KARON, PHUKET: Top seeds powered their way into the semi-finals of the US$190,000 Phuket Thailand Open on Karon Beach yesterday, with April Ross and Jen Kessy-Boss of the US surviving a sturdy challenge from the Netherlands.The FIVB announced yesterday that the Phuket Thailand Open was officially the largest event in women's beach volleyball, having attracted a record-breaking 66 teams from 28 countries.Running concurrently for the first time this year is a hotly-contested competition among teams of staff from island hotels. ... Full story