Pedro Resende wants to follow in his father's footsteps

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Daddy is still the boss. That’s what Pedro Resende had to learn during the Sao Jose leg of the Brazil Beach Volleyball Tour last weekend. The oldest son of Ricardo Santos started for the first time ever at a tournament of the highest level at the Brazil Beach Volleyball Tour.

After a victory in the first round, the 20-year-old and his partner Felipe Cavazin, 29, played for the group victory. There they faced a legend of beach volleyball, the Olympic Champion of 2004, the World Champion of 2003: Pedro’s father Ricardo, 41, who played with Andre, 22. But Big Daddy was not nearly Daddy Cool: “I was deeply nervous,” Ricardo had to admit. “More than I ever was at the final of Olympic Games in 2000 or 2004. It was such a special moment; I think nobody has ever experienced something like this at this high level of beach volleyball. I have already won some titles, but this was different. I will always hold this moment in my memory.”

E mais uma vez o trabalho me proporcionou um momento para guardar para sempre. Nosso craque e multicampeão @ricardobeach1 teve o privilégio de enfrentar o filho Pedro na segunda rodada do Open de São José do Circuito Brasileiro de vôlei de praia. Após a partida, com vitória do lado mais experiente, o carinho de pai para filho falou mais alto e eu consegui capturar este abraço.

See this Instagram photo by @rogjorn * 32 likes

On the sand it was comfortable for Ricardo as he won 2-0 (21:14, 21:19), but joking aside, Pedro Resende is on the right path. He recorded two victories and two third places at the Nationals, where the players collect points to play an Open. “It’s a tough fight to reach an Open, where the best players of the country play. Now, I can finally say, I belong to them,” Pedro says. However, some years ago, he thought differently. “The first years of my life I hated volleyball. I really, really hated it, because it took my father away from me,” he once told FIVB. But then he couldn’t stop himself liking the sport. Now his father is a shining role model for him and Ricardo is proud of Pedro. “He is looking for his place, which is not easy, when people always see you as ‘the son of Ricardo’, but he is a hard worker and is going his own way.”

Pedro pictured at the Under-19 World Championships 2013 in Porto. Photocredit: FIVB

Alison/Bruno top successful year

Having reached the quarterfinals in Sao Jose, Ricardo and Andre’s tournament came to an end when they lost to Guto/Benjamin (20:22,19:21), who were then stopped in the semifinal by Alvaro Filho/Saymon.

But it was two familiar faces who stood on top of the podium. The gold medal, 400 points and 45,000 Reais won Alison/Bruno, crowned the Brazilians’ successful year even further following the gold at the Rio Olympics and, of course, the Swatch World Tour Final title in Toronto.

The 2016/17 Brazil Beach Volleyball Tour consists of nine tournaments: five have taken place this year before four more will come 2017 in Joao Pessoa, Maceio, Aracaju and Vitoria.

Pedro also wants to play there and Ricardo wishes to accompany his son during his journey. He already announced the end his international career, but maybe, we will see him soon at the side of his son at the Brazil Beach Volleyball Tour.

The author would like to thank Karin Wolffrom for the Portuguese translation in these text.