Pļaviņš/Fokerots lose three-set semifinal in Hamburg, to play for bronze
Latvian beach volleyball duo Mārtiņš Pļaviņš and Uldis Fokerots lost their Hamburg leg semifinal in three sets to Germany's Ēlerss/Vists and will now compete for bronze.
Latvia's beach volleyball pair Mārtiņš Pļaviņš and Uldis Fokerots suffered a defeat in the Hamburg leg semifinal, losing a three-set match to Germany's Ēlerss and Vists 21:16, 19:21, 12:15.
Match progress
The Latvians played confidently in the first set, with Fokerots delivering several blocks while Pļaviņš scored both in attack and defense, allowing them to close out the set 21:16.
The second set was more evenly contested, with the score staying close for much of the way. In the decisive stretch, however, the Germans pulled ahead to take the set 21:19.
In the third and deciding set, the Latvian pair trailed for a long stretch, falling behind by as much as three points. Although Fokerots managed to level the score at 9:9, the hosts claimed the final three points, closing out the match 15:12 in their favor.
What's next
Pļaviņš and Fokerots will play for the bronze medal today, August 9, at 18:00 against the winner of the Netherlands-Norway pairing. Meanwhile, the gold medal match will see Graudiņa/Samoilova face Switzerland's Brunnere/Huberli.
It is worth noting that on August 2, Pļaviņš and Fokerots celebrated victory at the Rio de Janeiro leg, securing Latvia's first-ever elite-level gold. Separately, the Beach Volleyball European Championship is set to begin on August 12 in Stare Jabłonki, Poland, where Latvia will be represented by three teams.
