Chinese top seeds Cao Shuting and Zeng Jinjin won their opening main draw match in the women's competition at the Beach Volleyball Under-19 World Championships ©FIVB

Top seeds Cao Shuting and Zeng Jinjin began their pursuit of the women's Beach Volleyball Under-19 World Championships title with a win as main draw action began in Nanjing today.

Cao and Zeng beat Hungary’s Orsolya Orban and Nikolett Tatrai 21-16, 21-13 to make a winning start to their Pool A campaign at the tournament at the Chinese city’s Tangshan International Beach Sports park.

In the other match in the group, Argentina’s Delfina Villar and Brenda Ailen Churin overcame Kazakhstan’s Alina Rachenko and Yelizaveta Yeropkina 21-15, 21-16.

Dong Jie and Hang Ting continued the success for the host nation as they defeated Ecuador’s Ariana Castro Jarrin and Karelys Simisterra Ortiz 21-17, 21-13.

The Chinese pairing sit second in Pool H behind Thailand’s Pawarun Chanthawicha and Thatsarida Singchuea, who thrashed Japan’s Rina Seki and Mayu Miyoshi 21-8, 21-6.

Gabriel Zuliani and Gabriel de Abreu Lima Pisco of Brazil made an ominous start as they claimed two wins today ©FIVB
Gabriel Zuliani and Gabriel de Abreu Lima Pisco of Brazil made an ominous start as they claimed two wins today ©FIVB

In the men's draw, Brazilian second seeds Gabriel Zuliani and Gabriel de Abreu Lima Pisco recorded two victories.

The Brazilian duo first defeated Russia’s Denis Shekunov and Dmitrii Veretiuk 21-19, 21-19 before returning to the sand to beat Paraguay’s Jorge Rivero and Gonzalo Melgarejo 21-16, 21-18.

In Pool A, Germany’s Rudy Schneider and Simon Pfrezschner stunned the home pairing of Liu Jinqiu and Tang Xingyu with a 21-8, 21-14 success.

They later overcame Algeria’s Tizit Farouk and Hamdache Ayoub 21-19, 21-16 to cement their place as group leaders and move to the brink of qualifying for the next round.

The tournament in Nanjing, which hosted the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games, is due to continue tomorrow.