Bandar Anzali, Iran, October 16, 2018 – Four teams from four different countries - Kazakhstan, the Czech Republic, Thailand and Iran - won their qualification matches at the Bandar Anzali one-star stop on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour in Iran to progress to Wednesday’s main draw.
Amir Shoushtarizadeh and Vahid Nikoufar were the lowest ranked duo on the qualification bracket to emerge from Tuesday’s battles unbeaten and with a ticket to the main draw in hand. The 10th-seeded Iranians were one of the two teams that came up with two victories on the way to the best 16. First, they managed a 2-0 (21-14, 21-16) win in the all-Iranian clash with Reza Naghibi Zadeh Shamili and Abolhassan Khakizadeh, and then, they delivered a 2-0 (21-19, 21-17) upset of second-seeded Kitti Duangjinda and Banlue Nakprakhong of Thailand.
Great save by Dominik Samec
Czechia’s Martin Sramek and Dominik Samec also mastered two straight-set victories on Tuesday. They started their day with a 2-0 (21-11, 22-20) win over Iran’s Rouhollah Salehi Nezhad Chaijani and Sina Shokati Shekarsaraei and finished it off with a 2-0 (21-16, 21-16) shutout of Russia’s Vsevolod Bobrikov and Aleksandr Kramarenko.
Top-seeded Alexey Kuleshov and Artem Petrossyants and third-seeded Narongdet Kangkon and Dunwinit Kaewsai went through the first qualification round with byes and their second-round games were the only ones they played on the way to the main draw. The Kazakhstani pair claimed a 2-0 (21-18, 21-17) victory over Iran’s Rasoul Yamrali and Amir Malmir. The Thai team handed Slovenia’s Matevz Berk and Iztok Novak a 2-0 (26-24, 21-15) defeat.