Miguel Pereira, Brazil, August 8, 2019 – Two Brazilian men’s pairs managed straight-set victories over their Canadian opponents in Thursday’s qualifications at the Miguel Pereira one-star stop on the 2019 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour to advance to Friday’s main draw action on home sand. The remaining spots among the tournament’s best 16 were filled up without play.
In the first of Thursday’s two qualification matches, wild cards Matheus Maia Terra de Faria & Eduardo Davi Marinho da Rocha mastered a 2-0 (21-9, 21-2) blowout of Canada’s Bassem Ben Hassouna & Aaron Lerner.
“We managed to play very well together in this debut. We got on well on court. It was my first World Tour event and seeing the grand arena and the guys participating was a special feeling. We managed to open a good advantage at first and then we just managed it. We are excited to make the main draw,” Maia said.
In the next Brazilian-Canadian encounter, Arthur Da Silva Mariano & Felipe Cavazin Numasawa delivered a 2-0 (21-14, 21-9) shutout of Mitchell Neuert & Roland Bouchard in just 31 minutes of play.
“The first game is always tense, but we prepared well, especially psychologically. In the qualifications everyone fights through the end, but thank god everything worked out and let's move on,” commented Numasawa.
With two more home duos receiving qualification byes into the main draw, the total number of Brazilian teams to battle for World Tour honours in Miguel Pereira became eight. Two Canadian, two Norwegian and one pair each from Colombia, Japan, Mozambique and Venezuela will also take part in the main draw.
No qualifications were necessary in the women’s event. Seven teams from Brazil and one each from Canada, Czechia, Guatemala, Mozambique and United States will start their participation directly from the main draw on Friday.
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