In a thrilling day of beach volleyball action at the AVP Gold Series Atlanta Open, top-seeded women Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes displayed their dominance, securing victories in the first and second rounds of the winners’ bracket. They defeated 16th-seeded Xolani Hodel and Kahlee York (21-19, 22-20) and then swept ninth-seeded Toni Rodriguez and Savvy Simo (21-16, 21-19).
Meanwhile, last year’s AVP Gold Series Atlanta Open champion, Miles Partain, along with his partner Andy Benesh, showcased their prowess, triumphing in the first and second rounds as well. They overpowered 16th-seeded Michael Groselle and Nathan Yang (21-14, 21-9) and closed the night with a 21-19, 21-13 victory against eighth-seeded Evan Cory and Troy Field.
The competition was fierce, with some notable upsets, but for the most part, the men’s bracket played out as expected. Among those advancing to the third round of the winners’ bracket were second-seeded Theo Brunner and Trevor Crabb and third-seeded Tri Bourne and Chaim Schalk.
The tournament also witnessed the success of 2020 Canadian Olympians Brandie Wilkerson and Melissa Humana-Paredes, who secured their spot in Saturday’s matches after defeating 14th-seeded Katie Dickens and Jennifer Keddy (21-16, 20-22, 15-8) and sixth-seeded Megan Kraft and Emily Stockman (21-16, 21-15). They will face the second-seeded team, Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss, who have yet to drop a set in the tournament.
The excitement continues on Saturday and Sunday at Atlantic Station in Atlanta, with multiple matches scheduled throughout the day. Fans can catch the action live on ESPN+ for Stadium Court matches and on the Bally Live app for matches played on Courts 1 & 2. The women’s and men’s finals of the AVP Gold Series Atlanta Open are set to air live on ESPN2 on Sunday, August 6, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET.
Tickets for the event are available at www.AVP.com/tickets, with general admission priced at $25 per day and options for premium seating in Club AVP and Premium Club AVP.
The AVP Gold Series Atlanta Open features top-tier women’s and men’s teams competing in a double-elimination bracket across three courts from Friday through Sunday. The 2023 AVP Tour schedule includes 12 tournaments across the country, with a total prize money of over $1.5 million. Fans can expect intense competition and top-notch athleticism throughout the weekend.