Bangkok, April 12 (QNA) - Qatar's top beach volleyball duo, Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan (Team Qatar 1), opened their campaign at the 2026 AVC Beach Tour 25th Samila Open with a hard-fought three-set victory over Oman in Thailand.

The Qatari pair claimed the win 21-16, 18-21, 15-8 to secure their first victory in Group B, showing resilience after dropping the second set before closing strongly in the decider.

Team Qatar 1 will return to action on Monday, where they are set to face Hong Kong 1 in their second group-stage match.

Meanwhile, Qatar's second team, Mohamed Ihab and Mousa Al Khair, begin their campaign on Monday in Group A against Hong Kong 2, before taking on Thailand 1 later the same day.

The Samila Open features 27 teams from 15 nations, divided into eight pools. Five groups consist of three teams each, while Groups F, G, and H include four teams.

Younousse and Tijan, currently ranked sixth in the world with 6,740 points, are among the tournament's top contenders as they aim to build momentum early in the Beach Pro Tour season. (QNA)