Austrian teenagers Lia Berger and Lilli Hohenauer made headlines by capturing gold at the 2025 Leuven Futures, a key stop on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour. Still just 17 and 18 years old, the duo demonstrated exceptional skill and composure to win their first Beach Pro Tour title.
Despite being seeded eighth, the Austrian team dropped only one match during pool play. They then surged through the knockout rounds with four consecutive victories. Their championship win came in straight sets—21-17, 21-19—over Belgian hopefuls Youna Coens and Sarah Cools. En route to the final, they also defeated another local pair, Britt Ruysschaert and Isabel Van den Broeck, in the semifinals.
This marks another milestone in Berger and Hohenauer’s promising careers. The gold expands on their 2023 victory at the European U18 Championship and gives Berger her second Beach Pro Tour medal, having previously earned bronze in 2024 in Balikesir with a different partner.
Men’s Competition Highlights
In the men’s bracket, home favorites Louis and Gilles Vandecaveye of Belgium secured back-to-back Beach Pro Tour titles. They won a thrilling three-set match against compatriots Kyan Vercauteren and Joppe Van Langendonck. The Polish duo of Piotr Kantor and Artem Besarab claimed bronze after defeating the Czech team of Adam Waber and Matyas Jezek.
Tour Overview
The Leuven Futures event featured strong international participation, with:
- 55 teams
- Representing 24 nations
Following Leuven, the Beach Pro Tour Futures series will head to:
- Tallinn, Estonia – August 13 to 16
- Busan Gwangalli, Korea – August 14 to 17
Austria’s triumph not only showcases the nation's rising talent in beach volleyball but also hints at the exciting potential of this young pair as they embark on a promising international career.
For full event coverage, visit the official article on Volleyball World.
