Hosts and defending champions Tunisia won their opening match today at the Men's African Volleyball Championships being staged in the El Menzah Sports Palace ©Wiki

Tunisia, aiming to win a 10th Men’s African Volleyball Championship on the home ground of their capital Tunis, got off to an ideal start at El Menzah Sports Palace today.

The hosts won their opening Pool A match against Chad 25-15, 25-11, 25-11 as they began their defence of the title they won in 2017.

Tunisia also secured the title in 2003, 1999, 1997, 1995, 1987, 1979, 1971 and 1967.

Democratic Republic of the Congo had earned the opening win of the competition when they beat Botswana 25-11, 25-18, 25-14 in the first Pool A game.

In the two Pool B matches that followed, Cameroon beat Congo-Brazzaville 25-21, 25-23, 25-20 and Egypt defeated Morocco 25-20, 25-23, 23-25, 30-28.

Egypt, Cameroon and Algeria qualified through their International Volleyball Federation rankings, with Egypt the highest at 13th in the world.

Cameroon are ranked 23rd, while Algeria are 39th.

Morocco, Chad, DR Congo, Congo-Brazzaville and Burundi are the remaining teams.

Competition is due to finish on July 28.

The women's tournament came to a conclusion last week, with Cameroon successfully defending their title in Egypt.