27/08/2019 19:00
Teams from four countries join Montpellier 1-Star Main Draw
2019 FIVB World Tour 1-Star - Montpellier
Montpellier, France, August 27, 2019. The FIVB World Tour 1-Star event in Montpellier started on Tuesday with the qualification round, which defined the names of the four teams – representing Norway, England, Austria and the Netherlands – progressing to the Main Draw due to go underway on Wednesday at noon with participation of as many as four French tandems.
Sadegh Mohajer/Ruben Olai Lund Løvli of Norway were the first team to secure their ticket to the Main Draw after fighting for three sets and through a medical time-out against Slovenia’s Andrej Grut/Matevz Berk. After losing the first set, the Scandinavian team came back strong in the second where they trailed as well before pulling off a 2-1 victory (16-21, 22-20, 15-11).
Teams from England and Italy contested the next match. Issa Batrane, who played in Montpellier last year already, this time around competes with the only 19-year-old Frederick Bialokoz. The Englishmen easily beat Italy’s Emanuele Labate/Lorenzo Panerati (21-10, 21-7). The Italians tried to play a fast game but Batrane/Bialokoz were just too solid and consistent, especially in reception.
Austria and Switzerland featured in the next match and despite a match point saved by the Swiss team and a tiebreak, the Austrian duo Arwin Kopschar/Michael Murauer were victorious. “We won the first set 21-16 but then it was a lot more complicated… But finally, we did it!” said Kopschar with a big smile on his face. Piero Müller/Tim Blum of Switzerland had edged opponents from Uruguay earlier in the day.
To finish the day, the experienced Sven Vismans (31 years old) and the physically imposing Tom van Steenis (203 cm) of the Netherlands beat in three sets Czechs Martin Pavlovsky/Adam Stocek (21-16, 19-21, 15-5), who earlier in the day had eliminated a French team in the first round of qualifications.
Click here for further information.
|