SANYA, China : Qatar’s beach volleyball pair of Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan advanced to the semi-finals of the Asian Beach Games in Sanya after a 2-0 (21-10, 21-19) win over China in Monday’s quarter-final.
The Qatari duo produced a composed performance, recovering from a deficit in the second set to level the score before taking control and sealing victory. Their experience and on-court understanding proved key as they moved a step closer to the title.
Qatar will face Thailand in Tuesday’s semi-final after the Southeast Asian side defeated Indonesia, while Iran will meet Oman in the other last-four clash.
Younousse and Tijan had earlier topped Group B with a perfect record, registering wins over Maldives, Uzbekistan and Iran, before beating Qatar’s second team in the round of 16.
Qatar are competing in the beach volleyball competition with four teams, including two men’s and two women’s pairs, underlining the sport’s growing profile in the country.
“The qualification is the result of our improving performances step by step,” Younousse said after the match. “The win over China shows we are ready for the knockout stages. We are focused on taking it one match at a time and aim to reach the final and compete for gold.”
