Ostrava – Beach volleyball players Ondřej Perušič and David Schweiner lost in the semi-finals of the Pro Tour Elite tournament in Ostrava to Norwegian Anders Mol and Christian Sörum 21:19, 17:21, 8:15 and in the area in Dolní Vítkovice they are in a row for gold after three duels the bronze medal match awaits. The Norwegian Olympic winners and world champions, who also defeated the Czech Republic in the finals in 2019 and last year, will aim for a third Ostrava title. In the second semi-final, the Qatari Šaríf Janus and Ahmed Tidžan will compete with the American duo of Miles Partain and Andrew Benesch.
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Photo gallery: Pro Tour Elite in beach volleyball in Ostrava
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“The semi-final deserved a match like this, it was great for the spectators. It was very difficult for the four of us on the court. It was an even match until the middle of the tie-break, where the Norwegians showed their qualities and deserved to win today,” said Schweiner.
“It was difficult, especially mentally, because they almost didn't make mistakes and constantly put us under pressure, either with good defense or good serving. We knew we had to show our best. We managed to do that in the first set, with the help of an excellent crowd, in In the second and third, we already pulled the short end of the ball,” added Perušič.
In the match, the machine-playing Norwegians bounced back first, the Czechs equalized after Perušič's excellent interventions in the field. Schweiner responded to Mola's block a moment later in the same way. After another long exchange, the Czech first team took the lead 18:17 for the first time, worked out a set point and immediately converted the first one.
The thrilling battle for every ball in front of the sold-out crowd continued in the second set. At the score of 14:13, the world number one got a break, increased the lead even more, and Mol's block ended the set. The 25-year-old Norwegian also performed several of these in the tie-break, and thanks to that, the “Vikings” led him to a clear victory.
The Norwegians Perušič and Schweiner avenged the final defeat from the previous elite tournament in Uberlandia, where the Czechs won after eight losses in a row. In the fifth match of the year in Ostrava, the Czech No. 1s failed for the first time, having managed all previous duels without losing a set.
“It is one of the best teams that have ever played, and losing to them is not a shame. We have to keep trying and I hope it doesn't take another eight defeats,” Schweiner said. “We don't have many bronze medals, so it's about time,” added the 29-year-old blocker.
The match for third place is on the program from 3:30 p.m., the final will start an hour later. Starting at 2:30 p.m., Brazilians Ana Patrícia and Duda will play for the title against Americans Teresa Cannon and Sarah Sponcil.
Pro Tour Elite category beach volleyball tournament in Ostrava:
Men:
Semifinal: Mol, Sörum (1-Nor.) – Perušič, Schweiner (4-CR) 2:1 (-19, 17, 8),
12:30 Janus, Tidžan (7-Cat.) – Partain, Benesh (13-USA).
Women:
Semifinals: Cannonová, Sponcilová (16-USA) – Humanaová-Paredesová, Wilkersonová (13-Can.) 2:1 (-19, 21, 13), Ana Patrícia, Duda ( 1-Brazil) – Brunnerová, Hüberliová (5-Switzerland) 2:1 (-18, 11, 12).
