Forty-four strong teams from 11 countries get ready to hit the sand at the world-class Nuvali Sand Courts by Ayala Land and PNVF for the “Rebisco” AVC Beach Tour 2nd Nuvali Open in City of Santa Rosa, Philippines between April 2 and 5, 2025, with Iranians Alireza Aghajanighasab/Abbas Pourasgari back to defend their title achieved at the inaugural edition last year.
A total of 24 men’s teams and 20 women’s pairings from Australia, China, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand and Uzbekistan will compete in the topflight five-day event, fighting it out for the eventual men’s and women’s titles, cash prizes and AVC’s accumulated points.
Among the big names who return to revive their fortunes in the second episode of the Nuvali Open are Asian champions D’Artagnan/Jack Pearse from Australia, reigning champions Alireza Aghajanighasab/Abbas Pourasgari from Iran, New Zealand’s Ben O’Dea, fresh from winning the World Beach Pro Tour Futures Coolangatta in Australia last Sunday with his partner John McManaway, but teams up with Bradley Fuller this time. The O’Dear-Fuller tandem were crowned champions at the recent 2025 GJ Gardner Homes NZ Beach Tour presented by Tip Top.
Mighty challenges can be expected from Thailand’s Pithak Tipjan/Poravid Taovato, bronze medallists at the 2023 Asian Senior Beach Volleyball Championship in Fuzhou, China and who claimed their first Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour medal, a Subic Bay Futures gold, in 2022, as well as Bintang Akbar/Sofyan Rachman Efendi, who handed Indonesia the first-ever Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour gold last year at the Wuhan Qingshan Futures in China, and Australians Paul Burnett, who picked up bronze with Pearse at the Wuhan Futures, but partners Luke Ryan for the Nuvali Open here this time.
Three home pairings – James Buytrago/Rancel Varga, Edwin Tolentino/Lerry John Francisco and Ronniel Rosales/Alexander Jhon Iraya are also ready to showcase their talents and give home fans something to cheer. Buytrago and Varga did a good job last year as they managed to finish joint 9th place at the action-packed first edition of the Nuvali Open.
Leading the women’s charge can be Australia’s Stefanie Fejes, who topped the 2024 podium with partner Jana Milutinovic, but this year teams up with Jasmin Fleming. Georgia Johnson, who partnered Fleming for silver medal at the last year’s 1st Nuvali Open, is paired with Elizabeth Alchin this time. The Australian duo claimed bronze medal at the last week’s World Beach Pro Tour Futures Coolangatta to their name.
Strong contenders include New Zealand’s Shaunna Polley/Olivia MacDonald, who topped the women’s podium at the GJ Gardner Homes NZ Beach Tour, as well as China’s Yan Xu/Zhou Mingli, the 2024 Wuhan Qingshan Futures champions, and Japan’s Reika Murakami, who last year teamed up with Suzuka Hashimoto for bronze medal at the 1st Nuvali Open. Murakami partners Asami Shiba this time.
Hosts Philippines are fielding four strong teams in the women’s event comprising Khylem Harl Progella/Sofiah Shanine Pagara, Sunnie Kalani Villapando/Jenny Gaviola, Alexa Polidario/Lorien Ysobel Gamboa and Kathrina Epa/Honey Grace Cordero.
All participating teams, divided into eight pools, A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H in both men’s and women’s events, will kick off their campaigns in the pool play, with only top two teams from each pool progressing. The pool play will be followed by single elimination round (round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals).
On Tuesday, the General Technical Meeting was held at Velvet Room inside the Seda Nuvali Hotel, with Mr Donaldo Caringal, Secretary General of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF), presiding. Also in attendance were Event Operations Manager Mr Antonio Carlos Jr., Technical Delegate Mr Hussain Mohamed from Maldives and Referee Delegate Mr Srinivasan Jayaraman from India.
All participating teams joined the meeting to hear the rules of the game and acknowledge their pools and match schedule in order that they can start up with strategic plans in their preparation for tough matches at the Nuvali Sand Courts.
The first two matches in the women’s event is due to kick off at 8am local time on Wednesday, April 2, with Chinese Yan Xu/Zhou Mingli taking on Malaysians Lim Jiang Qian/Goh Yu Heng at Court 2 and Japanese Saki Maruyama/Miki Ishi playing Filipinas Kathrina Epa/Honey Grace Cordero at the Center Court.
In the men’s event, Filipinos Tolentino/Francisco will challenge Aussies Potts/Pearse in the first match at the Center Court at 9.40am local time, with Indonesians Bintang/Sofyan battling it out with Chinese Mao Yuan/Liu Y at Court 2 at the same time.
WOMEN’S TEAMS
MEN’S TEAMS
POOLS
MEN
WOMEN
MATCH SCHEDULE
APRIL 2
MEN
WOMEN
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