Gstaad, Switzerland, July 8, 2009 - The teams from Brazil and United States each won a pair of matches here Wednesday at the 10th annual 1to1energy Grand Slam.

The Brazilian pairs of Talita Antunes/Maria Antonelli, Juliana Felisberta Silva/Larissa Franca and Shelda Bede/Ana Paula Connelly competed in the medal rounds last Saturday at the world finals in Stavanger, but it was Americans Jen Kessy and April Ross that secured the top spot on the Norwegian podium.

Americans Jen Kessy and April Ross , the top-seeded team in the US$600,000 1to1energy Grand Slam, posted two-set victories over teams from Cuba and Belgium Wednesday to gain sole leadership of Pool A.

"There is no letdown here," said Kessy after her team's 21-13 and 21-12 win over 32nd-seeded Dalixia Fernandez Grasset and Imara Esteves Ribalta of Cuba.

The second-seeded Talita and Antonelli, who placed third in the Stavanger worlds, opened play Wednesday with victories over teams from Spain and China to become the sole leader of Pool B as the Brazilians conclude their group schedule against 15th-seeded Ying Huang and Xi Zhang of China.

Third-seeded Juliana and Larissa posted wins over pairs from Switzerland and Italy to tie 14th-seeded Nila Ann Hakedal and Ingrid Torlen of Norway atop the Pool standings as the two play each other Thursday morning.

Shelda and Ana Paula survived a three-set upset bid by 28th-seeded Galyna Osheyko and Svitlana Baburina of the Ukraine in their first match Wednesday before gaining the Pool E leadership win a victory over 16th-seeded Stephanie Pohl and Okka Rau of Germany.

Other pool leaders are fourth-seeded Nicole Branagh/Elaine Youngs of the United States and 13th-seeded Marleen Van Iersel/Sanne Keizer of The Netherlands in Pool D, sixth-seeded Angie Akers/Tyra Turner of the United States and 11th-seeded Katrin Holtwick/Ilke Semmler of Germany in Pool F, 26th-seeded Annie Martin/Marie-Andree Lessard of Canada in Pool G and eighth-seeded Sara Goller/Laura Ludwig of Germany in Pool H.

Martin and Lessard scored Wednesday's only upset of a team seeded in the top eight as the Canadians scored an 18-21, 21-18 and 15-13 in 55 minutes over seventh-seeded Maria Clara Salgado and Carolina Salgado of Brazil followed by a 21-17 and 21-17 victory in 39 minutes 10th-seeded Sarah Schmocker and Isabelle Forrer of Switzerland.

The top three finishers from each pool advance to the 24-team elimination bracket with each group winner based on match record and/or point ratio receiving a first-round "bye" with their first bracket match being Friday. The women's quarter-finals will be played Friday afternoon.