Hosts Switzerland are guaranteed a medal at this week’s Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite event in Gstaad after two female teams from the host country advanced to the semifinals on Saturday. This marks the first time in 13 years that home fans are assured a local team on the podium in the Swiss Alps.
In Sunday`s semifinals, Tanja Hüberli and Leona Kernen will compete against Latvia`s Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova. The second semifinal features the Swiss sister duo Anouk and Zoé Vergé-Dépré taking on last year`s Gstaad Elite winners, Americans Kristen Nuss and Taryn Brasher. The bronze medal match is set for 14:00 GMT, followed by the gold medal match at 16:00 GMT.
Gstaad, a classic venue for international beach volleyball, hasn`t seen a Swiss women`s team on the podium since 2012, when Simone Kuhn and Nadine Zumkehr secured third place at the FIVB World Tour Grand Slam held in the city.
The fourth day of competition in Gstaad began with an all-Swiss encounter in the Round of 12, where Anouk and Zoé defeated Hüberli and Kernen in straight sets (21-18, 21-15). Despite this initial matchup, both pairs successfully advanced to the quarterfinals.
Anouk and Zoé maintained their strong performance in the quarterfinals, beating Germany`s Sandra Ittlinger and Anna-Lena Grüne 2-0 (21-10, 21-19). This victory marks their fourth consecutive semifinal appearance on the Beach Pro Tour, following previous medal wins (silver in Spiez Futures, bronze in Ostrava Elite, gold in Alanya Challenge).
Despite their first loss of the tournament in the Round of 12, Hüberli and Kernen rebounded impressively in the quarterfinals, defeating Americans Terese Cannon and Megan Kraft in straight sets (21-17, 21-13). This new pairing for 2025 is now in contention for their third medal this season, having already secured silver at the season-opening Yucatán Challenge and gold at the Spiez Futures.
Defending champions claim dramatic victory
Defending Gstaad champions Nuss and Brasher, who will face Anouk and Zoé, also navigated two elimination matches on Saturday. Their Round of 12 match against fellow Americans Julia Donlin and Lexy Denaburg was a controlled 2-0 win (21-18, 21-13), but their quarterfinal was far more dramatic.
Against Canadian Olympic medalists Brandie Wilkerson and Melissa Humana-Paredes, Nuss and Brasher lost the first set but saved four match points in a thrilling second set before securing a 2-1 victory (19-21, 25-23, 15-7).
Having previously won bronze in Gstaad in 2023, Nuss and Brasher are now guaranteed at least a medal, aiming for their fourth Elite event medal this season (gold in Brasília, silver in Saquarema, bronze in Quintana Roo).
The final semifinalists, Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova of Latvia, also needed two wins on Saturday. They defeated Brandie and Melissa 2-0 (21-19, 21-16) in the Round of 12 and then overcame a tough challenge from Brazil`s FIVB World Ranking leaders Thamela Coradello and Victoria Lopes with a dramatic 2-1 victory (21-19, 17-21, 15-13) in the quarterfinals.
Sunday`s semifinal presents the Latvian Olympians with a chance to earn their second Beach Pro Tour medal of 2025, adding to the silver they won at the Ostrava Challenge last month.
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick