Maceió, Brazil, February 24, 2016 - The “final push” to the Rio 2016 Summer Games started here Wednesday at the $150,000 Maceió Open for German Olympians Jonathan Erdmann and Kay Matysik, but the veteran beach volleyball team stumbled in their first two international matches since finishing fourth at a Polish event last August.
Playing in their 300th FIVB World Tour match together since starting their partnership during the 2009 season, Erdmann and Matysik dropped a 2-1 (19-21, 21-15, 17-19) decision in 56 minutes to Bruno de Paula and Hevaldo Moreira of Brazil. Bruno and Hevaldo placed fourth last week at the Brazilian domestic event in Natal where they dropped a semifinal match to reigning FIVB world champions Alison Cerutti and Bruno Oscar Schmidt.
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Qualification results - Women•
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Main draw results - WomenIn their second match, the ninth-place finishers at the London 2012 Olympic Games were stymied by Murat Giginoglu and Volkan Gogtepe as the Turkish pair posted a 2-1 (21-14, 16-21, 15-9) Group D victory over Erdmann and Matysik in 50 minutes.
“It is one of those bumps in the road that every team experiences,” said the 27-year old Erdmann, who is starting his eighth season on the FIVB World Tour with Matysik. “Give the Brazilians credit, they are in better shape than us right now and they are used to playing in this setting. As for the Turkish team, they have been really playing well the past year and are a force to be reckoned with on the tour.”
This setting means playing outside on the courts like the Pajuçara beach volleyball set up for the fifth FIVB World Tour event for men on the 2015-2016 calendar. While the Brazilians play and train year-around on a beach setting in the South American country, the Germans spend more time during the off-season training indoors due to the colder climate of the European country.
“We had chances to win both matches, but made some critical errors at the wrong time,” said Erdmann, who were eliminated by Alison and Emanuel Rego at the London Games before the Brazilians claimed the Olympic silver medal. A year later at the FIVB World Championships in Poland, Erdmann and Matysik defeated Alison and Emanuel for the bronze medal.
“While the Brazilians were prepared for today’s conditions, we were not,” said Erdmann. “But, we are here in Brazil for a month, so we will get better with each match. We have a tough pool this week with upcoming matches against up-and-coming teams from Chile (Esteban and Marco Grimalt) and Turkey.
Following the Maceió Open, Erdmann and Matysik will compete in the Rio Grand Slam (March 8-13) and Vitoria Open (March 15-20). “Hopefully, we can comeback in our match tomorrow to reach the weekend elimination rounds,” said Erdmann. “Then, we’ll get a good week of training on Copacabana before starting play in the Rio Grand Slam.”
Entering the Maceió Open, Erdmann and Matysik have compiled 3,180 Olympic qualifying points for Rio with eight participations to rank 18th on the provisional list. The top 15 teams from the FIVB World Tour earn berths to the Rio Summer Games with a maximum of two pairs per country. A team’s best 12 finishes on the FIVB World Tour are used to determine the rankings along with a pair’s best placement in a recognized continental championship.
Erdmann challenges Brazil's Bruno at the net
Mexico’s Lombardo Ontiveros and Juan Virgen are currently 15th (3,650 points, 12 participations) followed by pairs from Canada (Josh Binstock/Sam Schachter, 3,300, 10) and Venezuela (Jackson Henriquez/Jesus Villafane, 3,236, 15). The Grimalt cousins (3,130, 11) and Gögtepe/Giginoglu (3,120, 13) rank behind the Germans on the provisional list.
“There is plenty of time in the process to gather the required points and participation to earn a spot in Rio,” said Erdmann, “but every match is important and you need to be ready to compete against the best teams in the world. Look at our pool with an experienced Brazilian team and two vastly-improved teams. Nothing is easy.”
The Maceió Open is the 66th FIVB World Tour start for Erdmann and Matysik, but the first since securing a fourth place at the Olsztyn Grand Slam at the end of last August. The pair also started the 2015 FIVB World Tour with a third-place finish at the Moscow Grand Slam. With nearly $600,000 in international earnings, Erdmann and Matysik have posted a 174-127 match mark together.