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"This one stings": Aussie heart-break as attention turns to LA28
Olivia Parker • November 20th, 2025 12:43 pm
“This one’s going to sting.”
Those were the first from Mark Nicolaidis’ after he and partner Izac Carracher suffered a straight-sets defeat to Germany’s Winter and Pfretzschner, ending their Beach Volleyball World Championships run in the Round of 32 on home sand in Adelaide.
The loss hit hard not just because their tournament ended earlier than they’d hoped, but because it came in front of one of the biggest and loudest crowds of the week at The Drive.
The Australian Olympians, who had produced strong performances earlier in the tournament, couldn’t match the relentless pressure from the German pair, who served aggressively and disrupted Australia’s rhythm from the outset.
Nicolaidis didn’t shy away from the disappointment.
“It's pretty disappointing, that one's going to sting for a while,” he said. “They played really well, we didn't bring it tonight. But the most disappointing part is the crowd they were absolutely amazing. It hurts not to put on a show for them or get a win on the board for them.”
Carracher echoed the sentiment, praising their opponents while reflecting on the frustration of not showcasing their best volleyball.
“It's one that stings for sure,” he said. “They served well, they broke our system. But we have a lot of confidence in the brand of volleyball we're putting out there — we showed that three out of four times this week.
"The disappointment is not getting to show it off a little deeper, and not getting to say a big thank you to the Australian volleyball community in the process.”
While the loss ends their World Championships campaign, the duo say now is the time to reflect and reset.
“We haven't put too much thought into what's next,” Nicolaidis said. “We’ve taken it one game at a time until we were out of the tournament. Now we’ll debrief this one, look back on the tournament as a whole, and then make a plan for the future.”
Despite the sting of the moment, the pair’s long-term ambition hasn’t changed: a return to the Olympic stage in LA28.
Carracher said the dream has only grown stronger since competing in Paris.
“Yeah, absolutely, that's been the big dream since Paris,” he said. “We got a taste of it there, and seeing how big that event was, we really want to go to LA. That’ll be the big push. But first, we’ll take some time to reflect this was a huge event for us.”
Above all, the Aussie pair were eager to express gratitude for the wave of support they received.
“Just a massive thank you,” Nicolaidis said. “Events like this don’t come around often, and Adelaide and the rest of Australia really showed up.
"Whether it was online or in person, we could hear you at every point. Everyone who came night after night… we just can’t thank you enough. It really does make a difference out there.”
While the Aussies bow out, the Beach Volleyball World Championships are far from over.
The world’s top teams are now set to battle it out in the final rounds, with The Drive hosting some of the biggest matches of the tournament this weekend.
Fans can still experience the atmosphere on Centre Court from the world-class talent to the energy of a packed home crowd with limited tickets remaining.
