Álvarez and Moreno lead pool winners in Düsseldorf
EuroBeachVolley
Two years after winning their first medals in the CEV EuroBeachVolley, Spanish Olympians Daniela Álvarez and Tania Moreno continue to push for another podium appearance in the 2025 edition of the tournament.
Competing in the event for the fourth time in their careers, the 23-year-old Spaniards were among the eight women’s teams that won their pools in Düsseldorf on Thursday, securing a direct spot in the Round of 16 of the tournament held at the Rochus Club.
The action continues in Germany on Friday, when both the Round of 16 and the quarterfinals will take place. The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, with the medal matches ending the event on Sunday.
CEV EuroBeachVolley 2025 – Women
Álvarez and Moreno had a promising EuroBeachVolley debut in 2022, advancing all the way to the semifinals and finishing fourth. The Spanish took a step forward the next year, returning home from Vienna with the silver medals around their necks. In 2024, however, they had a frustrating early exit, ending up in 17th place.
On Thursday, the Spanish, who had started their campaign with a sweep of Finland’s Sara Sinisalo and Taru Lahti the day before, came out on top in a three-set battle, beating Germans Hanna-Marie Schieder and Karla Borger 2-1 (15-21, 21-18, 16-14), to finish first in Pool F and secure a direct spot in the Round of 16.
On Friday, the Spanish will play their first elimination match in the tournament against Polish Malgorzata Ciezkowska and Urszula Lunio, who were second in Pool H and overcame Dutch Noa Sonneville and Brecht Piersma in the tie-breaker (17-21, 21-15, 15-5) in the Round of 24.
Defending champions advance in first place
Defending champions Svenja Müller and Cinja Tillmann of Germany were the top team in Pool H after they swept (21-16, 23-21) Ciezkowska and Lunio in the pool final. Their Round of 16 opponents will be compatriots Schieder and Borger, who recovered from their pool play upset with a two-set (21-11, 21-19) victory over Lithuanian Olympians Monika Paulikiene and Aine Raupelyte in the Round of 24.
Pool A had Italians Valentina Gottardi and Reka Orsi Toth, who dominated Czechs Kylie Neuschaeferova and Marie-Sára Štochlová to a two-set (21-10, 21-17) victory, as the winners. They will now face Germans Sandra Ittlinger and Anna-Lena Grüne, who swept (21-17, 21-17) Spanish Sofía Izuzquiza and Sofía González in the Round of 24.
The Austrian Klinger sisters Dorina and Ronja came out on top in Pool B after their two-set (21-18, 21-10) victory over Ukrainians Yeva Serdiuk and Daria Romaniuk. Dutch Mila Konink and Raisa Schoon are ready to cross their path in the Round of 16 after they eliminated Swiss Tanja Hüberli and Leona Kernen in straight sets (21-12, 21-19) in the Round of 24.
Pool C had another team of sisters, formed by the Swiss Olympians Anouk and Zoé Vergé-Dépré, in first place – they secured the top spot with a three-set (21-18, 22-24, 15-10) win against Ittlinger and Grüne. In the Round of 16, they will meet Dutch Emi van Driel and Wies Bekhuis, who topped Neuschaeferova and Štochlová in three sets (21-16, 11-21, 15-9) in the Round of 24.
Two-time EuroBeachVolley champions Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova dominated Pool D with a straight-set (21-19, 21-12) triumph over Hüberli and Kernen. The Latvians will start their journey in the elimination rounds against Ukrainians Valentyna Davidova and Anhelina Khmil, who knocked out compatriots Serdiuk and Romaniuk in the Round of 24 with a three-set (21-11, 12-21, 15-8) victory.
Pool E had a three-set battle to determine its winners and saw French Clémence Vieira and Aline Chamereau get the better of Germans Linda Bock and Louisa Lippmann, winning 2-1 (21-12, 19-21, 15-10). Their Round of 16 opponents will be Lithuanians Daniele Kvedaraite and Jekaterina Kovalskaja, who took down another French duo in the Round of 24, beating Paris Olympians Lézana Placette and Alexia Richard in the tie-breaker (21-19, 14-21, 15-11).
Ukrainian sensations Maryna Hladun and Tetiana Lazarenko picked up the top spot in Pool G with a three-set (21-19, 15-21, 15-10) victory over Placette and Richard. Their Round of 16 match will be against Bock and Lippmann, who swept (21-17, 21-15) Italians Claudia Scampoli and Giada Bianchi in the Round of 24.