A pair of three-set victories on Wednesday, the first day of action in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Ostrava Elite, catapulted Ukrainians Anhelina Khmil and Valentyna Davidova from the qualifier to the elimination rounds of the event held in Czechia.

One of the eight women’s teams to overcome the qualifier at the iconic Lower Vítkovice industrial heritage site in the morning, the Ukrainians returned to the sand a few hours later and started pool play with a big win in their first appearance in an Elite event as partners.

• Watch the Beach Pro Tour Ostrava Elite live on VBTV

Seeded 12^th in the 16-team qualifier in Ostrava, Khmil, 21, and Davidova, 37, had a difficult matchup against Dutch Wies Bekhuis and Emi van Driel, but did better in the key moments to come back and advance with a three-set (11-21, 21-16, 16-14) victory.

A few hours later, the two, who became partners in 2024, returned to the sand to start their main draw campaign against Paris Olympians Kristen Nuss and Taryn Brasher in Pool A. In another three-setter (21-14, 12-21, 20-18), they took the Americans, who won four of the last six Beach Pro Tour Elite events they play, down, securing a spot in the tournament’s elimination round.

On Thursday, the Ukrainians will complete their pool play campaign against Italians Valentina Gottardi and Reka Orsi Toth, who defeated Spanish Olympians Daniela Álvarez and Tania Moreno 2-1 (21-15, 19-21, 15-13) on Wednesday. The winners will advance directly to the Round of 12, while the losers will be sent to the Round of 18.

Germans and Austrians ahead in Pool B

Pool B also started on Thursday, with Germans Svenja Müller and Cinja Tillmann beating Americans Hailey Harward and Molly Phillips 2-0 (21-19, 21-16) and the Austrian Kllinger sisters Ronja and Dorina overcoming another American duo, the one of Kimberly Hildreth and Keegan Van Gunst, also in two sets (21-18, 21-10).

In Pool C, Swiss Tanja Hüberli and Leona Kernen came from behind to beat Brazilians Hegeile ‘Hege’ Almeida and Vitória Rodrigues 2-1 (17-21, 21-19, 15-12) and Americans Terese Cannon and Megan Kraft downed Dutch Mila Konink and Raisa Schoon in two sets (21-18, 21-15).

Beach Pro Tour Ostrava Elite – Match Schedule and Results

In Pool D, the first winners were Brazilians Carol Salgado and Rebecca Cavalcanti, who defeated Americans Xolani Hodel and Deahna Kraft 2-0 (21-14, 21-18), and the Swiss Vergé-Dépré sisters Anouk and Zoé, who topped Czechs Marketa Svozilova and Marie-Sara Stochlova in the tie-breaker (21-12, 18-21, 24-22).

Pool E, which features Brazil’s Thamela Coradelo/Victoria Lopes, Latvia’s Tina Graudina/Anastasija Samoilova, Paraguay’s Michelle Valiente/Giuliana Poletti and USA’s Julia Scoles/Lexy Denaburg, and Pool F, which is composed of USA’s Kelly Cheng/Molly Shaw, Canada’s Melissa Humana-Paredes/Brandie Wilkerson, Germany’s Sandra Ittlinger/Anna-Lena Grüne and Italy’s Claudia Scampoli/Giada Bianchi, will both start on Thursday.

Before the start of pool play, on Wednesday afternoon, the women’s qualifier was held in Ostrava, with eight teams advancing to the main draw, completing the lineup of 24 duos.

In the main draw, teams are split into six pools of four, with the pool winners advancing directly to the Round of 12 and duos ranked second and third making it to the Round of 18. Pool play will continue on Thursday and will go until Friday, when the Round of 18 will also be held. 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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