MANILA, Philippines: THE Philippines got off to a hot start in the Smart Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Beach Tour Nuvali Open with three huge straight-sets victories on Thursday in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Ran Abdilla and AJ Pareja outhustled Australia's Potts D'Artagnan and Ben Hood, 21-17, 21-19, in the first match at center court of the world-class Nuvali Sand Courts by Ayala Land to spark the other Philippine pair—James Buytrago and Rancel Varga—which overpowered Indonesia's Yogi Hermawan and Ketut Ardana, 21-11, 21-9.