The 2025 Beach Volleyball season kicks off in full swing with the Xiamen Challenge, slated for May 14 to 18 in China. This event, part of the Beach Pro Tour, marks the first Challenge-level tournament in the Eastern Hemisphere, showcasing a highly competitive women’s field headlined by Olympic medalists and elite international teams.
Olympians Return to the Sand
China’s Xue Chen, a four-time Olympian and bronze medalist from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, makes a bold return to international action with partner Zeng Jinjin. The duo previously claimed victory at the Haikou Challenge in November. Also competing is Xue’s former partner Xia Xinyi, now playing with Wang Jingzhe, the current Asian champions. This team enters the event with the second-highest entry points.
Global Powerhouses Line Up
Representing Australia, Tokyo 2020 silver medalist Taliqua Clancy teams up with Jana Milutinovic. In total, three Australian pairs have qualified. They will be joined by elite teams from:
- France
- Czechia
- Japan
- Finland
- Germany
- Spain
- Ukraine
- The Netherlands
- The United States
Strong U.S. Representation
The United States will be strongly represented with five women's teams in the main draw. Among them are bronze medalists Jaden Whitmarsh and Devon Newberry, who started the season with a podium finish at the Yucatan Challenge in Mexico.
New Format for High Stakes
Qualifying matches begin on Wednesday at 09:00 local time. The main draw features a total of 32 teams split into eight groups of four. Following this group stage, the competition will move into a single-elimination bracket starting at the round of 16.
A Crucial Mid-Season Preview
With an exciting mix of seasoned veterans and rising talent, the Xiamen Challenge offers fans a thrilling preview of what to expect for the rest of the season. The tournament is not only an opportunity for teams to earn valuable ranking points but also to fine-tune their dynamics ahead of the summer stretch.
For the full article, visit Volleyball World.
