Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons kicked off their beach volleyball return with a gritty three-set win over fellow Filipinas Khylem Progrella and Sofia Pagara at the Beach Pro Tour Futures Nuvali.
Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons made a triumphant return to the sands as they opened their campaign with a hard-earned victory at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures Nuvali on Friday, May 2, in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
Representing Alas Pilipinas, the decorated duo battled fellow Filipinas Khylem Progrella and Sofia Pagara in a thrilling three-set encounter, eventually pulling away with a 21-17, 18-21, 15-12 decision in the women’s main draw.
It was the perfect start for Rondina and Pons, gold medalists in the 2022 Subic leg of the same tour, as they begin their bid for more international hardware with sights also set on the Southeast Asian Games later this year.
[ALSO READ: Bernadeth Pons, Sisi Rondina set for beach volleyball return in 2025 SEA Games]
Other Philippine pairs, however, faced a tough opening day.
Sunny Villapando and Jenny Gaviola fell to the Romanian duo of Beata Vaida and Francesca Ioana Alupei in their first main draw match, while veterans Dij Rodriguez and Alexa Polidario pushed Japan’s Riko Tsujimura and Takemi Nishibori to three sets before falling short in a tightly contested match.
Meanwhile, UAAP champions Honey Grace Cordero and Kat Epa of National University struggled against the more experienced Lithuanian tandem of Gerda Grudzinskaite and Ieva Dumbauskaite.
The Beach Pro Tour Futures Nuvali features top-tier competition with over 19 nations represented, including elite pairs from Japan, Romania, Lithuania, and the United States.
The tournament runs until May 5 at the world-class Nuvali Sand Courts.