Toni Rodriguez and Kylie Kuyava-De Berg claimed their first Beach Pro Tour gold medal as a duo with an impressive comeback win at the 2025 Xiamen Challenge in China. This historic victory marks a major milestone in their international beach volleyball careers.
After dropping the first set to Finland’s Taru Lahti-Liukkonen and Niina Ahtiainen, the American pair made key adjustments that shifted the momentum in their favor. They secured the match with a 2-1 scoreline (13-21, 21-13, 15-9), showcasing resilience and strategic gameplay. De Berg’s standout performance included five critical kill blocks, while Rodriguez powered the offense with 17 attack points.
The final podium at Xiamen consisted of:
- Gold: Toni Rodriguez & Kylie Kuyava-De Berg (USA)
- Silver: Taru Lahti-Liukkonen & Niina Ahtiainen (Finland)
- Bronze: Lea Kunst & Melanie Paul (Germany)
Germany’s Kunst and Paul made a remarkable run, entering the main draw as the 28th seed after qualification. Their bronze-medal finish—following a straight-set win over Americans Savannah Simo and Abby Van Winkle—was a career first for both players on the Beach Pro Tour.
For Rodriguez, the Xiamen gold is her second career title, bringing her total to six Beach Pro Tour medals. Meanwhile, De Berg earned her first-ever tournament victory, having reached the podium two times prior.
This event also holds significance in the international rankings, contributing crucial points for qualification and seeding in major upcoming competitions later in the season.
Read the full article on the official Volleyball World site here.
