Two weeks after representing Japan at the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship for the first time in their careers, Asami Shiba and Reika Murakami achieved another significant accomplishment in their first season as partners on Wednesday, overcoming the qualifier of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour 1xBet Itapema Elite.

The Japanese were among the eight women's duos that won their qualifier matches at the Meia Praia Beach and, alongside three teams from the United States, two from hosts Brazil and one from each of Spain and Lithuania, earned a spot in the tournament's main draw, which starts on Thursday.

· Watch the Beach Pro Tour 1xBet Itapema Elite live on VBTV

Shiba, 30, and Reika, 28, joined forces ahead of the start of the 2025 season. They achieved some success in just a few months together, qualifying for the World Championship, and had a decent campaign in Australia, winning two of their three pool play matches and going down only to eventual champions Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova of Latvia to make it to the Round of 32, where Ukrainians Tetiana Lazarenko and Daria Romaniuk took them down in a tight two-set match.

On the Beach Pro Tour, the Japanese have played in six Elite events and will, in Itapema, compete in the main draw for just the second time, repeating what they did in Hamburg in August, where they lost their qualifier match but still advanced as lucky losers.

Shiba and Reika had the home fans against them in Wednesday's qualifier, as they played against Carol Goerl and Josi Alves, who not only represented Brazil, but also both live in the Itapema region, but they handled the pressure and won in straight sets (21-10, 22-20) to advance.

In the main draw, the Asians were allocated in Pool E, where they will have Ukrainians Valentyna Davidova and Anhelina Khmil, Americans Piper Ferch and Teegan Van Gunst and Brazilians Verena Oliveira and Kyce Silva as opponents - three of the four teams will make it to the elimination rounds.

Verena and Kyce form one of the two Brazilian duos that overcame the qualifier on Wednesday - they did so by beating Americans Savvy Simo and Sarah Wood in two sets (22-20, 21-15). The other spot went to Elize Maria and Carol Horta, who prevailed over compatriots Andressa Cavalcanti and Tainá Bigi in the tie-breaker (19-21, 21-15, 15-9).

The United States had three teams advancing, with Kelley Kolinske and Madison Shields beating Czechs Valerie Dvorníková and Veronika Kleiblova 2-0 (21-18, 21-15), Abby Van Winkle and Devanne Sours topping Czechs Anna Pospisilova and Michaela Brinkova in the tie-breaker (21-14, 13-21, 15-8) and Madelyne Anderson and Kimberly Hildreth sweeping (21-13, 21-11) Germans Mareet Maidhof and Tabea Schwarz.

The two remaining spots went to Spanish Sofía Izuzquiza and Ana Vergara, who advanced thanks to a three-set (21-16, 20-22, 15-11) victory over Lithuanians Jekaterina Saule and Daniele Kvedaraite, and Lithuanians Ieva Vasiliauskaite and Erika Kliokmanaite, who upset Norwegians Sunniva Helland-Hansen and Nina Pavlova, winning in straight sets (21-18, 21-19).

Beach Pro Tour Itapema Elite - Match Schedule

The main draw begins for the women in Itapema on Thursday, when the first half of the 24 pool play matches will be held. Pool play will be completed on Friday, when the Round of 18 will also take place. The Round of 12 and the quarterfinals are scheduled for Saturday, with the semifinals and medal matches ending the event on Sunday.

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