Ukraine’s Davidova, Khmil reach Beach Pro Tour Nuvali semis

Ukraine’s Valentyna Davidova and Anhelina Khmil celebrate during a game against Australia at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali.–PNVF PHOTO

SANTA ROSA, Laguna — Valentyna Davidova and Anhelina Khmil of Ukraine survived a tough second-set battle to eliminate Australian Olympian Taliqua Clancy and partner Stefanie Fejes, 21-13, 24-22, and advance to the semifinals of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge on Saturday at Nuvali Sands Courts.

The ninth-seeded Ukrainians dominated the opening set before overcoming a late rally by Clancy and Fejes in the second frame.

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Ukraine’s Anhelina Khmil and Valentyna Davidova talk about their entry to the Beach Pro Tour Nuvali Challenge Final Four. @inquirersports pic.twitter.com/ClPDw3MJON

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) May 23, 2026

Trailing 13-16, the Australians unleashed a 5-1 run behind Clancy, a silver medalist in the Tokyo Olympics, to grab an 18-17 lead.

Australia held a 20-19 set point, but Khmil responded with consecutive conversions to restore Ukraine’s advantage at 21-20, but Clancy and Fejes saved two match points to extend the match.

Khmil delivered a drop shot before Fejes misjudged the next attack, which sailed long.

“It was a hard battle from both sides. We knew who we were going to play against,” Khmil said after finishing with 24 points.

“They’re such great players, and we knew it wasn’t going to be easy. But it was a great performance from us, and we had so much fun.”

Davidova and Khmil will face Americans Madelynn Anderson and Alaina Chacon in the semifinals on Sunday at 8 a.m.

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The American pair earlier defeated Brazil’s Andressa Ramalho and Taina Bigi, 21-16, 21-19.

In the other women’s semifinal, top-ranked Lithuanians Monika Paulikiene and Aine Raupelyte will take on Dutch pair Emi van Driel and Mila Konink.

Paulikiene and Raupelyte swept Ukraine’s Tetiana Lezerenko and Sofiia Kurnikova, 21-7, 21-17, while van Driel and Konink beat fellow Dutch players Nigella Negenman and Floor Hogenhout, 21-9, 21-14.

In the men’s division, Swiss tandem Julian Friedli and Jonathan Jordan arranged a semifinal duel with Aussies Thomas Hodges and Ben Hood.

Friedli and Jordan outlasted Austria’s Paul Pascariuc and Alexander Horst, 17-21, 28-26, 18-16, while Hodges and Hood swept Latvia’s Ardis Bedritis and Arturs Rinkevics, 21-18, 21-11.

Another Swiss pair, Adrian Heidrich and Yves Haussener, pulled off the biggest upset of the quarterfinals after beating top seeds Eylon Elazar and Kevin Cuzmiciov, 21-18, 21-13.

They will face Germans Philipp Huster and Sven Winter, who rallied past compatriots Maximilian Just and Lui Wust, 18-21, 21-16, 15-10.