Single Loss Drops Off Big Names

The United States’ John Mayer and Ryan Doherty’s straight-set loss to Russia’s Maxim Sivolap and Igor Velichko resulted to an early exit from the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Kish Island 3STAR 2017 on Thursday.

Mayer/Doherty became the first casualty of the new single elimination format in the main draw, but other early favourites Julio Cesar Do Nascimento Junior and Cherif Younousse of Qatar positively delivered with a straight-set win over Czech Republic’s Martin Tichy/Jindrich Weiss to stay on track for a consecutive World Tour gold medal win at Kish Island.

Switzerland’s Nico Beeler/Marco Krittiger, Austria’s Daniel Hupfer/Julian Horl, and Russia’s Nikita Liamin/Viacheslav Krasilnikov and Oleg Stoyanovskiy/Yarzutkin fought well against their opponents and endured the cold, rainy weather to advance to the next round with straight-set wins.

Ukraine’s Babich/Gordieiev and Germany’s Schummann/Thole J. earned tie-break victories to complete the first eight teams that will move to the Round of 16 on Friday, February 17.