[USA 🇺🇸 vs. Bulgaria 🇧🇬 - Quarter Final _ Highlights _ Men's World Championships 2025

The USA in red serving, Bulgaria in white receiving. It's the quarterfinals of the Men's World Championship Philippines 2025. It is a side acceleration. As long as the USA get the win, right? That is some serve. Garcia with a statement, but what a great recovery by Bulgaria. Short-lived as Gendry coolly and calmly gets the swing through the middle. Gabby tears one off there. Bulgaria do well just as a shame indeed. That's a great pursuit from Champlin. Scoop-tastic from Mone. Champlin. Oh my goodness. Oh Nikolov through Golo Gassi and a massive stare down as they back off the net. They did not stop locking eyes. That is unbelievable. Unbelievable indeed. Watch the horizontal arms of Nikolov. Lovely. Good pass this time and side out achieved. The USA are very likely to win this first set, but that's important for them to be quiet in this opener. Oh that's not quiet though. No. That says more than anything that can come out of his mouth. A screaming ace serve from Nikolov once again. He went for it big time. It didn't pay off. USA take the set 25-21. Set two underway. Bulgaria with the serve. The USA leading by one set to nothing in this men's quarterfinal. Kniggy getting jiggy with it right from the get-go. Out of the first real front row action. Touch. Champlin. Good touch from him. Another chance for Bulgaria. A tennis. Oh well played. He's put that into a perfect position. Middle blockers for USA coming up with key plays. Digging touches. That was wonderful. You had USA then jumping like puppets on a string. Here he comes. Oh that might have gotten it. That was a slight upgrade from the last service. That's genuine delight from McHenry because he's got this one in. Whips it. Just crept over. Well watched by Christensen. Got to do it again though. Oh and he has done. McHenry with him. They shut it down. 25-19. It is now time for our sing that tune segment. Hello. What's your name? Where are you from? Men's World Championship quarterfinal. Nikolov. Pancake from Shoji. Good up by Mone. And Asparuov hits the baseline. And Bulgaria. Bulgaria still lead by two. Hewitt with the serve. They've got him again. Cendric getting in face of Bulgaria. Alex Nikolov with the serve. Oh that was a cracking serve. That's a good pass. And that is a wonderful save. I really just appreciate where that ball's coming from to where it goes back out. Oh well. It's over. Good serve Mone. Oh he's unlucky. Oh that might not have been the right idea to send it back. Oh because he wanted to make a block. It was the right idea. Be smart with what they're doing. Nikolov. Not a bad serve from him. But it was sent back with impunity. Tassarov been a really good introduction. Really good replacement I should say. Coming into Bulgaria. Champlin against three. No good. Could be a target here for Tassarov. Hewitt takes it. Jordy. And that ends the set. Bulgaria right back in this match. 25-17. Set four underway. Bulgaria with the serve. USA leading two sets to one. Champlin. Good touches from Christensen. That's too tight. Mone. Oh Cendric. You have got to be kidding. Wow. Well played Nikolov. Here comes McHenry. What's he got? Trouble for Bulgaria. It's a bit tight. Again. Oh that's over the net I think. Yeah. No don't. Flangini. Flangini. That's what he's looking for. I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what. Oh that's Nikolov's. Wow. Christensen and he's leveled things up here at 19 all. He has been problematic. Will it swing back to Bulgaria? Yes it will. They've got themselves level. Lovely attack. Overpass induction. Not risking it. Oh my goodness. Good up Champlin. Scramble both sides but Nikolov in a great place to have a swing and get the point. Not much of a follow through. He was connected well. 25-22. For a place in the semi-finals. The first to 15. Chases off. Good touch. What a play from Nikolov. The Sparrow. Two swings. He went there from the serving line. Good up Garcia. Oh well done Christensen. But he just couldn't get control of it. Oh my goodness. Bulgaria lead by two. The only thing that can stop Alex Nikolov from. Well done. What a set. Christensen. Go on his own. Champlin. Champlin again to stay in it. Now there's a swing chance. Nikolov. 12-14. Solid serve. Tatarov. Half a chance. Oh my goodness. Well they think there's a challenge coming from the USA. How about it? It's not over. Last chance. Saloon for Bulgaria to do it from side A. Gets it done. Bulgaria to the semi-finals. And it is the USA who are beaten in five. What a game. Best game of the tournament so far.