Doha, October 11,2026 : Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan advanced to the quarterfinals of the Doha 2026 Asian Beach Volleyball Tour at the International Beach Volleyball Center of Excellence in Al Gharafa, topping Group A with three straight-set wins.
The pair opened their campaign on Saturday with a win over Thailand’s Nalphadon and Puravich (21-15, 21-19). They kept up that form on Sunday, beating China’s Li Wei and Yuan Ningfei (21-9, 21-15) and then Indonesia’s Firza and Rizki (21-13, 21-9).
Younousse and Tijan were commanding in all three matches, finishing the group stage unbeaten and without dropping a set, a sign they are ready for a strong title challenge.
The duo arrive in top form after a run of recent successes. They won gold at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Japan, their third consecutive title after victories at Jakarta-Palembang 2018 and Hangzhou 2022. They also took gold at the Sanya 2026 Asian Beach Games in China and were named Asia’s Best Men’s Beach Volleyball Players for the 2025-2026 season.
Younousse and Tijan lead the men’s team standings with 4,660 points and enter the competition aiming for the title, backed by extensive experience and strong results at continental and international level.
Qatar 2, made up of Mousa Al-Khair and Mohammed Ehab, went out in the group stage after straight-set losses to Australia’s Oliver Merritt and Jade Walker (13-21, 17-21) and China’s Li Xiaokai and Sun Xinglong (24-26, 13-21).
Qatar 3, Saif Al Din Al Majid and Mahmoud Essam, also exited at the group stage after two three-set defeats. They lost to Indonesia’s Imam and Firouz (18-21, 21-13, 21-23) and then to Thailand’s Nittithorn and Watcharawut (21-16, 17-21, 13-15).
Source: QNA
