reuters) - Defending champions Ricardo Santos and Emanuel Rego were knocked out of the Olympic beach volleyball on Wednesday, leaving fellow Brazilians Marcio Araujo and Fabio Luiz Magalhaes to play the U.S. favorites for gold.

Marcio and Fabio Luiz, the 2005 world champions, have been in sporadic form in Beijing but pulled it all together in the semi, winning 22-20 21-18. They will play reigning world champions Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser in the final.

"We had to give 100 percent, no, 120 percent, to get past them," said Marcio, who fell on top of Fabio Luiz and rolled around on the sand when they won.

"We couldn't allow ourselves to think it was Ricardo and Emanuel on the other side of the net -- that would be too emotional. We just had to play a really excellent match."

Ricardo and Emanuel, role models for many Brazilian players, fought back from big deficits in both sets but it was not enough.

The last point was particularly painful as a cross-court spike by Ricardo was called out. The Sydney silver medalist challenged it all the way back to the bench but was good-natured after the match.

While speaking to reporters, Ricardo threw his towel at Fabio, grinned cheekily and asked "Come on, was it in or out?". Fabio shook his finger, finished his interview and leapt in to a bear hug with Ricardo, each slapping the other's back.

Marcio and Fabio Luiz have won five of seven matches against Rogers and Dalhausser but have barely played since the U.S. team hit their winning stride last year.

The U.S. duo were in great form in their semi against Georgia -- two Brazilians who took dual citizenship to make the Olympics.

"It hasn't hit me yet that I'm going to be playing in a gold medal match," said Dalhausser, who once resisted taking up volleyball because he thought it was for girls.

"Give me a few hours and it'll smack me in the face."

(Editing by Nick Macfie)