Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan made a powerful statement at the start of the 2025 Beach Pro Tour, claiming the gold medal at the Xiamen Challenge. The Olympian duo displayed dominant form, going undefeated through six matches and dropping only one set throughout the event.
As the first event of the new season, the Xiamen Challenge featured 32 teams in the main draw. Top-seeded Cherif and Ahmed capped off their run with a decisive 21-14, 21-14 victory in the final against Switzerland’s Marco Krattiger and Leo Dillier. The triumph marked their third Beach Pro Tour gold and their first title since 2022.
Highlights from the tournament include:
- Krattiger and Dillier, seeded 24th and emerging from the qualifiers, earned silver in only their second tour appearance. They had previously secured bronze at the Valencia Futures tournament earlier in the month.
- Teo Rotar and Arnaud Gauthier-Rat of France clinched bronze after a commanding win over Norway’s Markus and Adrian Mol, 21-11, 21-12.
- Cherif and Ahmed edged out the Mol brothers in a tense three-set semifinal, while the Swiss pair beat the French team in straight sets to reach the final.
This early-season victory strengthens Cherif and Ahmed’s claim as leading contenders in international beach volleyball. Their impressive debut sets a bold tone for the upcoming events in the global tour schedule.
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