Sat. Oct 18th, 2025

Cherif and Ahmed Unstoppable at Newport Beach Elite, Claiming Fourth Title of Season

Qatari beach volleyball duo Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan continued their impressive run on the Beach Pro Tour, securing the Elite event title in Newport Beach. This marks their second consecutive victory and their fourth overall win in just six tournaments during the 2025 season.

`Cherif/Ahmed

Cherif and Ahmed celebrate their victory in California with a selfie.

The exceptional performance of Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan was undeniable on Saturday as the Qatari Olympic medalists clinched the prestigious Elite event in Newport Beach. Currently the standout men`s team in international beach volleyball, they ascended to the top of the podium in California. They were joined by two South American teams: Brazilians Evandro Gonçalves and Arthur Lanci, who took second place, and Chilean cousins Marco and Esteban Grimalt, who secured third in the tenth Elite event of the 2025 season.

The 2025 season has presented a unique challenge for Cherif and Ahmed. Despite typically participating in most Elite events, injuries limited their appearances on the Beach Pro Tour to only six this year. Nevertheless, the bronze medalists from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics have maximized every opportunity, earning four gold medals. Their victories include Elite events in Gstaad, Rio de Janeiro, and Newport Beach, as well as the Xiamen Challenge. Excluding three forfeit losses at the Montréal Elite due to Cherif`s injury, the duo has won 17 of their last 19 matches, including a remarkable streak of 11 consecutive wins.

“Winning here feels amazing,” Ahmed commented. “My wife is from the United States, and I am very happy to be here and win the gold medal. It means so much to our entire family.”

In Newport Beach, Cherif and Ahmed achieved an undefeated record, winning all six of their matches and dropping only one set throughout the tournament. In the final, they defeated Evandro and Arthur in straight sets (21-16, 30-28).

“It was a really tough tournament, and the final was no different,” Cherif reacted. “We faced so many strong teams here, and we want to congratulate Evandro and Arthur, who had a really good run. We love to entertain people and give the fans a great final, and I think that today we did it. I hope everyone enjoyed it.”

Grimalt Cousins Secure First Medal of the Season

The Newport Beach Elite tournament was particularly significant for the Grimalt cousins, Marco and Esteban, who achieved their best result of a challenging season by reaching the podium for the first time in 2025. Prior to their success in California, the Chilean pair had competed in 12 Beach Pro Tour events but only managed to finish in the top ten on three occasions.

Their inaugural podium finish of the season came after a two-set victory (21-16, 21-18) against American brothers Trevor and Taylor Crabb in the bronze medal match.

“We felt really well playing here this week,” Esteban said. “It’s been a really tough year for us, but we kept fighting and battling to get good results. Besides the results, we also lost our coach, who passed away last month. It’s been a really emotional year, and this medal feels amazing and made us really proud of all the work we’ve put on.”

Looking ahead, the Beach Pro Tour will hold a Challenge event in Nuvali, Philippines, next week. The subsequent Elite tournament is scheduled for Cape Town, South Africa, from October 22-26.

By Finley Blackwood

Liverpool-based Finley specializes in international volleyball coverage, bringing global perspectives to English audiences. His trademark is blending statistical analysis with colorful narratives about the sport's cultural impact. Having covered three World Championships, Finley's articles offer both technical depth and human interest.

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