Crabb & Benesh Make Flawless Debut as Partners in Brazil
NEW AMERICAN DUO SHINES IN JOÃO PESSOA as Taylor Crabb and Andy Benesh earn a perfect first day together on the Beach Pro Tour.
Partnership Off to Ideal Start
Taylor Crabb and Andy Benesh announced their new partnership just weeks ago and couldn’t have asked for a better tournament debut. The Americans earned two straight-set victories on Thursday in João Pessoa, securing their spot in the Round of 16 with an unblemished pool play record.
Crabb, 34, and Benesh, 30, made their official partnership debut less than two months after joining forces at the end of January. They opened Pool B by defeating Australian Olympians Izac Carracher and Mark Nicolaidis 2-0 (21-19, 21-16) before sweeping (21-9, 21-18) Brazilians Vinicius Freitas and Heitor Benitto hours later.
Their Friday matchup promises a stiffer challenge: Jacob Hölting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson of Sweden, FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship silver medalists who also started undefeated in João Pessoa.
Trevor Crabb Also Undefeated
Taylor’s older brother Trevor Crabb and new partner Robert Harrison delivered an impressive showing in Pool F, winning both their matches in three-set thrillers. They defeated Miles Evans and Chase Budinger 2-1 (15-21, 21-19, 15-7) in their qualifier match and topped Tomas and Nicolás Capogrosso 2-1 (21-19, 19-21, 16-14), advancing with a promising 2-0 record.
Other Standouts on Thursday
France’s Elouan Chouikh-Barbez and Joadel Gardoque dominated Pool D with two dominant wins, defeating Brazilians Arthur Mariano and Adrielson dos Santos 2-0 (21-19, 21-14) and sweeping Latvians Ardis Bedritis and Arturs Rinkevics (21-17, 21-18). Their compatriots Rémi Bassereau and Calvin Aye also finished undefeated in the pool.
In Pool E, Swiss pair Marco Krattiger and Leo Dillier came from qualifying to secure two victories, while Tim Berger and Timo Hammarberg of Austria also remained undefeated. Paris Olympians Evandro Gonçalves and Arthur Lanci were the standout Brazilian men’s team, sweeping the German Sagstetter brothers (21-17, 21-17) and defeating Canadians Sam Schachter and Jonathan Pickett (21-16, 21-17).
Reigning Olympic and world champions David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig of Sweden opened strong in Pool C with two victories to stay undefeated.
The men’s competition concludes pool play on Friday at João Pessoa, with first matches beginning at 13:00 local time.
Credit: volleyballworld.com
