Taoyuan, Chinese Taipei, August 24, 2024 – Thailand’s top seeds Pithak Tipjan/Poravid Taovato became the first pairing to reach the men’s quarterfinals of the double-gender “Taichung Bank” AVC Beach Tour Taoyuan Open at Dayuan Beach Volleyball Court here on Saturday, as three teams apiece from Australia and Thailand advanced to the women’s quarterfinals.
The pool play in both men’s and women’s event of the four-day tournament came to a close on Saturday, with every team standing a chance to contest the single elimination. However, in the men’s event, three pools – B, C and D had four teams each and Pool A featured only three teams. The top pairing in Pool A will, therefore, make the cut for the quarterfinals, while the remaining 14 teams will have to first contest the second round.
On Saturday, three teams in Pool A were tied with similar 5 points from two wins against one loss. However, with points ratio taken into consideration, Thailand’s top seeds Pithak Tipjan/Poravid Taovato fared well to have the best points ratio to finish atop Pool A. Kiwis David Vukets Gregory/John McManaway came in second place, with Japan’s Yusuke Ishijima/Kensuke Shoji in third position. As a result, Pithak/Poravid became the first lucky team to advance to the quarterfinals.
Pithak/Poravid, who picked up silver medal at the last month’s Tianjin Open, succumbed to 0-2 (18-21, 19-21) to Kiwis Vukets/McManaway in their last pool play match on Saturday.
In Pool B, Philippines’ 10th seeds Abdilla Alnakran/Rancel Varga defied against all odds to win three matches to top the pool with 6 points from three straight victories, followed respectively by Australia’s second seeds Jack Pearse/D’Artagnan Potts, Japan’s seventh seeds Dylan Kurokawa/Kosuke Fukushima and Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Ya-Jen/Wang Chin-Ju.
The Aussies struggled to beat Japan’s Dylan/Fukushima 2-0 (21-18, 28-26) in their last Pool B encounter on Saturday, while Abdilla/Varga from Philippines stunned Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Ya-Jen/Wang Chin-Ju 2-0 (21-12, 21-11) on Saturday.
Iran’s sixth seeds Abbas Pourasgari/Alireza Aghajanighasab, who are in quest of the third title of the year following the success in the first two tournaments in the Nuvali Open in City of Santa Rosa in Philippines this April and Tianjin Open in July, topped Pool C with 6 points from three straight wins without dropping a set to their respective opponents.
Japan’s 11th seeds Nassim Malki/Kai Kurokawa, Australia’s 14th seeds Luke Ryan/Joshua Howat and Thailand’s third seeds Netitorn Muneekul/Wachirawit Muadpha finished second, third and fourth places respectively in the pool.
Thailand’s Dunwinit Kaewsai/Kittituch Khomkham captured the top spot in Pool D with a clean sweep of three wins without dropping a set. Australian fifth seeds Solomon Bushby/Ben Hood finished second, while Chinese Taipei’s fourth seeds Hu Cheng-Gang/Yu Bing-Han came in third place and Malaysians Ho De Ren/Ang How Juen finished fourth.
In the women’s event, Australia’s top seeds Stefanie Fejes/Georgia Johnson, who demolished Macao, China’s Leong On Ieng/Law Weng Sam 2-0 (21-10, 21-12), lived up to expectations to top Pool A, followed by Thailand’s Jidapa Bunongkhun/Salinda Mungkhon and Macao, China’s Leong On Ieng/Law Weng Sam.
In the Sunday’s quarterfinals, Fejes/Johnson will take on Thailand’s Jidapa/Salinda.
Australia’s second seeds Jasmine Fleming/Jana Milutinovic stayed atop Pool B with three straight wins, while Thailand’s seventh seeds Patcharaporn Seehawong/Samitta Simarongnam and Korea’s Shin Jieun/Si Eun-Mi finished second and third places respectively.
The Australian duo will challenge Thailand’s Patcharaporn/Samitta in the Sunday’s quarterfinals.
Pool C was dominated by Philippines’ sixth seeds Jane Eslapor Genesa/Klymince Orillaneda Mary, followed respectively by Thailand’s third seeds Charanrutwadee Patcharamainaruebhorn/Woranatchayakorn Phirachayakrailert and Chinese Taipei’s Wang Sin Ting/Xie Yi-Ran.
The Filipinas will go up against Australians Tara Phillips/Elizabeth Alchin in the quarterfinals.
Chinese Taipei’s fourth seeds Liu Pi Hsin/Wu Shu-Fen won three matches in a row without dropping a set to top Pool D, while Australia’s fifth seeds Tara Phillips/Elizabeth Alchin, Korea’s Jeon Hari/Kim Seyeon and Malaysians Goh Chiao Huey/Irene Qi Min Siah finished second, third and fourth places respectively.
With the pool play coming to a close on Saturday, the women’s teams will begin their journey in the quarterfinals, while the men’s pairings will contest the Sunday morning’s second round, followed by the quarterfinals in the afternoon session.
MATCH RESULTS
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WOMEN
MEN’S POOL
WOMEN’S POOL
MATCH SCHEDULE
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WOMEN
WOMEN’S FINAL RANKING
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