Doha:The Qatari beach volleyball pair, Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, have secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Asian Beach Volleyball Tour in Doha. The event is being held at the International Beach Volleyball Center of Excellence in Al Gharafa, where the duo topped Group A with three consecutive straight-set victories.

According to Qatar News Agency, Younousse and Tijan began their campaign with a straight-sets win against Thailand's Nalphadon and Puravich, registering scores of 21-15, 21-19. They continued their dominant performance by defeating China's Li Wei and Yuan Ningfei with scores of 21-9, 21-15, and then overcoming Indonesia's Firza and Rizki, finishing 21-13, 21-9.

The pair's consistent and commanding performance throughout the group stage, where they remained unbeaten and did not drop a set, highlights their strong contention for the title. Younousse and Tijan have drawn significant attention due to their recent achievements, including a gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Japan, marking their third consecutive Asian Games title.

Further solidifying their status, they also won gold at the Sanya 2026 Asian Beach Games in China and were recognized as Asia's Best Men's Beach Volleyball Players for the 2025-2026 season. Leading the men's team standings with 4,660 points, the duo enters the competition with considerable experience and success at both continental and international levels.

In contrast, Qatar 2, composed of Mousa Al-Khair and Mohammed Ehab, faced elimination in the group stage following 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, featuring Saif Al Din Al Majid and Mahmoud Essam, also exited early after two three-set losses. They were defeated by Indonesia's Imam and Firouz (18-21, 21-13, 21-23), followed by a loss to Thailand's Nittithorn and Watcharawut (21-16, 17-21, 13-15).