Brazilian duo Evandro and Arthur overcame Swiss opponents Heidrich and Jordan in a hard-fought Round of 18 clash in Hamburg.
Brazilian Olympic hopefuls Evandro Gonçalves and Arthur Lanci showcased exceptional tenacity, earning their place in the Round of 12 at this week’s Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite event in Hamburg. Their hard-fought triumph on Friday ensures they remain in contention for medals in Germany.
The South American pair was among six men`s teams that successfully navigated the initial elimination matches held at the Am Rothenbaum Stadium, progressing beyond the Round of 18.
After concluding Pool D in second place with an even record of one win and one loss, Evandro and Arthur engaged in their third tie-breaker in as many days. They ultimately prevailed against Swiss opponents Adrian Heidrich and Jonathan Jordan with a score of 2-1 (20-22, 21-18, 17-15). Their next challenge will be against the Dutch pair Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot, who advanced directly to the Round of 12 as the top team from Pool B.
Other Teams Advancing
The German brothers Jonas and Benedikt Sagstetter also celebrated a dramatic Round of 18 victory, besting Argentina`s Nicolas and Tomas Capogrosso in three sets (13-21, 21-15, 16-14). They are now scheduled to compete against fellow Germans Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wickler, who secured first place in Pool F.
Polish Olympians Michal Bryl and Bartosz Łosiak likewise required three sets to guarantee their spot in the Round of 12, triumphing over Austrians Christoph Dressler and Philipp Waller in a tie-breaker (21-19, 15-21, 15-9). Their upcoming opponents are Pool A winners Anders Mol and Christian Sørum of Norway.
Reigning world champions Ondřej Perušič and David Schweiner smoothly advanced with a two-set win (21-18, 21-17), defeating Italians Gianluca Dal Corso and Marco Viscovich. The Czech duo will now face the Swedish team of Jacob Hölting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson, who emerged as the top team in Pool D.
French athletes Arnaud Gauthier-Rat and Téo Rotar efficiently secured their progression by handling Germans Paul Henning and Lui Wüst in straight sets (21-10, 21-15). They are now set to play against the current Olympic champions, David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig of Sweden, who had a rest day on Friday after winning Pool C.
The sixth and final place in the Round of 12 was claimed by Latvians Martins Plavins and Kristians Fokerots, who achieved a convincing straight-set victory (21-16, 21-17) against the English Bello twins, Javier and Joaquin. The 2024 European champions are now slated to meet Cuban Olympians Jorge Alayo and Noslen Díaz, who led Pool E.
Upcoming Schedule
Both the Round of 12 and the quarterfinals are scheduled to take place on Saturday in Hamburg. The four teams that emerge victorious from these matches will then proceed to the semifinals and medal matches on Sunday.
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick