Qatar's Younousse and Tijan in AVC Beach Tour semis in Thailand

Bangkok [Thailand], April 15: Qatar's top beach volleyball pair, Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan powered into the semi-finals of the 2026 AVC Beach Tour - 25th Samila Open in Thailand on Tuesday after a flawless run marked by dominant straight-sets victories. The Qatari duo, former Olympic bronze medallists, and Asia's top beach volleyball pair, topped Pool B with authority before continuing their momentum in the knockout rounds. They secured their semi-final place with a convincing 21-9, 21-7 win over China's Li Wei and Du Hongjun, then followed it up with another clinical performance against Kazakhstan's Bogatu Sergey and Kirill Gurin, winning 21-16, 21-18 in Round 2. Younousse and Tijan will now face Australia's D'Artagnan Potts and Jack Pearse in the semi-finals. Earlier in the tournament, the Qatari pair opened their campaign with a dominant 21-7, 21-8 victory over Hong Kong's L.F. Lee and C.H. Lee. They then edged Oman's Hood Al Jalaboubi and Alhashmi Mazin in a competitive three-set encounter, winning 21-16, 18-21, 15-8. The Samila Open has drawn 27 teams from 15 countries, divided into eight pools, with a combination of three-team and four-team groups, setting the stage for a highly competitive tournament.
Source: Qatar Tribune