Cherif Younousse (left) and Ahmed Tijan.
Doha: Qatar's ace beach volleyball duo, Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, have climbed to fifth place in the latest FIVB World Rankings.
The former world No. 1 pair's recent success, highlighted by their gold medal victory at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite16 event in Gstaad, Switzerland, combined with a dominant record in earlier events this season, has contributed to their rise in the rankings announced yesterday.
The seasoned pairing’s maiden win in Gstaad came after the three-time Asian champions topped the podium with a close 21-19, 22-20 victory over Swedish Jacob Holting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson on Sunday.
The victory in the Swiss Alps, their second title in three Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour events this season, added a crucial 1,200 points to their tally, bringing their season total to 5,720 points and lifting them rom their previous seventh position.
The Qatari pair is enjoying a dominant 2025 season that has seen them capturing a total of four major titles.
Their impressive run includes victories at the BPT Challenge in Xiamen and the AVC Tour stops in Pingtan and Doha, highlighting a formidable form throughout the year.
Younousse and Tijan boast a rich history of high-level success, capped by the historic bronze medal they secured for Qatar at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Having previously held the coveted world No. 1 spot, their recent run of victories signals a strong intent to reclaim their position at the peak of the rankings as they gear up for the upcoming World Championshipsset to be held in Adelaide, Australia, from November 14-23, and the next Olympic cycle.
Paris Olympics bronze winners, Norway’s Anders Mol and Christian Sorum are at the helm of world rankings with 8,560 points, followed by Argentina’s Nicolás and Tomás Capogrosso (6,520 pts), the Dutch pair of Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot (5,920 pts), and Sweden’s David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig (5,780 pts).
