The Hague, the Netherlands, July 3, 2015 – Katrin Holtwick and Ilka Semmler will clash with Fernanda Alves and Taiana Lima for a place in the finals on Thursday, with the Germans hoping to dethrone the defending The Hague champions and go one better than their 2nd place finish here a year ago.
The Germans arrive in The Hague after qualifying from Rotterdam while Fernanda and Lima will take to the same court they have all tournament on the Hofvjiver.
Fernanda Alves / Taiana Lima (BRA), 1st Place Pool I, The Hague
• Fernanda Alves and Taiana Lima have been playing together since 2014. They are playing in their 11th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour
• tournament together.
• Fernanda is playing in her 4th FIVB World Tour final four with one gold medal, one bronze medal and one 4th place finish.
• Taiana is playing in her 16th FIVB World Tour final four with six gold, three silver, three bronze medals and three 4th place finishes.
• This is Fernanda's and Taiana's 2nd Final Four of 2015 (Bronze St. Petersburg Grand Slam).
• Taiana finished 17th in the FIVB World Championships with Vivian Cunha in 2011 (Rome) and 17th with Talita Antunes in 2013 (Stare Jablonki).
• Fernanda and Taiana are currently ranked 26th in FIVB World Tour points in 2015 with 1,580 points and 12th in winnings with $67,000.
• Fernanda and Taiana have an 18-5 match record in 2015, 14-1 overall in The Hague, and 6-0 in FIVB World Championships.
• Fernanda and Taiana rank 40th on the all-time FIVB World Tour team gold medal list with one, 300th on the all-time FIVB World Tour team
• tournament list with 11, and 75th on the all-time FIVB World Tour team winnings list with $201,000.
• Fernanda (1) ranks 52nd and Taiana (6) ranks 20th in all-time FIVB World Tour individual gold medals.
• Fernanda (15) ranks 447th and Taiana (60) ranks 136th in all-time FIVB World Tour individual tournaments.
• Fernanda ($107,525) ranks 144th and Taiana ($345,450) ranks 41st in all-time FIVB World Tour individual earnings.
• Taiana won gold medals at the U21 World Championships with Juliana Felisberta in 2002 (Catania, Italy) and with Carolina Salgado in 2004 (Porto
• Santo, Portugal).
• Taiana was named the FIVB World Tour Most Improved Player in 2010, Sportsperson in 2013 and was Tour Champion and named Team of the
• Year with Talita Antunes in 2013.
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 is playing in her 18th FIVB World Tour final four with two gold, five silver, six bronze medals and four 4th place finishes.
• Ilka is playing in her 18th FIVB World Tour final four with two gold, five silver, six bronze medals and four 4th place finishes.
• This is Katrin's and Ilka's 1st Final Four of 2015. Their 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 finished 17th in the FIVB World Championships in 2009 (Stavanger), 9th in 2011 (Rome), and 17th in 2013 (Stare Jablonki).
• Katrin and Ilka are currently ranked 13th in FIVB World Tour points in 2015 with 2,180 points and 12th in winnings with $67,000.
• Katrin and Ilka have an 18-9 match record in 2015, an all-time match record of 17-5 in The Hague, and an all-time match record of 14-5 in FIVB
• World Championships.
• Katrin and Ilka rank 25th on the all-time FIVB World Tour team gold medal list with two, 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 $866,700.
• Katrin (2) and Ilka (2) each ranks 34th in all-time FIVB World Tour individual gold medals.
• Katrin (98) ranks 49th and Ilka (96) ranks 55th in all-time FIVB World Tour individual tournaments.
• Katrin ($433,350) ranks 26th and Ilka ($435,100) ranks 25th 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 1-1
Stare Jablonki Grand Slam, 08/23/2014, Bronze Medal , Holtwick/Semmler won 2-0 (21-17, 21-16) (0:35)
The Hague Grand Slam, 07/20/2014, Gold Medal , Alves/Lima won 2-1 (21-16, 16-21, 15-12) (0:55)