Spanish duo storm back and top podium at Xiamen Open

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Pablo Herrera and Adrian Gavira came from one set down to win gold at the Xiamen Open. Photo credit: Samo Vidic.

Vamos! Spain’s Pablo Herrera and Adrian Gavira are the comeback kings of China!

The Spaniards’ never-say-die attitude went a long way this weekend. They lost the first sets in both the semi-final and final but still left the Xiamen Open with richly-deserved gold medals hanging around their necks.

Seventh seeds Herrera and Gavira just never know when they are beaten and were trailing 1-0 in their semi-final to Russians Konstantin Semenov and Viacheslev Krasilnikov. However, they triumphed 2-1 – and it was the same story in a gripping final.

American hopes John Hyden and Tri Bourne took the first set 21-14 but – in an incredible turnaround – the Spanish duo held their nerve to fight back and take first place on the podium with back-to-back sets 21-19 and 15-12.

“The first set was really bad for us,” Gavira told FIVB.org. “Bourne served really well, we could not make it and we talked about thinking the second set, ‘relax and receive better’ and that was the key. In the third set, Pablo took some blocks, it was amazing for us.”

In the bronze medal match third place went to Mexicans Lombardo Ontiveros and Juan Virgen who overcame the talents Semenov and Krasilnikov in straight sets. A nail-biting and dramatic second set which swung one way and then the next, Ontiveros and Virgin prevailed 24-22.

The tour now heads north along the Chinese south-west coast for the Fuzhou Open and we’ll have a preview of the tournament online later this week!