Åhman_Hellvig vs. Burnett_Hodges - Beach World Championships 2025 _ Highlights _ Pool Phase

It's the 15th rendition here of our World Championships. First one back in 1997 in Los Angeles, and now we've got Sweden in the blue, Australia in the bright yellow tops. Tight ball, high, hard swing from Burnett. It's going to go long here. Again, the touch could rip. Upset overhead. Holman there, cross court, like clockwork, to start this one off in their first side out. Burnett gets a little bit warmed up. Upset. David, cross court, just taking a little bit off that one, snapping it. Spread offense here from Australia. The hang time, unbelievable. Throwing that one back down. Just love the physicality of the Swedes. I don't know what they eat. Oh, actually, I do know they eat kangaroo. They had it the other night. Yeah, I haven't had any. Maybe I'll have to put it on the list here while I'm here in Adelaide. Makes you hang up there for a little longer. Oh, goodness gracious. Helvig, they're jumping like a kangaroo on that block. And we call it a roof block because, really, he puts his hands over. You know what they're capable of. Upset overhead, Hodges. Good touch again from Helvig. Holman in the right spot, in transition. Just sizzling it up the line is David Holman. They just make it look so very easy, the Swedes. You know, the perfection in their touches. All sorts of finals. Hodges out wide. Good over-angle swing, and that gets the crowd a little bit of energy. Whether he's trying to show something a little bit different, that might be a strategy of his. Oh, goodness gracious. Burnett absolutely unloads on that serve. ...on their passing and their setting, where their errors are. ...a good set for Hodges, who unloads, but it's Doug. Second opportunity here for Thomas, and there is Helvig again, getting in that airspace and set just a touch tight. He just doesn't look like a really ominous blocker, does he, but his timing... ...poking fast to the corner. Nothing you can do about that one. Too good. Perfectly placed. You can see he takes a really big look. He sees some space, but he probably felt... ...serve up the middle. Hodges a little off the net. Ullman there, faking in front, going behind, and right through the wickets of Tom Hodges goes David Ullman in transition. So he's not used to going laterally, either, from years of indoor. Now the line, there's a good look. Little outside hitter swing from the left side. ...going to Tom Hodges. Now Hodges is starting to warm up. Jump set, nobody up, and down the line, straight bounce for Ullman. Wicked little float serve from Helvig. Creates the overpass, jump set, nobody up. Good night from Helvig. Now there's one for Ullman as well. David overhead, David off speed. Now the line is good, and again, the life of a blocker against a Swedish team. This way, that way. ...those low flat sets. David out wide, hanging there, and ripping it down the line off the block. To the middle, the mesmerizer from Helvig is good for the ace. Second set point for the Swedes. Helvig, down the line, no look. Rip for Jonathan Helvig, and it is Sweden that put on a show here in set number one. ...in the first set and come back and win the game. Happens all the time, set number two. ...Australia, you need to have something to be wanted. Good cover from David. Oh, and Burnett was on his horse there to get that one, but off the arm, not a play. Burnett from the right, want to slide into that pocket for Ullman. Little change up there, a little off speed option for a carry. Hodges from the left. Hodges with a crank, deep angle. That is Thomas Hodges through and through, one of the heaviest arms in the... That's it, all the way out wide, and a monster bounce from Hodges. Very, very different look. Ball, and thrown back down from Helvig. And especially when they're a new partnership, going through the middle and deep is a really tough ball to play. There it is again, keeping Hodges in the middle. Hodges out wide, Hodges going up the middle. They're continuing to muscle balls across the net. A loopier ball, and so Helvig was not in as good a position to make the block. Jump set, cross court. Again, the challenge of moving laterally here for blockers against Sweden. Their own touches, and so... Don't be surprised if they don't give them any more back. Good vision from Hodges there. Just really warmed into it. Jump set, nobody up, and that is easy for Helvig. Hodges all the way out wide, but there is Jonathan Helvig for another stuff. Block number four. Back to that middle serve. What a read from Omen there off the block. Hodges will have a second opportunity here. Omen gets a hand on it, but too good from Thomas Hodges. Australia giving Sweden a little taste of their own medicine with that middle serve. Oh, goodness. The lefty poke for Jonathan Helvig is perfect. Chan sneaks right underneath the block of Helvig. Nicely taken from Paul Burnett. A little bit to take through to the next couple of matches in their pool. Helvig looking to go deep angled, looking for a touch, and another. He's up in the air first, and he's like, oh, okay. You got me. You got me. 15-10, right back to that middle. Omen is there patrolling the end line. Another cover from Sweden. To the line, the big roar from Omen, letting Helvig know what was available, and he takes it. Have we counted them lately? 16-10. That one through the block, finally a clean kill here for Australia. 16, Australia need to find some stops. They're not going to stop that one. Nobody better in the world at that right side option than David Omen. Sets are lower. Got to look up into the roof. Hodges down the line. That one through the block of Helvig, and they get on the board there. 12-19. The middle. Yeah, he really got his palm of his hand on that rather than the fingers. He'll go again. There he is. Ned slowed it down. Back to the line goes Helvig. Low, slippery line swing from Jonathan Helvig. Hodges out of the middle. Hodges off speed to the line is pure. Second match point for Sweden. Worth a dig. Burnett down the line, thumping one, much to the delight of this crowd. Australians, good serve. David cross court, what a cover from Helvig. What is he doing there? To the middle. Australia to reset. Helvig trying to put up, excuse me, David to put up Helvig on two, and Helvig poking it to the corner. Brilliant match point. Unbelievable rally to end this one. And that was just a look at that three-man team of Sweden.