Brazilian world number ones Andre Loyola and George Wanderley came from a set down to win their opener ©Getty Images

The main contenders were victorious today on the opening day of the Beach Volleyball World Championships in Rome, as the pool stage started.

Brazilian world number ones Andre Loyola and George Wanderley started their campaign in Pool E of the men's competition by coming from behind to defeat Bahman Salemiinjehboroun and Arash Vakili of Iran 19-21, 21-14, 15-10.

Olympic bronze medallists Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan of Qatar, the world number two, defeated Paraguayans Gonzalo Melgarejo and Roger Battilana 21-13, 21-12.

Qatar started with a victory today at the Beach Volleyball World Championships ©Getty Images
Qatar started with a victory today at the Beach Volleyball World Championships ©Getty Images

World number four Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen of The Netherlands won the day's opener 21-11, 21-9 against Moroccans Mohamed Abicha and Soufiane El Gharouti.

On the women's side, Olympic silver medallists Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar of Australia started with a 21-10, 21-14 victory over Egyptians Farida El Askalany and Doaa Elghobashy.

Dutch world number ones Katja Stam and Raïsa Schoon thrashed Costa Rica's Ximena Nunez and Angel Williams 21-5, 21-8.

Olympic bronze medallists Joana Heidrich and Anouk Vergé-Dépré of Switzerland defeated Sayaka Mizoe and Miki Ishii of Japan 21-16, 21-18.