Qatar’s star players Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan would enter the upcoming FIVB Beach World Championship with a victorious feeling.
In the Coop BeachTour final in Olten, one of the big events on the Switzerland National Tour, Younousse and Tijan defended their sixth ranking in the world and got past local pair of Nico Beeler and Marco Krattiger 21-18, 27-25 to emerge the champions on Sunday.
The final lasted 46 minutes as the Swiss second seeds battled hard in the second set, taking it into the extended points. However, the Qatari duo, the winner of the Four-Star Xiamen Open bronze medal this season, proved their superiority and bagged the title.
Both Younousse and Tijan participated in the tournament as one of the two wild card entries. Australian Damian Schumann and Cole Durant also contested and shared the fifth spot.
Younousse and Tijan, seeded fourth in the world championship in Hamburg, Germany, had beaten the same pair and second seeds in the second round by 21-15, 21-19 in 39 minutes.
Gabriel Kissling and Michiel Zandbergen were the rivals of Younousse and Tijan in the opening round. The game went on for 41 minutes before the Qataris pulled it off at 21-17, 25-23.
Earlier, Beeler and Krattiger, ranked 52nd in the world, upset top-seeded Adrian Heidrich and Mirco Gerson, world-ranked 23rd, in straight sets in the semi-finals. Younousse and Tijan also encountered some tough moments against Kissling and Zandbergen. A slight lapse in the end-game forced the match into the tie-break set. Younousse and Tijan immediately switched into higher gear and completed a fine 21-14, 19-21, 15-8 victory in 50 minutes.
The World Championships are scheduled in Hamburg, Germany, from June 28 to July 7. Qatar are contesting with two teams. Besides Younousse and Tijan, Assam Mahmoud and Tamer Abdelrasoul will represent Qatar’s B team.
Results
Final
Beeler/Krattiger SUI [2] lost to Ahmed/Cherif QAT [3] 0-2 (18-21, 25-27) 0:46
Semi-finals
Ahmed/Cherif QAT [3] beat Kissling G./Zandbergen SUI [6] 2-1 (21-14, 19-21, 15-8) 0:50
Gerson/Heidrich SUI [1] lost to Beeler/Krattiger SUI [2] 0-2 (22-24, 21-23) 0:46