Israeli beach volleyball players Eylon Elazar and Kevin Cuzmiciov showcased resilience and grit during the Xiamen Challenge qualifiers, securing their place in the main draw after two grueling three-set victories on Wednesday. Entering the tournament as the 10th-seeded team in the qualifier, they faced a tough path against local Chinese teams.
In their opening match, Elazar and Cuzmiciov edged out Hong Jiajun and Li Jie with a narrow 2-1 (27-29, 21-15, 15-6) win. They then came from behind to defeat seventh-seeded Wang Yanwei and Du Hongjun 2-1 (16-21, 21-13, 15-8). Elazar particularly stood out, contributing 27 points with a combination of powerful spikes and crucial blocks in the second matchup.
The Israeli pair’s perseverance earned them the 30th seed in the main draw, where they are set to take on Austria’s third-seeded team, Christoph Dressler and Philipp Waller, in what promises to be a challenging opener.
Other Teams Advancing Through Qualifiers
A total of eight teams moved into the main draw through the qualifier round:
- Three duos from Switzerland, all showcasing impressive form
- Teams from France, Latvia, New Zealand, and Norway
One of the standout stories came from Latvia’s Gustavs Auzins and Toms Liepa, who pulled off impressive upsets to make it through against higher-seeded opponents. Meanwhile, Switzerland's top two qualifying teams advanced without conceding a single set, underlining their dominance in the early stages.
Looking Ahead
The men’s main draw kicks off on Thursday as part of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour. As teams compete for valuable ranking points and international recognition, spectators can expect a series of high-intensity matches throughout the tournament.
For full details and updates, visit the official tournament news on Volleyball World.
