Masterly show by Pereira, Younousse
QATAR’S top duo of Jefferson Pereira and Cherif Younousse won the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Beach Tour Aspire Qatar Master, beating Australians Chris McHugh and Damien Schumann 21-12, 27-29, 15-13 in a thrilling final last week.
It was the Olympian duo’s second AVC title of the season, following the Pak Bara Master at Thailand, recently.
Indonesian pair of Ade Rachmawan and Mohammad Asfiya clinched bronze, beating New Zealand’s Tom Hartles and Michael Watson 21-19, 21-15.
Though Pereira and Cheriff had it easy in the semifinal, where they defeated Hartles and Watson 21-11, 21-19, they did not have it easy in the final. As the score indicated, they were really stretched by McHugh and Schumann, who had lost to them in the semifinal in Thailand.
“It was a tough final. But we held our nerves in crunch situation. With the World Championship coming up in Vienna in July, I guess this was a good preparation,” said the Qataris.
Meanwhile Doha will be back on FIVB Beach World Tour after a year’s gap when a two-star event is staged in February, 2018.
Qatar Volleyball Association President Ali Ghanim Al Kuwari and FIVB Beach Volleyball Director Angelo Squeo signed a three-year deal last week.
