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World Champs Preview – Pool D

17.06.2019 - Hamburg, Germany

Meet the teams

Cherif Samba/Ahmed Tijan - Qatar (4)
Team: Debut
Cherif: 5th (2015), 9th (2017) 
Ahmed: Debut 

Dries Koekelkoren/Tom van Walle – Belgium (19)
Team: 9th (2017)
Koekelkoren: 9th (2017)
Van Walle: 9th (2017)

Ondrej Perusic/David Schweiner – Czech Republic (25)
Team: Debut
Perusic: Debut
Schweiner: Debut

Adrian Carambula/Enrico Rossi – Italy (48)
Team: Debut
Carambula: 17th (2017)
Rossi: Debut (48)

The lowdown

This is probably the most unpredictable pool in the men’s tournament as the four teams have a real shot at coming out on top. Cherif Samba and Ahmed Tijan are the highest-seeded team in the pool and they’ve been showing solid progress on the World Tour in the last two seasons. Will they be able to confirm their seed in the biggest tournament their team has even competed at? Dries Koekelkoren and Tom van Walle, who already have World Championships experience together and posted impressive victories in 2017, and Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner, who are in great form after playing in a final for the first time in their careers earlier this month, both certainly have the tools to surprise them. Adrian Carambula and Enrico Rossi got a last-minute call to replace a team from Sierra Leone and their motivation will be sky-high entering the tournament.

Game to watch

The very first match of the pool, an all-European clash between the Belgians and the Czech, should make it clear which of these teams will be in better position to challenge the Qataris for the top spot of the pool. Friday, June 28, at 5pm CET. Court 2.

Did you know?

There’s a past world champion in this pool, but he won’t be on the court this time. It’s former Argentinean player Mariano Baracetti, who won the 2001 edition with Martin Conde and is now coaching Cherif and Ahmed.

POOL E

Meet the teams

Konstantin Semenov/Ilya Leshukov - Russia (5)
Team: Debut
Semenov: 9th (2011), 9th (2013), 9th (2015) 
Leshukov: Debut

Alison Cerutti/Alvaro Filho – Brazil (23)
Team: Debut
Alison: 2nd (2009), 1st (2011), 4th (2013), 1st (2015), 9th (2017)
Alvaro: 2nd (2013), 5th (2015), 17th (2017)

Billy Allen/Stafford Slick – United States (29)
Team: Debut
Allen: Debut
Slick: Debut

Tamer Abdelrasoul/Assam Mahmoud – Qatar (42)
Team: Debut
Tamer: Debut
Mahmoud: Debut

The lowdown

Konstantin Semenov and Ilya Leshukov have not been together for a long time, but the have Russians clicked almost immediately and have climbed the international rankings after they won a pair of World Tour gold medals. That sort of chemistry is what Alison Cerutti and Alvaro Filho are looking for after their recent union – and they have showed some signs of progress. Billy Allen and Stafford Slick are products from the traditional American beach volleyball pipelines and they can challenge any team in the world if they have a good day. Tamer Abdelrasoul and Assam Mahmoud have a tough draw and have limited chances of advancing, but will be looking to put up a good fight against their more experienced opponents.

Game to watch

Alison and Semenov have both made it to the semifinals of the Rio 2016 Olympics and anytime the two giants clash at the net it will certainly be entertaining. With two younger and talented defenders behind them in Alvaro and Leshukov, this match has all the ingredients to be something special. Tuesday, July 2, at 3pm CET. Court 2.

Did you know?

One of the components of the Brazilian team has played in four of the last five editions of the World Championships, as Alison took silver with Harley Marques in 2009 and gold with Emanuel Rego in 2011 and Bruno Schmidt in 2015 while Alvaro won silver with Ricardo Santos in 2013.

POOL F

Meet the teams

Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena – United States (6)
Team: 5th (2017)
Dalhausser: 7th (2005), 1st (2007), 3rd (2009), 9th (2011), 9th (2013), 5th (2017) 
Lucena: 17th (2009), 9th (2011), 33rd (2013), 4th (2015), 5th (2017)

Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen – the Netherlands (20)
Team: 1st (2013), 17th (2015), 17th (2017)
Brouwer: 1st (2013), 17th (2015), 17th (2017)
Meeuwsen: 1st (2013), 17th (2015), 17th (2017)

Ben Saxton/Grant O’Gorman – Canada (28)
Team: Debut
Saxton: 17th (2011), 5th (2013), 17th (2015), 5th (2017)
O’Gorman: Debut

Nicolas Capogrosso/Julian Azaad – Argentina (39)
Team: 33rd (2017)
Capogrosso: 33rd (2017)
Azaad: 37th (2015), 33rd (2017)

The lowdown

Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena are arguably one of the top teams in the world when they are at their best form, but will they manage to remain that competitive just a few months before turning 40? Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen have proved they have what it takes to win at the World Championships and they will try to rebound after consecutive 17th-place finishes in the last two editions. Pushed by Ben Saxton’s experience and Grant O’Gorman’s youth, the Canadian team has the potential to put the best teams in the world in trouble. Nicolas Capogrosso and Julian Azaad are not quite there yet, but the Argentineans are progressing and will try to improve from their 33rd-place result on their debut in Vienna.

Game to watch

The match between the Americans and the Dutch is one of the strongest candidates to be the best pool play match in the entire tournament as it puts face-to-face two experienced, talented and accomplished tandems. Not many people would be surprised if these teams crossed paths again down the road in the gold medal match. Tuesday, July 2, at 3pm CET. Red Bull Beach Arena.

Did you know?

Pool F is the only group in the entire men’s tournament to feature past world champions in differenet teams as Dalhausser won the 2007 edition with Todd Rogers while Brouwer and Meeuwsen topped the podium at the 2013 edition.