Osaka, Japan, May 24, 2009 -- Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca from Brazil successfully defended their Keihan/SMFG Japan Open title here Sunday by defeating compatriots Talita Antunes and Maria Antonelli for the international Beach Volleyball gold medal at the US$190,000 event.

With the three-time SWATCH FIVB World Tour champions playing in only their second international event this season after missing the last stop in Shanghai, the top-seeded Juliana and Larissa scored a 26-24, 19-21 and 18-16 win in 65 minutes over the fifth-seeded Talita and Antonelli to win their second gold medal this season along with sharing the $30,000 first-place prize.

"It is better to be playing than watching," said the 25-year old Juliana, who had to withdraw late from the Shanghai SWATCH stop with a back injury after arriving in the Asian city. "I just did not feel right and did not want to put any stress on my body as I am only nine months removed from major knee surgery. It is better to play on the safe side than try to play at anything less than 100 percent."

Despite finishing second to share the $21,000 second-place prize, Talita and Antonelli assumed the top spot on the 2009 SWATCH FIVB World Tour rankings list with 1,320 points for three events with Juliana and Larissa now tied for second with Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig of Germany as both teams have 1,200 points. After placing third and fourth in the first two SWATCH events this season, the Germans finished seventh this week.

Sunday's win was the second in the Keihan/SMFG Japan Open for Juliana and Larissa over their gold medal opponents as Talita and Antonelli dropped a 21-16, 15-21 and 15-10 decision to their rivals Friday afternoon in the winner's bracket quarter-finals.

In the bronze medal match, 13th-seeded Sanne Keizer and Marleen Van Iersel of the Netherlands defeated 26th-seeded Angie Akers and Tyra Turner of the United States 21-19 and 21-18 in 36 minutes. It was the first-ever SWATCH FIVB World Tour medals for the Dutch players, who shared the $15,000 third-place prize. Akers and Turner split $11,200 in their first international event together.

With the men's SWATCH FIVB World Tour idle this past week, both genders will be competing on two different fronts this coming week with the women in Korea (Seoul, May 26-31) and their male counterparts in Poland (Myslowice, May 26-31). After a three-week break the $1-million SWATCH FIVB World Championships will be held June 25-July 5 in Stavanger, Norway.