The men’s eighthfinal match-ups at the Beach Volleyball Xiamen Challenge are officially set following Friday’s action-packed conclusion of pool play and sixteenthfinal rounds. The contest, held in China, continues to heat up with thirteen different nations still in contention.
Here’s a breakdown of the nations and teams advancing:
- Austria and Switzerland: 3 teams each
- Italy and United States: 2 teams each
- Australia, France, Israel, Norway, Portugal, and Qatar: 1 team each
Four teams from the qualifiers remain, showcasing impressive performances despite lower rankings. Notably, Switzerland's Adrian Heidrich and Jonathan Jordan were the only qualifying team to win their pool.
Key matchups for the eighthfinals include:
- Heidrich/Jordan (Switzerland) vs. Hammarberg/Berger (Austria)
- Krattiger/Dillier (Switzerland) vs. Nicolaidis/Carracher (Australia - 2nd seed)
- Alfieri/Ranghieri (Italy) vs. Mol brothers (Norway)
- Younousse/Tijan (Qatar - 1st seed) vs. Dressler/Waller (Austria)
- Bourne/Cory (USA) vs. Elazar/Cuzmiciov (Israel)
- Budinger/Evans (USA) vs. Rossi/Viscovich (Italy)
Saturday’s matches begin at 09:00 local time (01:00 UTC), with spots in the quarterfinals at stake. Fans can expect a full day of high-level competition as these top teams look to advance.
For full schedule, updates, and results, visit the official Beach Volleyball World page here.
