Italy's men's beach volleyball teams delivered a commanding performance during the pool stage of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge in Nuvali, with three of the country's four entries advancing directly to the round of 16.
Top-seeded Italian duos excelled across the board:
- Samuele Cottafava & Gianluca Dal Corso: Controlled Pool B with straight-set victories over French and American teams.
- Manuel Alfieri & Alex Ranghieri: Battled from behind to win both matches in Pool F.
- Enrico Rossi & Marco Viscovich: Secured Pool H with commanding two-set wins, despite being seeded ninth.
These results not only earned these teams spots in the eighthfinals but also showcased Italy’s increasing competitive edge on the international stage.
Other teams that topped their pools and advanced directly to the next round include duos from:
- Austria: Christoph Dressler & Philipp Waller won an all-Austrian face-off in Pool A.
- Spain: Fourth-seeded Alejandro Huerta & Adrian Gavira went unbeaten in Pool D.
- England: Javier & Joaquin Bello emerged from Pool E with nail-biting, three-set victories.
- Israel: Eylon Elazar & Kevin Cuzmiciov upset third-seeded Americans to win Pool C.
- Czechia: Also secured a spot in the top 16.
One of the biggest surprises came when Team USA’s Robert Harrison & Cody Caldwell, seeded third, exited the tournament early after consecutive losses in Pool C.
Meanwhile, 16 other teams—such as Italy’s Tiziano Andreatta & Davide Benzi—who finished second or third in their pools, will compete in the sixteenthfinals scheduled for Friday at 3:00 p.m. local time.
The event in Nuvali marks a key competition in the 2025 Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour, offering a global platform for elite squads and emerging talents alike.
Read more from the official source here.
