Tournament to take place from February 23 to 26
The resumption of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour begins February 23 as 33 teams from 16 countries representing all five continental confederations have entered the US$5,000 Doha Beach Volleyball Cup at the Al Gharrafa Beach Complex.
Led by Cherif Younousse Samba and Ahmed Tijan, the 13th ranked team on the FIVB World Tour, host Qatar has entered seven teams into the event. Other countries entered in the Doha Beach Volleyball Cup are Brazil (1 entry), Canada (1), Egypt (1), Gambia (1), Israel (2), Lebanon (1), Morocco (1), Oman (2), Poland (4), Russia (5), Switzerland (1), Tunisia (1), Turkey (2), United States (1) and Venezuela (2).
With Doha hosting its eighth World Tour event, Cherif and Ahmed will be seeking their second medal in the Qatari capital after placing third in the March 2018 Katara Beach Volleyball Cup after defeating Americans Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena in the bronze medal match.
Jedrzej Brozyniak and Piotr Janiak return to defend their 2019 Doha Beach Volleyball Cup title, but the Polish pair will start the competition in the February 23 qualifier where four pairs seek the final spots in the 16-team main draw that starts February 24.
Anton Kislytsyn and Daniil Kuvichka join Brozyniak/Janiak as another team in the field with World Tour gold medals to their credit as the Russians topped an FIVB podium in April 2019 at Langkawi, Malaysia. Like Brozyniak and Janiak, Kislytsyn and Kuvichka will be starting play in the 2021 Doha Beach Volleyball Cup in the qualifier.
Daniil Kuvichka (left) and Anton Kislytsyn of Russia after winning gold in Langkawi
Doha 1-star entry list https://www.volleyball.world/en/beachvolleyball/worldtour/2021/mqat2021/men/teamsinfo/entriesbycountry
The Doha Beach Volleyball Cup is the first of two World Tour events in Qatar this season with the $300,000 Katara Beach Volleyball Cup set for March 8-12 at the Al Gharrafa Beach Complex for both men and women. The March event marks the second time a women’s FIVB event will be staged on the Arabian Peninsula with the first being in October 2008 in Dubai.
Kerri Walsh Jennings, who teamed with Nicole Branagh to win the 2008 Dubai event for the United States, has entered this year’s Katara Beach Volleyball Cup with Brooke Sweat. American April Ross, who lost the 2008 Dubai finale with Jen Kessy, is also entered in the 2021 Al Gharrafa Beach Complex event with Alix Klineman.
They will be joined by Carolina Salgado, who lost to Walsh Jennings and Branagh in the 2008 Dubai semifinal with her sister Maria Clara, has also entered the Katara Beach Volleyball Cup with Brazilian Olympic silver medal winner Barbara Seixas.
Dubai Open women’s podium (left to right) featured Kerri Walsh Jennigs, Jen Kessy, Carolina Salgado, Nicole Branagh, Maria Clara Salgado and April Ross
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