Two underdog beach volleyball teams—Norway's Markus Mol & Adrian Mol and Switzerland's Marco Krattiger & Leo Dillier—have defied expectations to reach the semifinals of the Xiamen Challenge on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour.
Starting their journey from the qualification rounds, both duos navigated a competitive field to secure a spot in the tournament’s final four. Here's how they did it:
Norway’s Mol & Mol: A Dream Run
- Ranked 29th among 32 main draw teams
- Won straight-set matches in both the round of 16 and quarterfinals
- Eliminated Italy's Manuel Alfieri & Alex Ranghieri and pulled off a major upset against U.S. Olympians Chase Budinger & Miles Evans
They will now face Qatari medal favorites Cherif Younousse & Ahmed Tijan, who defeated strong teams from Austria and Switzerland to reach the semifinals. The match is scheduled for 10:00 local time on Sunday.
Switzerland’s Krattiger & Dillier: Climbing the Bracket
- Defeated second-seeded Australians Mark Nicolaidis & Izac Carracher in a thrilling three-set match
- Outlasted fellow Swiss pair Yves Haussener & Julian Friedli
The Swiss duo will compete against France's Teo Rotar & Arnaud Gauthier-Rat, who cruised through their matches without dropping a set. Their semifinal begins at 11:00 local time.
What’s Next
- Mol & Mol vs. Cherif & Ahmed – 10:00 local time
- Krattiger & Dillier vs. Rotar & Gauthier-Rat – 11:00 local time
- Bronze and gold medal matches – Sunday afternoon
The Xiamen Challenge continues to highlight how resilience and strong teamwork can turn qualifiers into contenders. For more details, visit the official article on Volleyball World.
