Serbia vs Tunisia

The match swung back and forth across five tight sets. Serbia — ranked above Tunisia in the world standings and holders of a 4-1 head-to-head advantage in meetings since 2012 — took the initiative early. They won the opening set to seize control, but Tunisia responded immediately, levelling the match with a composed second set.

Serbia edged ahead again in the third, moving 2-1 up and within one set of victory. However, Tunisia refused to wilt. They claimed the fourth set to force a deciding fifth, and carried that momentum through to close out the match 3-2.

Final score: Serbia 2–3 Tunisia.

Tunisia's ability to respond every time Serbia took the lead was the story of the match. Having lost to Italy 3-1 in group play just 24 hours earlier — a result reported by Tunis Afrique Presse — the Tunisians showed significant improvement under the pressure of a knockout semi-final. Their resilience in the fourth set, when facing elimination, shifted the psychological balance and gave them the platform to finish the job.

Where Serbia had dominated previous encounters — winning four of five all-time meetings — Tunisia found answers in the moments that mattered most.

Detailed set scores and individual statistics are not available from the official match data feed, but the headline numbers tell their own story.

Serbia entered the match with a clear historical edge: 4 wins from 5 previous meetings, dating back to 2012. All five of those H2H fixtures had produced over 2.5 total sets (100%), confirming this fixture's tendency toward extended contests. Sunday's semi-final followed the same pattern, going the full five-set distance.

Tunisia's path to this result was the harder-fought — they lost 3-1 to hosts Italy on 22 August in Group A action, as reported by TAP, while Serbia's group-stage form was evidently strong enough to reach the semi-finals. The turnaround inside 24 hours speaks to the team's adaptability under head coach.

The result sends Tunisia through to the men's volleyball gold medal match at the Mediterranean Games — a first appearance in the final for the North Africans at this level of the competition since at least the early 2010s. Their opponent will be determined by the other semi-final.

For Serbia, the loss is a bitter end to a tournament where they were among the favourites. They will now play in the bronze medal match, aiming to salvage a podium finish.

Both teams are competing in Taranto as part of the 20th Mediterranean Games, which run from 21 August to 3 September 2026, with over 4,000 athletes from 26 nations taking part.

This was not a classic in terms of technical perfection — fatigue and pressure were visible from both sides — but Tunisia's sheer refusal to lose when trailing twice made for compelling sport. They earned this result through grit, not luck. Serbia, meanwhile, will rue the missed opportunities that let a winnable semi-final slip away.

Tunisia march on to the final. Serbia face a bronze-medal consolation.