Swiss beach volleyball players Tanja Hüberli and Leona Kernen emerged at the top of Pool C in the 2025 Ostrava Elite16 tournament, earning a direct entry to the Round of 12. Taking place in the unique industrial setting of Lower Vítkovice in Czechia, the Elite16 event is part of the prestigious Beach Pro Tour and brings together some of the best teams in the world.
Hüberli and Kernen, competing together for the first time this season, showcased their resilience with a thrilling 2-1 comeback win against Americans Terese Cannon and Megan Kraft. After losing the first set 11-21, they fought back with narrow victories in the next two sets (22-20, 15-12). Their earlier win over Brazil’s Vitória Rodrigues and Hegeile Almeida also went to a deciding third set, underlining their strong form and mental toughness.
Their Ostrava success follows a tournament win in Spiez just one week earlier, suggesting the duo might be a serious contender for the rest of the season.
Other Pool Winners Advancing Directly to Round of 12
- Pool A: Anhelina Khmil & Valentyna Davidova (Ukraine)
- Pool B: Ronja Klinger & Dorina Klinger (Austria)
- Pool D: Carol Salgado & Rebecca Cavalcanti (Brazil)
These teams will skip the Round of 18, which is scheduled for Friday. The remaining pool results from Pool E and Pool F will be determined on the same day.
Key Upcoming Matches
- Pool E: Thamela Coradelo & Victoria Lopes (Brazil) vs. Tina Graudina & Anastasija Samoilova (Latvia)
- Pool F: Kelly Cheng & Molly Shaw (USA) vs. Melissa Humana-Paredes & Brandie Wilkerson (Canada)
The thrilling competition continues throughout the weekend, culminating in semifinals and medal matches on Sunday. As one of the highlight events of the 2025 Beach Pro Tour, the Ostrava Elite16 will play a crucial role in shaping this year’s rankings and Olympic preparations.
For more details, visit the official event page on Volleyball World.
