Langkawi, Malaysia, April 27, 2018 – Australian duo Phoebe Bell/Jessyka Ngauamo and European pairs Ksenia Dabizha/Daria Mastikova of Russia, Martina Bonnerova/Tereza Pluharova of the Czech Republic and Katja Stam/Julia Wouters of the Netherlands came out on top of the pool play competition in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Langkawi Open main draw on Friday.
Bell/Ngaumo outclassed two East Asian sides at Pantai Cenang to advance to the Round of 12. The Australians started with a 2-0 (21-14, 21-18) win over Chinese Taipei’s Kou Nai-Han/Liu Pi Hsin, then closed the day with a 2-1 (17-21, 21-17, 15-12) triumph over Japan’s Reika Murakami/Chiyo Suzuki in Pool C.
In Pool A, Dabizha/Mastikova played clinically with two straight-set wins over the Czech Republic’s Sara Olivova/Karolina Rehackova 2-0 (21-14, 21-12) and Paraguayan top seeds Erika Bobadilla/Michelle Valiente 2-0 (21-15, 21-14).
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Bonnerova/Pluharova and Stams/Wouters paved a similar winning path of recording first match straight-set and second match three-set victories.
The Czechs topped Pool B as they beat Hong Kong’s Wai Yan Au Yeung/Ting Chi Yuen 2-0 (21-13, 21-16) and Latvia’s Agnese Caica/Marta Ozolina 2-1 (10-21, 22-20, 15-12), respectively.
Meanwhile, the Dutch led Pool D as they succeeded against Malaysia’s Lai Jessie/Shu Woon Joo 2-0 (21-7, 21-7) and New Zealand’s Alice Bain/Julia Tilley 2-1 (17-21, 21-8, 15-8).