The fantastic finishes in the FIVB Beach Volleyball U21 World Championship round-robin group clashes in Roi-Et created a new wave of excitement, and now the knockout showdowns are set, more thrills are expected as to which men’s and women’s pairs will be crowned world champions in 2023.
Beach U21 World Champs 2023
Roi-Et Rumble: Round of 16 cast set for U21 World Championships
No looking back for the remaining U21 World Championship field in Roi-Et as the competition switches into full gear
Published 10:08, 10 Nov 2023
After teams from Sweden, Austria, Czechia and Belgium advanced straight to the Round of 16 on Thursday, Austria’s Timo Hammarberg & Tim Berger, Poland’s Filip Lejawa & Szymon Beta, France’s Arthur Canet & Teo Rotar and Chile’s Thomas Acevedo & Maximiliano Cordova de Halleux completed their Friday morning with victories and into the driver’s seat in their respective pools.
France's Arthur Canet and Teo Rotar
Austrians Hammarberg/Berger T. defeated Argentina’s Gonzalez/Inostroza 2-0 (21-17, 21-16), Polish pair Lejawa/Beta earned the win as Thailand’s J.Watanyoo/Ruchisuk had to forfeit the match due to injury, and French duo Canet/Rotar towered over Gambia’s Mario/Nyabally 2-0 (21-16, 21-6).
Chile’s Acevedo/Max needed three sets to overcome USA’s Hurst/Basey 2-1 (21-17, 11-21, 15-10).
Completing the men’s Round of 16 cast are Brazil’s Pedro/Henrique, Ukraine’s Savvin/Moiseiev, Germany’s Lorenz/Nissen and Wüst/Fröbel, Argentina’s Gonzalez/Inostroza, China’s Zhou Y. J./Xu Zongqi, Latvia’s Liepa/Puskundzis and USA’s Hurst/Basey.
Meanwhile, Canada’s Ruby Sorra & Emma Glagau, Paraguay’s Sofia Paredes Enrique & Fiorella Nunez Quintana, USA’s Samaya Morin & Taylor Wilson and Australia’s Jasmine Fleming & Stefanie Fejes grabbed the top spot in their respective pools in the women's tournament, following their straight-set victories.
The four pairs cruised directly to the Round of 16, joining the pairs from Hungary, China, Netherlands and Finland.
Canada's Ruby Sorra & Emma Glagau
Canada’s Sorry/Glagau outplayed home pair S.Patcharaporn/Ch.Suchinna on center court 2-0 (21-15, 21-13), Paraguay stunned Brazil’s Carol/Larissa 2-0 (23-21, 21-14), USA’s Morin/Wilson impressed with their 2-0 (21-16, 21-13) victory over Poland’s Ciezkowska/Lunio, and Australia’s Fleming/Fejes outclassed Kazakhstan’s Ivanchenko/Kabulbekova 2-0 (21-10, 21-10).
Joining these pairs in the women’s Round of 16 are are Thailand’s M.Salinda/B.Jidapa and S.Patcharaporn/Ch.Suchinna, Estonia’s Kuivonen/Jürgenson, Ukraine’s Serdiuk/Udovenko, Switzerland’s Kernen/Niederhauser, Austria’s Rabitsch Mag./Trailovic, Poland’s Ciezkowska/Lunio and Latvia’s Ēbere/Konstantinova after winning their respective Round of 24 matchups.