World Champion Tina Graudina to Compete in Gstaad Elite with New Partner
Sports Correspondent: imran Sohail
Reigning world champion Tina Graudina of Latvia will compete with 18-year-old Liva Ebere at this week’s Gstaad Elite tournament on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour, marking a temporary change to one of beach volleyball’s longest-standing partnerships.
Graudina will play without her regular teammate Anastasija Samoilova, who is unavailable for personal reasons. The Latvian duo has competed together on the international stage for the past decade.
New Partnership Begins in Qualifying
Graudina and Ebere will begin their campaign in the qualification rounds on Wednesday, aiming to earn one of the available places in the main draw.
Despite being only 18 years old, Ebere already has experience on the Beach Pro Tour after making her international debut in 2022. However, this will be her first appearance at an Elite-level event.
The new partnership enters the tournament with confidence after recently winning a stop on Latvia’s domestic beach volleyball tour.
Gstaad Remains a Premier Beach Volleyball Venue
The Gstaad Elite is one of the most prestigious events on the Beach Pro Tour and has become a favorite destination for many of the world’s top players.
This year’s tournament marks the 25th major international beach volleyball event hosted in Gstaad, Switzerland, continuing a tradition that dates back to 2000.
Strong Competition Across the Tournament
Several of the world’s top-ranked teams will compete for the title.
Pool A features defending Gstaad champions Kristen Cruz and Taryn Brasher of the United States, who have enjoyed another successful season with multiple Elite-level victories.
Pool B includes two of Brazil’s strongest teams, with Olympic champions Ana Patricia Ramos and Eduarda “Duda” Lisboa facing world No. 1 pair Carol Solberg and Rebecca Cavalcanti.
In Pool C, Canada’s Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson, Olympic silver medalists, will look to continue their impressive form after reaching two consecutive Beach Pro Tour finals this season.
Pool D features several highly ranked teams, including Italy’s Valentina Gottardi and Reka Orsi Toth, Brazil’s Thamela Coradello and Victoria Lopes, and Switzerland’s Anouk Verge-Depre and Zoe Verge-Depre.
Meanwhile, Pool F will see Swiss Olympic bronze medalists Tanja Huberli and Nina Brunner compete in front of their home fans alongside the Netherlands’ experienced duo Katja Stam and Raisa Schoon.
Exciting Week Ahead in Switzerland
With many of the world’s best beach volleyball players competing, the Gstaad Elite promises several high-quality matches as teams battle for valuable ranking points and another prestigious Beach Pro Tour title.
For Graudina and her young partner Ebere, the tournament also presents an opportunity to build momentum and gain valuable experience against some of the sport’s strongest teams.
