Manila: Latvia's Ardis Bedritis and Arturs Rinkevics marched to the quarterfinals after pulling off a 22-20, 21-18 win over second-seed Americans Chase Budinger and Trevor Crabb in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge in Sta. Rosa, Laguna on Saturday. Playing under the scorching heat that reached 36°C, or a heat index of 41°C, Bedritis and Rinkevics fought hard to overcome their rivals.
According to Philippines News Agency, Rinkevics, who scored 17 points, emphasized the importance of minimizing mistakes and playing strategically under the intense heat conditions. Bedritis contributed significantly with 23 points. "In this heat, it's just a survival game. Our main concern and goal was not to make mistakes. And if there's a rally, try not to lose the point easily or make a mistake," Rinkevics stated. He added that serving strategically against the defender worked in their favor.
Bedritis and Rinkevics are set to face Australia's Thomas Hodges and Ben Hood, who earlier beat compatriots Joshua Howat and Luke Ryan, 21-13, 22-20. Reflecting on their upcoming match, Rinkevics remarked, "To get as far as we can is our goal right now. Because right now, we're drained. This heat is just something else. Recover and then just enjoy volleyball and play our best game."
Other matches in the tournament include top seed Eylon Elazar and Kevin Cuzmiciov of Israel against Switzerland's Adrian Heidrich and Yves Haussener. Austria's Paul Pascaruic and Alexander Horst take on Sweden's Julian Friedli and Jonathan Jordan, while Germans Maximilian Just and Lui Wust square off with Phillip Huster and Sven Winter. The event is organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
In other results, Elazar and Cuzmiciov defeated Indonesia's Bintang Akbar and Sofyan Rachman Efendi, Pascaruic and Horst outlasted their compatriots, Heidrich and Haussener overcame Poland's Piotr Kantor and Filip Lejawa, and Friedli and Jordan prevailed over Germany's Jonas and Benedikt Sagstetter.
In the women's division, Ukraine's Valentyna Davidova and Anhelina Khmil eliminated USA's Alexis Durish and Audrey Koenig. They will face Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist Taliqua Clancy and partner Stefanie Fejes of Australia in the quarterfinals. Other notable matches include Lithuania's Monika Paulikiene and Aine Raupelyte against Ukraine's Tetiana Lazarenko and Sofiia Kurnikova, USA's Madelyn Anderson and Alaina Chacon facing Puerto Rico's Allanis Navas and Maria Claudia Gonzales, and the Netherlands' Nigella Negenman and Floor Hogenhout battling compatriots Emi Van Driel and Mila Konink.
