Yokohama Grand Slam 2015/ Germany’s Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst golden vs Brazil’s Agatha/Barbara; 25° Menegatti – Orsi Toth
Mai così male per e azzurre Marta Menegatti & Viktoria Ori Toth. Mai le..parole scritte sulla sabbia sono rimaste così impresse nel nostro cuore. Peccato per Marta & Viki Male perché hanno perso tutti e tre gli incontri nelle qualificazioni; sicché sono state subito eliminate, con dei punteggi che lasciano spazio soltanto a commenti amari.
Insomma, come sempre vale quello che ‘racconta’ il campo e nello specifico bisogna dire che Marta & Viki nel Grand Slam di Yokohama in Giappone hanno fatto …harakiri.
Tutto documentato dal reportage ch vi proponiamo, in kit News sequenziali by sito della Federvolley per quanto riguarda le partite di Marta Menegatti & Viktoria Orsi Toth, completata in last news by www.fivb.org dal resoconto internazionale ( perciò in inglese) giusto per certificarvi sui quanto è avvenuto nell’ultima giornata a Yokohama quando si sono decisi i nomi delle coppie vincenti e da podio.
Ad onore e gloria dei nostri lettori e del beach volley, nella speranza di ritrovare ‘rigenerta’ la nostra coppia azzurra Menegatti & Orsi Toth che è ritornata in Italia ma già dal 28 luglio sarà impegnata nella fase finale dei Campionati Europei a Klagenfurt.
E che seguiremo con affetto fino a Brasilia 2016 e oltre, come seguiremo tutte le tappe del Worl Tour giusto per darvene conto step by step a livello internazione, nello spirito open di questo sito pro Sport in the world.
PRIMA NEWS ( by www.federvolley.it , 22.07.2015) / Beach Yokohama Grand Slam - Il bilancio della prima giornata / Menegatti-Orsi Toth sconfitte dalle svizzere Zumkehr-Heidrich
Si è iniziato si è iniziato con un'alternanza di risultati, per i colori italiani, il Grand Slam maschile di Yokohama. Nel primo match del main draw Nicolai-Lupo hanno superato gli statunitensi Dalhausser-Rosenthal per 2-1(21-19 18-21 15-11) la seconda gara contro gli iberici Marco-Garcìa è in programma domani. Successo di prestigio per Paolo e Matteo Ingrosso che nel primo incontro hanno vinto 2-1 (15-21 21-15 15-13) sui forti spagnoli Herrera-Gavira; nel secondo match hanno ceduto agli olandesi Brauwer-Meeuwsen 2-1 (16-21, 21-18, 16-14). Esordio no per Ranghieri-Carambula battuti prima dai tedeschi Böckermann-Flüggen 2-1 (19-2121-13 15-11) e poi dagli usa Gibb-Patterson 2-0 (22-20 21-19): per loro è decisivo il match contro gli altri americani Hyden-Bourne.
Tra le donne le azzurre Menegatti-Orsi Toth sono state battute per 2-0 (21-18 21-16) dalle svizzere Zumkehr-Heidrich nel match d'esordio. Marta e Viki torneranno in campo domani contro le slovacche Dubovkova-Nestarcova
SECONDA NEWS ( by www.federvolley.it , 23.07.2015) / Beach Yokohama Grand Slam - Nicolai-Lupo e Ingrosso-Ingrosso negli ottavi / Menegatti-Orsi Toth battute dalle slovacche Dubovcova-Nestarcova.
Due coppie italiane su tre hanno superato la fase a pool del Grand Slam di Yokohama. Nicolai-Lupo si sono qualificati per gli ottavi finali di finale vincendo il loro girone.
Oggi hanno battuto prima gli spagnoli Marco-Garcia 2-0 (21-19 21-16) poi i brasiliani Ricardo-Emanuele 2-0 (21-17 29-27) chiudendo imbattuti.
Hanno chiuso al primo posto anche Paolo e Matteo Ingrosso che hanno avuto la meglio sulla coppia russa Barsouk-Koshkarev 2-0 (21-19 21-18). Eliminati Ranghieri-Carambula. Il loro successo su Hyden-Bourne 2-1 (16-21 22-20 16-14) non è bastato ad evitare il quarto posto nella pool F.
Ancora battute, nel torneo femminile, Menegatti-Orsi Toth che hanno ceduto 2-0 (21-19 21-15) alle slovacche Dubovcova-Nestarcova.
TERZA NEWS ( by www.federvolley.it , 24-07-2015 ) / Beach Yokohama Grand Slam - Ingrosso-Ingrosso nei quarti, Nicolai-Lupo noni / Menegatti –Orsi Toth eliminate
I gemelli Paolo e Matteo Ingrosso hanno raggiunto i quarti di finale del Grand Slam di Yokohama. Negli ottavi hanno superato i venezuelani Fañe-Henriquez 2-1 (21-18, 19-21, 15-13) e domani affronteranno i russi Semenov-Krasilnikov. Si è fermata negli ottavi la marcia di Nicolai-Lupo (che hanno chiuso nonini) battuti 2-1 dai canadesi Schalk-Saxton 2-1 (22-20 19-21 15-11).
In campo femminile eliminate Menegatti ed Orsi Toth che, nell'ultimo incontro della pool, hanno ceduto 2-0 (21-14 21-18) alle tedesche Borger-Buthe.
QUARTA NEWS ( by www.fivb.org , July 26, 2015 )/ Ludwig/Walkenhorst triumph with gold at Yokohama Grand Slam (vs Agatha Bednarczuk/Barbara Seixas De Freitas) / Pavan/Bansley take bronze ( vs April Ross/Jennifer Fopma )
( Germany’s Laura Ludwig (R) and Kira Walkenhorst earn their first FIVB medal of the season with gold at the Yokohama Grand Slam )
Yokohama, Japan, July 26, 2015 – Germany’s Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst claim gold after an incredible day, defeating Brazil’s Agatha Bednarczuk/Barbara Seixas De Freitas 2-0 (21-14, 21-17) in the final of the 2015 FIVB Yokohama Grand Slam. The double gender $800,000 FIVB Yokohama Grand Slam marks the first time both men and women have competed together in a FIVB World Tour event in Japan.
The German girls pulled out a masterful day of beach volleyball first beating April Ross/Jennifer Fopma from USA in an epic semifinal that went all the way to 2-1 (21-19, 17-21, 23-21), before meeting Agatha/Barbara in the final.
“I really can’t believe it right now, it’s amazing. It’s our second time that we get a gold medal and I’m so happy that we did it. I think it was a fight for all four players and I’m so happy to play with Laura, she did so well and I love it,” said Walkenhorst.
“We won and it is so amazing. We are so happy the referee called the last point in. It was a really tough match and everybody was really exhausted but overall we are just so happy,” said Ludwig.
Ludwig/Walkenhorst’s day
The gold medal match unfolded between Ludwig/Walkenhorst and reigning world champions Agatha/Barbara on the centre court against the stunning backdrop of Yokohama Bay. Brazil kept a hold on the lead in the first with Agatha putting away two well placed points on her serve at 14-13 to the Brazilians. However 14 points is where Brazil would remain for the remainder of the set with Ludwig/Walkenhorst carefully reading the match. Excellent positioning from Ludwig and strength at the net from Walkenhorst put the Germans ahead after the first set 21-14.
Barbara’s serve opened the second set and Brazil looked like they were coming back angling balls well to edge ahead. At 15-13 Walkenhorst made no mistake in sinking a huge slam into the centre of the opposing side and more great control from Ludwig pulled the German team into the lead and onto the win 2-0 (21-14, 21-17).
“We kept on serving really good, we put them under pressure again and we were really focused. It was really tough, this whole week was really hot and for everybody here is was really hot and really unbelievably tough, but in the end I think we really, really wanted this gold medal. They already have some gold medals so it was our time,” said Ludwig.
“I think we really played a good tournament. Every game we just got better. It was really tough and very hot here, so I am really happy that we fought until the end and made the last point,” Walkenhorst.
Barbara/Agatha take their fifth FIVB medal of 2015 with silver in Yokohama.
“We got the silver but it wasn’t the way we expected. The Germans played very well and we want to congratulate them. We were very tired this week and it was very tough for us to play with high concentration, but we are happy to be in the final and get one more medal for our country. So, thank you for everybody who cheered for us,” said Barbara.
Pavan/Bansley take bronze
Canada’s Heather Bansley/Sarah Pavan had undergone a gruelling semifinal against Agatha/Barbara in which the Brazilians won 2-1 (25-23, 19-21, 15-12) before facing April Ross/Jennifer Fopma from USA in the bronze medal match. Ross/Fopma were very together in the opening set and even with great defensive play from Bansley, USA had the upper hand. With Fopma’s work at the net and finding the line at set point, the first went to USA 21-15.
The second saw excellent athleticism from Bansley saving point after point and even with powerful Ross/Fopma attacks the Canadians began to turn the set in their favour. USA saved two set points before a superb set point with huge efforts from every player sent the match into the tie-break.
Pavan utilised her 196cm height at the net with big blocks as the match began to push the women’s endurance to the limits. A cross court Bansley hit set up match point and bronze was secured by Bansley/Pavan 2-1 (15-21, 22-20, 15-9) for their fourth FIVB medal of the 2015 season.
“It feels really good, we had a really, really tough semifinal match and to come back right after that was really, really hard but Jen and April are a really good team and we knew that we would have to come out strong but we’re really, really happy that we leave here with a medal,” said Pavan.
“We started serving Jen and she was siding out pretty effectively and we switched over to April and we were just getting a little better read on her and making some digs and then I think when we went back to Jen she just wasn’t in the same rhythm as she was and our side-out steadied a little bit so I think that was the difference,” said Bansley.
“Every step every Grand Slam is really important because there are not that many of them and we’ve really been trying to keep progressing as the year goes on. We’ve been getting some good finishes but we’ve been wanting to make the semis a like more often and following Gstaad up with this finish, I think we’re on the right track so I think we’re pretty happy,” said Pavan.
This year’s FIVB Yokohama Grand Slam will be the third of five double-gender FIVB Grand Slams, each with a total purse of $800,000, on the FIVB World Tour 2015. Seven FIVB men’s only events were held in Japan from 1989-1995 with six being held in Enoshima and one in Yokohama in 1991. A total of 14 women’s only events were held in Osaka from 1994-2005 and in 2008 and 2009.
Japan has hosted a total of 21 FIVB World Tour events (seven men, 14 women) with the United States leading the medal count for men and Brazil dominating the medal tally for women.
Following the Yokohama Grand Slam the 2015 FIVB World Tour will have a three-week break before resuming in the United States with the double-gender FIVB Long Beach Grand Slam in Southern California set for August 18-23.
EXTRATIME by SS/ La cover è per la coppia Ludwig & Walkenhorst “winners” a Yokohama.
Poi per quanto riguarda la fotogallery partiamo da Marta Menegatti ( al bagger) & Viktoria Orsi Toth purtroppo eliminate nelle qualificazioni dopo tre sconfitte su altrettante partite disputate( perciò solo 25esimo posto).
A seguire vi proponiamo in sequenza una serie di immagini dedicate alle Coppie che si sono meritato il podio e che vi proponiamo con le relative didascalie incorporate.
Giusto per concludere in nostro viaggio a Yokohama col flash ‘gioioso’ della coppia tedesca Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst in versione winners a mani alzati dopo aver appena conquistata la ‘golden medal’ a spese della coppia Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst rimasta al brasiliano …verde-oro.
Sergio Sottovia
www.polesinesport.it
