The Hague, the Netherlands, June 13, 2013 - After the second day of main draw at the Transavia The Hague Grand Slam eight women’s and eight men’s teams were sent home, including former world champion Todd Rogers and his new partner Ryan Doherty.
Only two teams finished pool play with three straight wins: Germany’s Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst and Latvia’s Janis Smedins and Aleksandrs Samoilovs.
The eight pool winners of each gender advanced directly to the second elimination round. The numbers two and three start in the first knockout round on Friday.
Austria’s Doppler and Horst upset Brazilian world champions
Austria’s Clemens Doppler and Alexander Horst upset world champions Alison Cerutti and Emanuel Rego in two close sets (22-20 24-22) on Thursday. At the same time the eighteenth seeded Austrians secured top position in pool B at the second main draw day of the Transavia The Hague Grand Slam.
MoreKubala back on the sand after surgery Premysl Kubala is back on the sand after months of surgery and recovery. The 39-year old Czech player and his partner Petr Benes returned to the FIVB World Tour at the Transavia Grand Slam in The Hague this week. Their last event dated back to the Grand Slam in Stare Jablonki in August.
MoreSalgado sisters beat Germany to claim top position in pool CMaria Clara and Carolina Salgado defeated Germany’s Katrin Holtwick and Ilka Semmler on Thursday at the Transavia The Hague Grand Slam to claim top position in pool C. The Brazilian sisters, who now earned a bye in the first elimination round, needed three sets (21-14 17-21 15-9) to beat their rivals. Both teams booked two straight victories in the first two rounds.
MoreTalita has a special connection with The Hague Brazil’s Talita Antunes has a special connection with The Hague. She won silver in 2009, gold in 2010 and bronze in 2011 in the Dutch city with Maria Antonelli. And she even likes the always-present wind in the coastal town.
MoreMoral boost for Dutch scratch team
It does not happen every day you beat the world champions, so Daan Spijkers and Chris Varenhorst were pretty pleased with themselves after their 2-0 (21-12 21-14) win over Brazil’s Alison Cerutti and Emanuel Rego. The Dutch scratch team also earned a spot in the first elimination round on Friday.
MoreMatches start at 9.30 am on Friday, spread over three courts, including the city court. The quarterfinals and semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, followed by the finals and bronze medal matches on Sunday.
The Transavia Grand Slam is the first grand slam in the Netherlands after three open events in 2009, 2010 and 2011. After The Hague the FIVB World Tour stops in Rome.
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