Thailand sweep Australia to open AVC volleyball title defence
Defending champions Thailand beat Australia 25-15, 25-15, 25-18 in their Pool B opener, with Sasipapron Janthawisut scoring a match-high 19 points.
- Defending champions Thailand defeated Australia in their opening match of the AVC Women’s Volleyball Championship.
- The victory was a decisive 3-0 sweep, with Thailand winning the sets 25-15, 25-15, and 25-18.
- Sasipapron Janthawisut was the match's top scorer with 19 points, leading a dominant Thai performance.
The 2026 AVC Women’s Volleyball Continental Championship (AVC Tianjin 2026) is taking place in Tianjin, China, from August 21 to 30.
The champions will secure a place at the 2028 Olympic Games in the United States and, together with the runners-up and the third-placed team, will also qualify for the 2027 FIVB Volleyball World Cup.
In the opening Pool B match, defending champions Thailand, ranked 17th in the world, faced Australia, ranked 80th.
Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai, also known as Coach Aod, fielded his strongest starting six: Pornpun Guedpard (captain), Thatdao Nuekjang, Kaewkalaya Kamulthala, Pimpichaya Kokram, Sasipapron Janthawisut and Chatchu-On Moksri; Piyanut Pannoy was the libero.
First set: Thailand moved ahead early as Australia tried to keep pace. By the middle of the set, Thailand led 9-5, but Australia reduced the deficit to 15-17.
Pimpichaya, Sasipapron and Chatchu-On then combined to extend the lead through attacks from behind the three-metre line and from the outside before Thailand won 25-15 to lead 1-0.
Second set: Thailand played well and opened a gap from the start through Sasipapron’s aces and outside attacks, with contributions from Pimpichaya.
Solid serve reception and defence helped Thailand win 25-15 again and extend their lead to 2-0.
Third set: Australia adjusted their tactics more effectively and went 12-9 ahead, but Thailand recovered their form and turned the score around to lead 16-15 before winning 25-18.
The 3-0 victory (25-15, 25-15, 25-18) gave Thailand their first three points with relative ease and without dropping a set.
Sasipapron finished as the match’s top scorer with 19 points.
Thailand will next face Indonesia at 2pm on August 24.
The top two teams in the pool will advance to the quarter-finals.
