2017 FIVB World Tour – Nantong
- June 23-25
- Two-Star Event
- Women’s Only Event
- Event Page
- Schedule
- Teams
China kept hope alive for a home team to win the Nantong Open as two teams advanced through the quarterfinals on Saturday.
Xinxin Wang/Chen Xue and Shuhui Wen/Xinyi Xia moved on to the semifinals. It is the second semifinal appearance of the season for Wen/Xia, who were the runners-up at the Tanghan Open Two Star last weekend.
Wang/Xue topped Canada’s Megan Nagy/Marie-Christine LaPointe in a come-from-behind effort, 19-21, 23-21, 15-10. Wen/Xia topped Japan’s Megumi Murakami/Miki Ishii in straight sets (21-16, 21-13).
“This is the first time that my current partner and I to reach the final four in the World Tour, so it’s memorable for us,” Xue said. “Although this match exposed a lot of our problems, it was good for our confidence which we are further developing little by little through training.”
Also moving into the semis are Lithuania’s Ieva Dumbauskaite/Monika Povilaityte and Russia’s Yulia Abalakina/Ksenia Dabizha. The semifinals berth is the first ever for the Russian duo, while the Lithuanians earned bronze at last week’s Tanshan Open.
Abalakina/Dabizha scored the big upset of the day, outlasting Brazil’s Juliana/Carol Horta 21-16, 17-21, 15-12. Juliana/Carol Horta won gold at last week’s Monaco One Star event.
“We’re so happy, it was a surprise for us but we had good concentration so we could do it,” Abalakina said. “The match was very difficult against these girls, it’s very hot weather, no wind and it’s a very strong team.”
Dumbauskaite/Povilaityte made short work of Thailand’s Varapatsorn Radarong/Tanarattha Udomchavee 21-14, 21-16.
The semifinals will pit Wang/Xue against Dumbauskaite/Povilaityte and Abalakina/Dabizha against Wen/Xia.
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