Watch out Hamburg, the Russians have begun on song! Third seeds Viacheslav Krasilnikov and Oleg Stoyanovskiy and fifth seeds Ilya Leshukov and Konstastin Semenov were in impressive forms as they stormed to victory in their opening matches at the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships Hamburg 2019 presented by comdirect and ALDI Nord.
Both teams wasted no time in stamping down a marker in their pool openers on Friday, with Leshukov and Semenov needing just 30 minutes to beat Tamer Abdelrasoul and Assam Mahoud 21-15, 21-14.
And win number two for Russian came an hour later as much-fancied Krasilnikov and Stoyanovskiy breezed to a 21-10, 21-13 success over Japanese outsiders Yuga Ageba and Yusuke ‘Gottsu’ Ishijima.
“We didn’t know too much information about them but we tried to find our rhythm so it was important to settle into the game.
“It’s a big honor that we are favorites so to start the tournament with a win is great. We’re excited and we want to get to the finals.”
Krasilnikov, who finished third in Vienna two years ago is eyeing an even bigger prize.
“I want to be World Champion,” said the defender. “I want to reach the final after winning bronze in Austria and again we will try show and show our best in every game to try and improve.”
Elsewhere, German celebrated their first victory of the day as debuting team Sandra Ittlinger and Chantal Laboureur cruised to a straight sets win over Paraguay’s Patricia Caballero and Michelle Valiente in the first match of the tournament played on the Red Bull Beach Arena.
Alison Cerutti, the 2015 champion, joined the number of former champs to win on the opening day, as together with Alvaro Filho, the Brazilian came back from losing the first set against Stafford Slick and Billy Allen to open their tournament with a W.
However, it was not the perfect start for three-time champion Kerri Walsh Jennings and her partner Brooke Sweat, as the Americans were defeated by Joy Stubbe and Marleen van Iersel in three sets on the Red Bull Beach Arena.
