Russia’s Ekaterina Birlova & Evgenia Ukolova will try to upset the highest ranked women’s team in Rotterdam, Katrin Holtwick & Ilka Semmler from Germany. Both teams booked four straight wins so far and are tied 2-2 in the head-to-head series.
• Ekaterina Birlova / Evgeniya Ukolova (RUS), 2nd Place Pool J, Amsterdam
• Ekaterina Birlova and Evgeniya Ukolova have been playing together since 2011. They are playing in their 34th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together.
• Ekaterina has played in 5 FIVB World Tour final fours with two gold, one silver, one bronze medal and one 4th place finish.
• Evgeniya has played in 8 FIVB World Tour final fours with two gold, one silver, four bronze medals and one 4th place finish.
• Ekaterina’s and Evgeniya’s last Final Four was a Gold at Anapa in July, 2013.
• Ekaterina and Evgeniya finished 9th in the Olympic Games in 2012 (London).
• Ekaterina and Evgeniya are currently ranked 17th in FIVB World Tour points in 2015 with 1,880 points and 17th in winnings with $47,375.
• Evgeniya won the silver medal at the CEV Satellite Anapa with Ekaterina Syrtseva in 2011 (Anapa, Russia).
• Evgeniya won the bronze medal at the 2014 CEV Beach Volleyball European Baku Masters with Alexandra Moiseeva in 2014 (Baku, Azerbaijan).
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Katrin Holtwick / Ilka Semmler (GER), 1st Place Pool D, Rotterdam • Katrin Holtwick and Ilka Semmler have been playing together since 2006. They are playing in their 94th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together.
• Katrin has played in 17 FIVB World Tour final fours with two gold, five silver, six bronze medals and four 4th place finishes.
• Ilka has played in 17 FIVB World Tour final fours with two gold, five silver, six bronze medals and four 4th place finishes.
• Katrin’s and Ilka’s last Final Four was a Bronze at Stare Jablonki in August, 2014.
• Katrin and Ilka finished 9th in the Olympic Games in 2012 (London).
• Katrin and Ilka are currently ranked 14th in FIVB World Tour points in 2015 with 1,980 points and 15th in winnings with $50,000.
• Katrin and Ilka rank 8th on the all-time FIVB World Tour team tournament list with 94 and 8th on the all-time FIVB World Tour team winnings list with $849,700.
• Katrin (98) ranks 49th and Ilka (96) ranks 55th in all-time FIVB World Tour individual tournaments.
• Katrin ($424,850) ranks 27th and Ilka ($426,600) ranks 26th in all-time FIVB World Tour individual earnings.
• Katrin and Ilka won the silver medal at the European Championship Final in 2010 (Berlin, Germany).
• Katrin won the silver medal at the U21 World Championships with Maria Kleefisch in 2003 (Saint Quay Portrieux, France).
• Ilka won the bronze medal at the U18 World Championships with Ruth Flemig in 2002 (Xylokastro, Greece).
• Ilka won the silver medal at the U21 World Championships with Ruth Flemig in 2005 (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).
• Ilka was named the FIVB World Tour Best Setter in 2013.
• Head to Head Tied 2-2
• Stavanger Major Series, 06/10/2015, Pool F , Birlova/Ukolova won 2-0 (21-19, 22-20) (0:36)
• Berlin Grand Slam, 08/10/2013, Winner 3, Holtwick/Semmler won 2-1 (29-27, 15-21, 15-9) (0:53)
• Åland Open, 08/31/2012, Winner 3, Birlova/Ukolova won 2-0 (21-18, 21-14) (0:34)
• Stare Jablonki Grand Slam, 08/18/2012, Bronze Medal , Holtwick/Semmler won 2-1 (23-25, 26-24, 15-13) (0:59)