SANTA ROSA, Laguna — The Smart Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Beach Tour Nuvali Open witnessed an all-Australian showdown in the women's final, setting the stage for an intense competition at the Nuvali Sand Courts, developed by Ayala Land.
According to Philippines News Agency, Australian pairs Stefanie Fejes and Jan Milutinovic, and Jasmine Fleming and Georgia Johnson, secured their spots in the finals after defeating their Japanese opponents. Fejes and Milutinovic triumphed over Suzuka Hashimoto and Reika Murakami with scores of 21-12, 21-18. Following closely, Fleming and Johnson won against Asami Shiba and Saki Maruyama, marking scores of 21-17, 21-17, to guarantee Australia a one-two finish in the women’s division. The final match was scheduled for 4:30 p.m., with the bronze medal match featuring the defeated Japanese teams.
Fejes shared her insights on their victory, acknowledging the competitive spirit of the Japanese teams and expressing satisfaction with their performance and the quality of volleyball played.
In the men’s division, Thailand and Iran progressed to the final. The Thai duo, Tipjan Pithak and Taovato Poravid, managed to edge out Australia's D'Artagnan Potts and Ben Hood in a closely contested match that ended with scores of 21-15, 18-21, 15-11. On the other side, Iran's Abbas Pourasgari and Alireza Aghajanighasab secured their final spot by defeating another Thai pair, Surin Jongklang and Dunwinit Kaewsai, with scores of 21-13, 21-17. The match for the bronze medal saw Potts and Hood competing against Surin and Dunwinit.
The Nuvali Open has thus highlighted the strength and competitiveness of Australian women’s teams on the AVC Beach Tour, alongside showcasing the dynamic men’s division featuring teams from Thailand and Iran vying for the championship.