Iran Runner-Up at FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour

Iran’s Rahman Raoufi and Abolhamed Mirzaali lost to Serbian Basta and Kolaric in three sets 2-1 (16-21, 25-23, 16-14) in Aydin, Turkey.

Raoufi and Mirzaali, who had impressed throughout the previous stages of the competition, won the first set 21-16 and were standing on a double match point when they claimed a 20-18 lead in the second. However, Basta and Kolaric were able to fight their way back and eventually won the set 25-23.

The tie-breaker was a dramatic affair too where the Serbs came back again to emerge victorious at 16-14.

The Aydin bronze went to Russia’s Ruslan Bykanov and Maksim Hudyakov. This was the first medal on the World Tour for either of them.