Australia’s Elizabeth Alchin and Georgia Johnson powered through a tight third set to claim bronze at the Rebisco AVC Beach Tour Nuvali Open on Saturday, April 5, overcoming Japan’s Asami Shiba and Reika Murakami, 21-17, 17-21, 15-11, at the Nuvali Sand Courts.
Despite dropping the second set to Japan’s aggressive mini-runs and Murakami’s surgical crosscourt attacks, Alchin and Johnson regrouped and showcased their veteran poise in the decider. The match lasted 47 minutes and was a showcase of the Australians’ ability to stay calm and composed in tense moments.
Johnson, addressing concerns over officiating, shared:
“It’s important in this sport to not let those things affect our process. We try not to get frustrated.”
She added, “As long as it’s fair among the teams, it is what it is.”
The bronze finish marked a strong rebound for the Australian pair, who earlier in the day fell short in the semifinals against New Zealand’s Shaunna Polley and Olivia MacDonald, 16-21, 21-23, dashing hopes for an all-Australian title match.
“We’re very happy with the bronze,” said Alchin. “Happy to come back out and play a cool game, three sets—it’s awesome.”
Their teammates Stefanie Fejes and Jasmine Fleming continued the Australian wave, advancing to the women’s finals after outlasting Shiba and Murakami in a thrilling semifinal, 26-24, 24-22. Fejes returns to the Nuvali Open final after winning the championship last year with Jana Milutinovic, while Fleming eyes redemption after a silver medal finish with Johnson in 2024.
In the men’s division, Paul Burnett and Luke Ryan pulled off a stunner, sweeping Asian Senior Beach Volleyball Champions D’Artagnan Potts and Jack Pearse, 21-16, 21-5, in an all-Australian semifinal showdown.
Their win sets up another all-Australian men’s final, as Ben Hood and Oliver Merritt eliminated Iran’s Amerali Ghalehnovi and Bahman Salemiinjehboroun, 21-12, 21-16, in the other semifinal.
The Nuvali Open, organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation under president and AVC head Ramon “Tats” Suzara, continues to grow in prestige, drawing top-tier talent from across Asia-Pacific and beyond.
