Filipinas Gen Eslapor and Kly Orillaneda started their campaign in the 2024 FIVB Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures on a bright note, defeating Malaysia’s Mashitah Muhamad Nasir and Shamsulrizal Nur Auni Maisarah, 21-11, 23-21, on Friday, April 12.
The Air Force spikers sustained their fine form after a decent run in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Beach Tour Nuvali Open, turned back the pair of teen players from Malaysia on the showcourt of the Nuvali Sand Courts by Ayala Land in the City of Santa Rosa on a tough morning for two other Philippine teams.
They next face New Zealand’s Danielle Quigley and Olivia MacDonald, who overcame a tough challenge from Japan’s Mayu Kikuchi and Harumi Sakai, 21-16, 16-21, 18-16.
German stars Chenoa Christ and Anna-Lena Grüne swept past the other Philippine women’s pair of Alexa Polidario and Jen Gaviola, 21-10, 21-5.
The 23-year-old Christ and Grune, 22, winners of the German Under-20 championship in 2019, next take on Japan’s Shion Tsubouchi and Maho Yabumi, who turned back Urte Andriukaityte and Marjia Karaliute of Lithuania, 21-19, 21-16.
The Philippines also suffered a tough loss in men’s play early, Ran Abdilla and AJ Pareja bowing to Robin Sowa and Lukas Pfretzschner, the back-to-back German Beach Tour Hamburg champions and 2016 Under-18 European champions, 12-21, 18-21.
Alaina Chacon and Mariah Whalen of the US overpowered Rezija Puskundze and Loreta Cabule of Latvia, 21-11, 21-14.
Sweden’s Malin Bergholm and Louise Månesköld defeated New Zealand’s Katie Sadlier and Meile Rose Green, 21-16, 21-17, in the event backed by Smart Communications, Santa Rosa City Mayor Arlene Arcillas, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Asics, Senoh, Mikasa, Foton Motor Philippines Inc., and Seda Nuvali.
Anita Dave and Ronni Rivka Lavie of Israel squeaked past Thailand’s Charanrutwadee Patcharamainaruebhorn and Woranatchayakorn Phirachayakrailert, silver medalists in the FIVB Beach Volley World Tour in Korea last year, 21-19, 21-19.
Japan’s Riko Tsujimura and Takemi Nishibori, who also saw action in the Nuvali Open last week, waylaid Canada’s Devon May and Kaitlin Lomas, 21-13, 21-11.
The tournament features 38 teams from 16 countries.
