Simo-Van Winkle stun Olympic bronze medalists to make main draw

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Thursday seemed as good a day as any for Savvy Simo and Abby Van Winkle to win the biggest match of their respective careers.

They had already flown to Mexico from playing a NORCECA event in the Dominican Republic for this week’s Beach Pro Tour Guadalajara Challenge.

Why not win a few while they were out here?

Win they did.

The morning match during Thursday’s qualifier came and went easy enough, a 21-10, 21-12 sweep over Japan’s Kana Motomura and Nayu Motomura. But then came the final task, the Boss Level of Challenge qualifiers: Switzerland’s Joana Mader and Anouk Verge-Depre. Olympic bronze medalists. Sponsored by Red Bull. European Champs. The fact that they are in qualifiers, with a resume such as that, speaks to the depth of this Beach Pro Tour.

A 14-10 lead in the first set was quashed, tied at 18-18. That is typically the point a young team with limited experience together would break. Would accept that it was an admirable run, but the veterans would prove too consistent, too strong. But Simo and Van Winkle did the darnedest thing: They held on, squeezing out a 24-22 win in the first, parlaying that into a convincing 21-17 victory in the second.

Just like that, in the span of 41 minutes, Simo and Van Winkle, her rookie partner who had played in exactly one Challenge event prior to Guadalajara, stunned the world No. 16, advancing into the weekend’s main draw.

“What a feeling,” Simo said. “It’s pretty wild to be able to even compete against a team like that, let alone beat them.”

For Simo, the win over Verge-Depre and Mader is perhaps a tie for the best of her career, a toss-up with a first round shocker over Kelly Cheng and Sarah Sponcil in AVP Atlanta of 2021 alongside Megan Kraft. For Van Winkle, there is no doubt: Thursday is the biggie. The 24-year-old has just five AVP main draws to her name. Last week, in the Dominican Republic, she made her NORCECA debut, coming home with a bronze medal. Well, to be more accurate, she went straight to Mexico, stuffing that bronze medal in some compartment of one of her bags to be hung up later.

Suffice it to say, the 6-foot-2 blocker is just getting started.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling to beat an Olympic level team,” Van Winkle said. “I was super stoked to even have the opportunity to be playing in this tournament, especially with Savvy, who I have always felt so comfortable playing with.”