Another big day at the beach. Women's pool play ended today, and men's pool play got underway. The men started the day, with a homestanding Swiss team taking to centre court.
Sebastian Chevallier/Mats Kovatsch (SUI) vs. Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak (POL)
Chevallier started the match in style for the Swiss side, scoring a beauty of a service ace to get the home fans up and cheering. Losiak looked to have similar troubles fielding his second serve, but he did get the pass off to lead to a by-the-numbers set and spike. The Poles led 4-3 on serve at the first side change, putting the early flub behind them. Kovatsch played an impressive point on 6-5, tracking down a ball off the playing court (right by the up ref's stand) and sprinting over to the left side for a block touch in less time than it would take me just to get out of a chair. He added a let-serve ace to bring us to the second side change, scores levelled at 7-all. Then the match became streaky. The Poles took their next service point to re-establish their lead at 9-7, but some more tough serving pressure led to a mini-run for the Swiss and a 10-9 lead on their side. A long hit by Chevallier, though, made it 11-10 Poland at the technical timeout.
The points continued coming in clumps in the later part of set 1. The Poles took three of four and five of seven to go out ahead 16-12 at the fourth side change. After an ace split the Swiss receivers, just freezing them in place, they took time, suddenly down five at 17-12. From there, we finally had something of a sideout pattern in this set, which of course means the crowd got very quiet. The Poles reached set point at 20-14 and very nearly sealed it there, with a let-ace crawling over the net but landing just out of bounds. Neither Swiss player was anywhere near it. Losiak hit long on 20-15 to delay the end of the set one more point, and then another hitting error prompted a timeout on the Polish side. Third reception point was the charm, as Losiak snuck one in on the back line for a 21-17 final.
After a split of the first six points to begin set 2, the 3-all rally was one of those that's worth the price of admission itself. Scampering, diving, big ups…let's just say that even though the Poles eventually won the point, the crowd still cheered like if it was their boys that had. The side change seemed to take just a moment longer than usual, as the teams quite understandably took a moment to catch their collective breath. The Swiss team took their first lead of the set when the Poles were called for a rare foot fault on serve, and then Kovatsch followed with a big block at the net. A later block put them up by two for the first time in the set at 7-5, and it was 8-6 at the second side change. 8-6 was a long-ish rally — nothing like the 3-all rally — eventually ending with a kill by Chevallier as Kantor's block touches didn't really disrupt the offence on the Swiss side. The Poles called time there, and sided out on the first rally back, and closed to within 11-10 at the technical timeout.
Losiak's let-serve drew the Poles even at 12, not long after the technical. It didn't hit the sand on the fly, but I suppose it would be scored an ace, as the Swiss failed to return it. It looked like the Poles were in trouble on the 14-13 rally, as Losiak's pass gave Kantor little option but to set him wide of the antenna on the left side (right by the up ref), but Losiak still was able to side the ball out. 16-15 on the Swiss team's serve was another terrifically long rally, and it went to their side to prompt the Poles to call time. I'm not sure how the point went to the Swiss. The whistle was blown while Chevallier was off-camera tracking down a pass. What kind of scoring call gets made then? The Poles came level quickly after their timeout, at 17-all. Chevallier managed to sideout to keep the Swiss side on top, 18-17, at the fifth side change. On 19-all, Losiak got the dig, giving the Poles a chance to reach match point. Kantor's hand-set looked like a double to me, but no matter, Losiak's terminating hit flew long.
The Swiss team thus reached set point first at 20-19. The Poles staved it off, and then on 20-all it looked like they might have a shot to set the offence themsleves, but after Losiak's big, high, swooping dig, Kantor did not run after the ball. I didn't have a very good angle, it's probably the case that he couldn't have reached it even if he tried. 21-20 was not the end of the set either, but 22-21 was. Losiak overpassed two dig attempts in a row, and at the end Kovatsch put away the winner to send us to the decider.
The PA guy extolled the home fans to MAKE SOME NOISE as the third set wore on, but the first several points were quite pedestrian. Through two side changes, nobody had led by more than a point on serve. The Poles took the first service point at 6-5, showing some nice transition defence, and added another with a block from Kantor to go up 8-5. And the crowd were stunned and silent. The Swiss team called time there. They did manage to sideout on the first point after the timeout, to muted cheers from the home fans, but Chevallier's subsequent serve flying about 15 feet long meant it was still a 3-point margin at the third side change. It was really just sideout after sideout from there to the Poles' first match point at 14-11. It appeared that the Swiss had taken a service point at 13-11, with the Polish hit landing well wide, but Kovatsch was evidently called for a net fault. He lay face-down on the sand for several moments before getting up and making the side change. It was just two sideouts to before the match ended, 15-12 the 3rd set final.
Nadine Zumkehr/Joana Heidrich (SUI) vs. Kristyna Kolocova/Marketa Slukova (CZE)
The top-seeded Swiss girls gave their home fans something to cheer about early on, as Heidrich won a net point against Slukova to give her side the early 2-point lead on 4-2. On Zumkehr's serve at 5-3, the flagger signalled ace for a good second or two before eventually signalling long. It looked weird for a moment, that the Czech girls appeared to be celebrating a point that went against them. They got the service point back at 6-all, Slukova the better of Heidrich this time, but just as quickly gave it right back again. The Swiss team led 8-6 at the side change. The rally that followed was a terrific one, A-plus effort by both teams. The home fans gave both sides a nice round of applause even though the point went to Kolocova and Slukova. It appeared that Heidrich got away with a net fault on the next rally, but it wasn't called, and her kill block kept the string of sideouts rolling. The Swiss team rattled off three running in advance of the technical timeout, the last a great transition point that really got the fans up and shouting. They led 13-8 as the teams hit their benches. You kinda got the sense that the Czech girls might have liked to call time at 11-8, or 12-8, but with the technical timeout looming doing so didn't really make much sense.
The technical timeout was a nice momentum-shifter for the Czechs just as it may have been had it been a timeout they called, as they took back a service point in the early going. They added another on serve at 14-11 when Zumkehr's attempt at a cut shot didn't quite cut enough. Kolocova had the dig easily, and scored in transition as well. But it was Heidrich who took the next big point, rejecting her counterpart for a scoring block that brought us to the fourth side change at 16-12. The Swiss team added another point after the change, as Heidrich ventured far and wide to keep the ball up. Zumkehr casually sent the ball over — I doubt even she would have thought it'd fall in — but fall in it did, in front of the diving Kolocova. The Czechs took their timeout here.
I was ready to go on auto-pilot there and declare the set over, but the Czechs had other ideas. They ran the score back to 18-16, prompting the Swiss to call time. They got the sideout on the first rally after their timeout, on what looked like a pretty broken play, but I suppose it was just more broken on the Czech side of the net than the Swiss. They reached set point on 20-16, and had a couple of shots to put it away on serve, but failed to capitalise upon them. Their first reception point also went away from them, as Zumkehr hit long. Heidrich hit into Slukova's block on 20-18, and there remained just one more set point in hand. Luckily for the home fans, Heidrich was able to find the sand on this rally, ending set 1 21-19.
The Czech team started off well in set 2, as if buoyed by their late run in the first. They took five of the first seven points in advance of the first side change, and then Slukova's serve on 6-3 fell in front of Zumkehr for an ace. The Swiss team called time down by four. It was still a struggle for them as they returned. After a few sideouts, Kolocova provided kills on back-to-back outstanding transition plays to make the score 11-5. That looked like a pretty early indication that we were headed for a race to 15, but do not try to understand volleyball. You'll lose your mind. Zumkehr and Heidrich took three in a row to prompt the Czechs to call time, and then two more after that timeout to make it just a 1-point set at the technical timeout.
The first rally after the technical timeout was another very long one, with the crowd screaming along with each diving dig. It ended up going to the Czechs for their long-awaited sideout. Zumkehr and Heidrich came level at 12-all, unleashing another big cheer from the home fans. The cheers were massive upon the Swiss team going ahead for the first time at 16-15, but oddly subdued as they added two on the bump to go ahead by three with match point looming. The run didn't stop, as match point came on the first rally after side change number five, the Swiss team up a big 20-15. They finished it in style, with a block from Heidrich sealing the deal. It probably helped their run that it was Zumkehr serving, with the far taller Heidrich at the net ready and waiting to block. Ultimately, the Swiss run to close out the match was a rather staggering 16-4.
Maria Clara Salgado Rufino/Carolina Solberg Salgado (BRA) vs. April Ross/Kerri Walsh (USA)
This match was for the top spot in the pool, and a knockout round bye, as both teams entered having won twice yesterday.
I really get the feeling that no lead is ever safe against Ross/Walsh. The Brazilians did take an early lead only to have it pretty quickly wiped out. All right, it was only 4-1, but still, it left me thinking that there's just not much room for error for a team playing against these two incredibly talented Americans. The Salgados did well to keep it a sideout game between side changes one and two, sneaking in a service point in advance of the change to lead 8-6. They added another to lead 9-6, but what did I say at the outset? Yeah. Walsh and Ross play what, at a glance, look to be a simple offensive system, Walsh at the net and Ross in the back court (these are also the roles they had with their other partners at the Olympics last year), but they're quite comfortable in a fluid, transition game, too. Ross can block, and Walsh can dig, and they can switch it up on the fly as good as any team I've seen. It was 11-10 at the technical timeout as they all but drew it even again.
And surely enough, they did indeed draw even on the first rally back, and with two more running to go ahead 13-11 they prompted the Salgados to call time. The Americans extended their lead to 16-12 at the fourth side change. The sisters sided out there and drew one back with a block against Walsh (impressive), and after a few sideouts they claimed another service point to draw within one at 19-18. They snuck one past Walsh's block there, and the Americans called time at 19-all.The timeout iced the receivers, as Carol scored an ace off Walsh to bring up set point. Carol then took a joust against Walsh to close out the set 21-19. I guess a 21-19 lead might be the only safe one.
Set 2 started off pretty decidedly trending toward the Americans. They led at the first side change despite serving first, and had their opponents doubled up by 6-3. A hitting error from the Brazilian side — the ball failing to clear the net — prompted them to call time. The first point back was a little weird-looking. It appeared that a lazy free ball had fallen in on the American side, when in fact the point went to the Americans on a service ace. The ball apparently (my view wasn't good enough to say) fell just in front of the diving Maria Clara, who had acted like she'd fielded it cleanly. A for effort.
Then the run reached silly proportions, as the game-of-inches first set was replaced by a laugher in set 2. Another hit failing to clear the net finished off a 7-0 whitewash of the points between the first and second set changes, as the Americans led by a huge 11-3. The sisters got their sideout at 11-4, on a terrific rally either team could have won a few different times. The crowd, about 70-30 in favour of the Brazilians from the sound of it, gave both teams a nice ovation. But this was just a speed bump for the Americans, as a service ace from Ross got them to 13-4. They extended to ten at 14-4, and led 16-5 at the technical.
It was mostly just sideout after sideout following the technical. The Salgados at least managed to reach double digits, with 21-12 the final.
Then in the decider, the Americans started off with three on the bump on serve, good service pressure from Ross and stifling net play from Walsh getting it done. I get the feeling I'll be saying (and seeing) that a lot over the next three years. Walsh gave one back on 4-2 with a pokie that went a little too far, but Ross quickly sided back out to keep the Brazilians from coming level. Walsh tossed up her big block again on 5-3, and the margin was once again three points. After the sideout made it 6-4 upon the second side change, Carol added a service ace to draw the sister team within one once more. But again Ross had the sideout to keep the Americans in the lead, and again they went out further in response. From 7-5, the vaunted Americans added a kill apiece to prompt the Salgados to call time.
Their lead reached 10-5 at the third side change, and from there it was mostly just sideout after sideout to the finish. The Brazilians did claim a service point on 13-9, Carol winning a joust at the net against Walsh, but it only delayed the inexorable. The next serve went into the net, and a long hit from the Brazilian side on match point finished it off 15-10.
I have to say, I did not expect Walsh to be this good this soon. Good on her for it.
Philip Gabathuler/Jonas Weingart (SUI) vs. Daniel Müllner/Jörg Wutzl (AUT)
This match featured the tournament's top seeds, though as has been the case at just about every event this year, that doesn't necessarily mean anything. And, to be sure, it was the Austrians who ran out ahead first. They nabbed a service point right after the first side change, to go up 5-3, and ran off three in a row shortly thereafter, prompting the Swiss boys to call time at 8-4. The crowd were pretty well taken out of the match in the early going. Their run reached 9-4 when Gabathuler was called for double contact on a hand-set. The Swiss team finally sided out on 9-5, but no cheers were heard. They closed to within 12-9 at the technical timeout and still, the crowd were sitting on their hands. The camera through which I was watching didn't show a lot of the crowd, but I like to think it showed enough (it certainly showed a few people) and there were definitely big crowds there earlier, so I don't think they all just left before another match for the home team.
Weingart's ace on the first serve back from the technical timeout finally got a few cheers, as did Gabathuler's block on the next rally, but it was still pretty muted compared to earlier when the women were pla….oh, okay. Now I get it. Mullner hit long on 13-12 to bring the set level again for the first time, and Gabathuler followed with his first ace of the match. At that, the Austrians called time.
Mullner and Wutzl came level on 14-all, and then we settled into a sideout pattern. A big block for Philip Gabathuler was the next service point, and Weingart followed that up with another service winner to make it set point at 20-17. Wutzl staved off the reception point, and then Gabathuler hit wide on 20-18. The Swiss boys got their set-winning sideout on the last chance, and finally a hearty cheer from the home fans was heard.
The home team started off at the advantage in set 2, as they had in set 1. They claimed the first service point shortly after the first side switch, and led 8-6 at the second. The Swiss team got another service winner just before the technical timeout, leading by 12-9 as the teams went to their benches.
The Austrians claimed their first service point of the set on 12-10, with Mullner coming up with kind of a 'slapping' block aganst Gabathuler at the net. Hey, whatever works. They came even at 13's and took their first lead of the set at 15-14. Though the set was slowly slipping away from them, the Swiss teeam did not call time. They regained the lead upon the fifth side change, as Mullner put a little too much pace on his hit, the ball landing long despite being a pretty vertical shot. Gabathuler got several seemingly good block touches on the rally ending 19-all, but he did not terminate the point, nor disrupt the Austrian offence. Mullner's block on the subsequent rally gave set point to the Austrians, and they converted on a net fault called against Gabathuler. That brought about a few whistles from the crowd.
Gabathuler claimed the first service point of the decider with an emphatic block against Mullner, elciting loud cheers and applause from the fans (suggesting some arrived as the match was ongoing). He then added a service ace to go up 4-2, and the Austrians had a quick trigger on their timeout, taking it there. The Swiss team went ahead three at 6-3 when Mullner was called for a double hit on his hand-set. It was the right call. They got the sideout to make it 6-4 at the second side change. Weingart's let-serve ace put the Swiss team up four for the first time on 9-5. It looked like the end was in sight, but what did I say above about trying to understand volleyball? Yeah. The Austrians made it back to within 10-9 when the Swiss team called time.
The turning point was probably the 12-10 rally, on Gabathuler's serve. It looked like Wutzl had an easy kill with a roll shot to unguarded court, when out of nowhere Weingart flew in to get the up. On his feet in a flash, he terminated the rally with his hit, putting his side up three very late. Match point came for the first time at 14-11, and Gabathuler put it away right there with a big block.
The home fans showed their appreciation, I'm happy to say.
Alison Cerutti/Emanuel Rego (BRA) vs. Markus Böckermann/Mischa Urbatzka (GER)
The fans I was able to see from my view had mostly left when this match started and you know….fair play. This was the last match of the day, and the days at these events are pretty long (don't I know it). So even with the chance to see one of the top teams going (even with Alison's inconsistency and Emanuel's aging, they still merit attention as a top duo), I can't really blame them for heading home.
As it happened, the Germans showed some very good fight in the early going of this one. They trailed by three early, and often three points is an insurmountable deficit. Not this time, though, as the German pair came level by the second side change, at 7-all. From there, the two teams traded sideouts to the technical timeout, with the Brazilians up 11-10. It was still level at the fourth side change, 14-all.
The Germans took a service point with a stylish block at the net to go up 16-15, their first lead of the set. They missed a golden opportunity on the 18-17 rally to go up two, getting a free ball from the Brazilian side after a bad service reception. Emanuel, though, moved like a man 10 years his junior to get the up on the subsequent swing, and put away the kill as well. The Germans called time there, on 18-all, to staunch the momentum shift. They kept the sideouts rolling and reached set point first, at 20-19. Alison Matrix'd to get out of the way of the serve on 20-19, and did so appropriately as it flew long. Then on the 20-all rally, Emanuel's "over-dig" landed in untouched on the German side, prompting a surprisingly big cheer from what fans stayed for this match. Brazilian fans, I guess, because the crowd present were definitely behind Alison and Emanuel. Buoyed by that support, they claimed their set point on the first time of asking.
Set 2 was less competitive than set 1. The Germans were prompted to take a very, very early timeout, doing so after just three rallies (all of course won by the Brazilians). Emanuel's opening service run extended to 4-0 before the German team finally got a sideout. The erstwhile world champions led by five at the technical timeout, and quickly extended to six, and then seven. The lead reached eight for the first time at 17-9 and then when a double contact call came on the next rally, they had the Germans doubled up. The Germans managed not to have double the points be the final margin, staving off the first match point on 20-10, but Emanuel needed only just the one opportunity to sideout for victory.
Full Day Three results
Final day of women's pool play
Pool A
#1 Zumkehr/Heidrich (SUI) d. #16 Kolocova/Slukova (CZE) (21-19, 21-15), described above
#17 Lauren Fendrick/Brittany Hochevar (USA) d. #32 Hana Skalnikova/Patricia Missottenová (CZE) (21-15, 21-13)
Final pool standings:
1. Zumkehr/Heidrich 2-1
2. Kolocova/Slukova 2-1
3. Fendrick/Hochevar 2-1
4. Skalnikova/Missottenova 0-3
Pool B
#2 Xue Chen/Zhang Xi (CHN) d. #15 Sanne Keizer/Marleen Van Iersel (NED) (21-15, 21-15)
#18 Louise Bawden/Taliqua Clancy (AUS) d. #31 Tanja Goricanec/Tanja Hüberli (SUI) (21-18, 22-24, 15-7)
Final pool standings:
1. Xue/Zhang 3-0
2. Bawden/Clancy 2-1
3. Keizer/Van Iersel 1-2
4. Goricanec/Huberli 0-3
Pool C
#3 Talita Da Rocha Antunes/Taiana Lima (BRA) d. #14 Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst (GER) (21-12, 21-14)
#30 Ana Gallay/Georgina Klug (ARG) d. #19 Emilia Nystrom/Erika Nystrom (FIN) (21-19, 15-21, 15-11)
Final pool standings:
1. Talita/Lima 3-0 Back on the horse after the world championship disappointment
2. Ludwig/Walkenhorst 2-1
3. Gallay/Klug 1-2
4. Nystrom/Nystrom 0-3
Pool D
#13 Doris Schwaiger/Stefanie Schwaiger (AUT) d. #4 Madelein Meppelink/Sophie van Gestel (NED) (21-14, 17-21, 15-13)
#20 Natalia Dubovcova/Dominika Nestarcova (SVK) d. #29 Jamie Lynn Broder/Kristina Valjas (CAN) (21-14, 20-22, 15-6)
Final pool standings:
1. Schwaiger/Schwaiger 3-0
2. Dubovcova/Nestarcova 2-1
3. Meppelink/Van Gestel 1-2
4. Broder/Valjas 0-3
Pool E
#5 Greta Cicolari/Marta Menegatti (ITA) d. #12 Liliana Fernández Steiner/Elsa Baquerizo McMillan (ESP) (21-18, 21-18)
#21 Jennifer Fopma/Brooke Sweat (USA) d. #28 Jolien Sinnema/Michelle Stiekema (NED) via injury forfeit
Final pool standings:
1. Fopma/Sweat 3-0
2. Cicolari/Menegatti 2-1
3. Sinnema/Stiekema 1-2
4. Liliana/Baquerizo 0-3
Pool F
#11 Katrin Holtwick/Ilka Semmler (GER) d. #6 Liliane Maestrini/Barbara Seixas De Freitas (BRA) (17-21, 21-16, 15-12)
#22 Tatyana Mashkova/Irina Tsimbalova (KAZ) d. #27 Jana Köhler/Anni Schumacher (GER) (21-17, 21-12)
Final pool standings:
1. Holtwick/Semmler 3-0
2. Lili/Seixas 2-1
3. Mashkova/Tsimbalova 1-2
4. Kohler/Schumacher 0-3
Pool G
#10 Ross/Walsh (USA) d. #7 Maria Clara/Carol (BRA) (19-21, 21-12, 15-10), described above
#23 Jantine van der Vlist/Marloes Wesselink (NED) d. #26 Barbara Hansel/Katharina Schützenhöfer (AUT) (16-21, 21-10, 15-9)
Final pool standings:
1. Ross/Walsh 3-0
2. Maria Clara/Carol 2-1
3. Van der Vlist/Wesselink 1-2
4. Hanse;/Schutzenhofer 0-3
Pool H
#9 Maria Antonelli/Agatha Bednarczuk (BRA) d. #8 Isabelle Forrer/Anouk Vergé-Dépré (SUI) (21-18, 21-12)
#25 Summer Ross/Emily Day (USA) d. #24 Victoria Bieneck/Julia Großner (GER) (19-21, 21-13, 15-13)
Final pool standings:
1. Ross/Day 2-1
2. Maria/Agatha 2-1
3. Bieneck/Großner 1-2
4. Forrer/Vergé-Dépré 1-2
Knockout pairings
Lili/Seixas vs. Van der Vlist/Wesselink, winners to face Zumkehr/Heidrich
Cicolari/Menegatti vs. Fendrick/Hochevar, winners to face Ross/Day
Dubovcova/Nestarcova vs. Keizer/Van Iersel, winners to face Fopma/Sweat
Ludwig/Walkenhorst vs. Mashkova/Tsimbalova, winners to face Schwaiger/Schwaiger
Maria Clara/Carol vs. Sinnema/Stiekema, winners to face Talita/Lima
Bawden/Clancy vs. Bieneck/Großner, winners to face Holtwick/Semmler
Maria/Agatha vs. Meppelink/Van Gestel, winners to face Ross/Walsh
Kolocova/Slukova vs. Gallay/Klug, winners to face Xue/Zhang
Men's pool play, first day
Pool A
#16 Sebastian Dollinger/Stefan Windscheif (GER) d. #1 Philip Gabathuler/Jonas Weingart (SUI) (21-12, 21-15)
#17 Alexander Huber/Robin Seidl (AUT) d. #32 Mullner/Wutzl (AUT) (21-16, 18-21, 16-14)
Gabathuler/Weingart (SUI) d. Mullner/Wutzl (21-18, 19-21, 15-11), described above
Dollinger/Windscheif d. Huber/Seidl (21-18, 22-20)
Pool B
#2 Pedro Solberg Salgado/Bruno Oscar Schmidt (BRA) d. #15 Evandro Gonçalves Oliveira Júnior 1 Vitor Gonçalves Felipe (BRA) (22-20, 21-16)
#18 Alexey Sidorenko/Alexandr Dyachenko (KAZ) d. #31 Mirco Gerson/Alexei Prawdzic (SUI)
Pedro/Bruno d. Gerson/Prawdzic (21-18, 21-19)
Sidorenko/Dyachenko d. Evandro/Vitor Felipe (18-21, 21-19, 15-9)
Pool C
#3 Janis Smedins/Aleksandrs Samoilovs (LAT) d. #30 Ian Mehamed/Julian Amado Azaad (ARG) (21-12, 21-17)
#14 Reinder Nummerdor/Richard Schuil (NED) d. #19 Daan Spijkers/Christiaan Varenhorst (NED) (21-17, 14-21, 17-15)
J Smedins/Samoilovs d. Spijkers/Varenhorst (21-15, 21-17)
Nummerdor/Schuil d. Mehamed/Azaad (21-13, 21-17)
Pool D
#4 Philip Dalhausser/Sean Rosenthal (USA) d. #20 Todd Rogers/Ryan Doherty (USA) (21-16, 21-15) I do believe that's the first time Dalhausser and Rogers have played as opponents. Pity it wasn't webcast.
#13 Paolo Nicolai/Daniele Lupo (ITA) d. #29 Igor Hernandez/Jesus Villafañe (VEN) (21-15, 21-15)
Dalhausser/Rosenthal d. Hernandez/Fañe (VEN) (21-12, 21-15)
Rogers/Doherty d. Nicolai/Lupo (25-23, 13-21, 15-13) This is the sort of win they need to be getting more often
Pool E
#5 Alison/Emanuel d. #28 Esteban Grimalt/Marco Grimalt (CHI) (21-15, 21-17)
#12 Clemens Doppler/Alexander Horst (AUT) d. #21 Markus Böckermann/Mischa Urbatzka (GER) (21-18, 21-19)
Alison/Emanuel d. Böckermann/Urbatzka (22-20, 21-11), described above
Doppler/Horst d. Grimalt/Grimalt (24-22, 21-14)
Pool F
#6 Jake Gibb/Casey Patterson (USA) d. #27 Pablo Herrera Allepuz/Adrián Gavira Collado (ESP) (21-17, 21-19)
#11 Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen (NED) d. #22 Martins Plavins/Janis Peda (LAT) (21-13, 21-17)
Gibb/Patterson d. Plavins/Peda via injury forfeit
Herrera/Gavira d. Brouwer/Meeuwsen (16-21, 21-15, 15-13) Only one way to go when you're the world champs
Pool G
#7 Ricardo Alex Costa Santos/Álvaro Morais Filho (BRA) d. #26 Ruslans Sorokins/Toms Smedins (LAT) (21-15, 21-14)
#23 Ben Saxton/Chaim Schalk (CAN) d. #10 Grzegorz Fijalek/Mariusz Prudel (POL) (14-21, 21-11, 15-13)
Saxton/Schalk d. Ricardo/Álvaro Filho (21-17, 21-16) Oh, Canada!
Fijalek/Prudel d. Sorokins/T Smedins (21-15, 21-10)
Pool H
#25 Eric Koreng/Sebastian Fuchs (GER) d. #8 Chevallier/Kovatsch (21-16, 21-15)
#24 Kantor/Losiak d. #9 Jonathan Erdmann/Kay Matysik (GER) (21-17, 21-17)
Kantor/Losiak d. Chevallier/Kovatsch (21-17, 21-23, 15-12), described above
Erdmann/Matysik d. Koreng/Fuchs (21-14, 21-17)
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