Doha, Qatar, May 2, 2025 – Australia’s 2024 Asian champions and second seeds D’Artagnan Potts/Jack Pearse crashed out in round of 16 of the AVC Men’s Beach Tour Doha Open after suffering a hard-fought defeat to Iranians Alireza Aghajanighasab/Abbas Pourasgari at the Al Gharafa Beach Complex here on Thursday.
The men’s only event has reached its exciting climax as top teams survived their early exit and lock horns in Friday’s quarterfinals in race for semifinals on the same day.
The quarterfinals see two teams apiece from Australia, Thailand and Japan and one team each from Iran and Qatar in contention for top honour in the inaugural AVC Men’s Beach Tour in Doha, with Australia’s Paul Burnett/Luke Ryan taking on Japan’s Takumi Takahashi/Jumpei Ikeda. The other quarterfinal matchups see Iran’s Aghajanighasab/Pourasgari challenge another Australian duo, Ben Hood/Oliver Merritt, Qataris Cherif Younousse/Ahmed Tijan play Dunwinit Kaewsai/Banlue Nakprakhong from Thailand and Japan’s Nassim Malki/Kosuke Fukushima go up against Thailand’s Netitorn Muneekul/Wachirawit Muadpha.
On Thursday, Qatar’s top seeds Cherif/Ahmed, current world No.9 who captured gold medal at the last month’s AVC Beach Tour 24th Samila Open in Songkhla, Thailand, lived up to all expectation to top Pool A and remained prominent in round of 16 after demolishing Bahrain’s Ali Marhoon/Hasan Abdlla Nasser 2-0 (21-15, 21-11).
Pool B was dominated by Potts/Pearse, but the Aussies found their quarterfinals the impossible mission after going down in thrilling tie-break to Iranians Aghajanighasab/Pourasgari, bronze medallists at the last month’s 24th Samila Open and 2024 Asian Championships in Philippines, 19-21, 21-19, 7-15 in round of 16. At the last year’s 23rd Samila Open, the Iranian duo left with heads low in disappointment after 0-2 loss to Pearse, who teamed up with Paul Burnett, in the final showdown.
Australia’s Nuvali Open gold medallists and third seeds Paul Burnett/Luke Ryan maintained their top spot in Pool C and in round of 16 pulled off a stunning 2-0 (25-23, 21-16) victory over New Zealand’s fifth seeds John McManaway/Ben O’Dea, who claimed gold medal at the World Beach Pro Tour Futures Coolangatta in March.
Thailand’s fourth seeds Netitorn/Wachirawit finished on top of Pool D and went on their good run in Doha following 2-0 (21-17, 21-15) demolition of Japan’s 8th seeds Kai Kurokawa/Ryuichi Adachi in round of 16.
Australia’s Nuvali Open silver medallists Hood/Merritt topped Pool E and had no issue in securing quarterfinal spot after disposing of Uzbekistan’s Mukhammadali Otabekova/Nodirjon Alekseev 2-0 (21-15, 21-11) in round of 16.
Elsewhere in round of 16 on Thursday, Pool F winners Dunwinit/Banlue of Thailand, bronze medallists at the last month’s Beach Pro Tour Songkhla Futures on home soil, defeated Uzbekistan’s Dilshodbek Tolibaev/Azamat Dauilbaev 2-0 (21-14, 21-13), Iranians Aghajanighasab/Pourasgari, who lost to Malki/Fukushima in their Wednesday’s opening pool play match, finished second to the Japanese duo in Pool G, but still kept their flag flying high following their stunning victory over Australians Potts/Pearse in round of 16 for a quarterfinal slot.
Another Iranian pair, 9th seeds Abolhassan Khakizadeh/Amiirali GhalehNovi, made a perfect sweep in Pool H without dropping a set to their respective opponents, but were unfortunately eliminated after going down 0-2 (19-21, 17-21) to Japan’s Takahashi/Ikeda in round of 16.
The quarterfinals will be held on Friday, May 2 from 4pm local time, with the four winning teams through to the semifinals on the same day. The highly-anticipated semifinal matchups are due to take place at nighttime, with the first match starting at 7.30pm and the second encounter at 8.30pm.
MATCH RESULTS
POOL STANDINGS
MATCH SCHEDULE
FINAL RANKINGS
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