2017 FIVB World Tour – Tangshan Open
· June 17-18, 2017
· Jiangning, Nanjing, China
· Schedule/Results
In a busy weekend in FIVB World Tour action, events were held in Hague, Netherlands; Jiangning, Nanjing, China; and Monaco.
At the Tangshan Two-Star for women, China’s Shuhui Wen and Xinyi Xia, Lithuania’s Ieva Dumbauskaite and Monika Poviliatyte, Czech Republic’s Martina Bonnerova and Sarka Nakladalova and Americans Kelly Larsen and Betsi Flint advanced through the first three rounds to Sunday’s semifinals.
Wen/Xia face Dubmauskaite/Poviliatyte in Sunday’s semifinals, while Bonnerova/Nakladalova takes on Larsen/Flint. Bonnerova/Nakladalova look to make their second final of the season, after finishing second at the Lankawi One-Star. The other three teams are making their 2017 FIVB Tour semifinal debut.
Wen/Xia made their way to the semis with sweeps of Thailand’s Rumpaipruet Numwong/Khanittha Hongpak (21-19, 21-12) and Canadians Megan Nagy/Marie-Christine Lapoint (21-9, 21-14) and a quarterfinal win over countrywomen and heavily favored Fan Wang/ Yuan Yue (13-21, 21-17, 15-11).
Dumbauskaite/Poviliatyte downed Japan’s Sayaka Mizoe/Suzuka Hashimoto 18-21, 21-12, 15-13 in the Round of 16 and topped Vanuatu’s Loti Joe/Linline Matauatu 21-13, 21-13 in the quarters. The Tangshan Open marks the Lithuanian side’s first FIVB World Tour of the season.
“We knew that the number one player from Vanuatu (Loti Joe) is really strong, she has a lot of experience,” Dumbauskaite said. “So we came to the court really focused and we talked with each other that we have to fight for each point, it doesn’t matter the result and we are really happy. We are in an FIVB tournament top four which is amazing for us.”
Bonnerova/Nakladalova topped Russians Yulia Abalakina/Ksenia Dabizha 21-19, 21-18 in the round of 24 and China’s Xinxin Wang/Chen Xue 21-19, 21-19 in the round of 16. The duo then defeated Americans Emily Stockman/Kimberly Dicello in the quarterfinals, 21-19, 21-15.
Larsen/Flint won all three of their matches in straight sets, notching a 21-7, 21-11 win over China’s Jing Wang/Jiaxi Wang; downing Japan’s Miki Ishii/Negynu Murakami 22-20, 21-15 and topping Thailand’s Varapatsorn Radarong/Tanarattha Udomchavee 21-15, 21-18 in the quarters
Leave a Reply