Duda makes the double as Most Outstanding Player

Brazilian star Duda Lisboa continues her path to the top of international beach volleyball as the 21-year-old defender claimed for the second-straight season the Most Outstanding Player award of the World Tour according to votes of players and coaches.

The Brazilian prodigy, who won golds at both the Tokyo Olympic test-event and a four-star tournament in Ostrava with partner Agatha Bednarczuk, took the most coveted individual end-of-season award for the second-straight year and also repeated her victory as the Tour’s Best Offensive Player. The talented defender was also voted as the Best Server of the 2018-2019 season.

“It was an intense season as several Brazilian teams were competing to qualify to the Tokyo Olympics,” she said. “I’m glad to be recognized, but this is a team award to me. I wouldn’t have made it without Agatha and our coaching staff. The Best Server award is very special because it’s something I worked a lot on this season. I started jump serving and it got better as the year progressed.”

Canadians Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes were also highly-recognized by their peers as the reigning world champions secured four of the nine available awards, including the Most Outstanding Team, one that fits perfectly after a season in which they won the World Championships, the Vienna Major and a three-star tournament in their home sand of Edmonton.

The Canadians were also awarded by their individual efforts at the 33-year-old, 1-96m-tall Pavan was voted the Tour’s Best Blocker for the third time in her career – she took the same trophy in 2015 and 2017.

Humana-Paredes, 27, was selected as the Best Setter for the second-straight season and also took home the Best Defensive Player award for the first time in her career.

German star Laura Ludwig, was also honored by the players and coaches as the 33-year-old Olympic champion was considered the Most Entertaining Player in the women’s game. The legendary defender returned to the sands after missing the 2017-2018 season as she was pregnant of her first son Teo and capped the season off with the gold medal of the World Tour Finals in Rome with new partner Maggie Kozuch.

The efforts of Tina Graudina (21) and Anastasija Kravcenoka (22), who secured a historical Olympic qualification to their country and also won the European Championships, didn’t go unnoticed as the Latvians were voted as the Most Improved Team of the season.

2018-2019 End-of-Season Awards

• Most Outstanding Team: Sarah Pavan & Melissa Humana-Paredes
• Most Outstanding Player: Duda Lisboa
• Best Server: Duda Lisboa
• Best Offensive Player: Duda Lisboa
• Best Blocker: Sarah Pavan
• Best Defensive Player: Melissa Humana-Paredes
• Best Setter: Melissa Humana-Paredes
• Most Entertaining Player: Laura Ludwig
• Most Improved Team: Tina Graudina & Anastasija Kravcenoka