Tunisia beat the Philippines in straight sets as the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship kicked off in the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Friday.

Oussama Ben Romdhane had 17 points to lift the Africans over the host team 25-13, 25-17, 25-23 in the opening match of Group A at the 21st edition of the World Championship.

"We're very happy to be here, in this amazing stadium and incredible atmosphere," Ben Romdhane said. "We knew that they would be very strong defensively and that they would serve well, so we just tried to be consistent throughout the match. It was a good start for us, and now we have two more matches against Egypt and Iran, and we need to win at least one of them to qualify."

Bryan Bagunas scored 23 points for the Philippines, who made its debut at the World Championship.

"It wasn't really a good start for us, but it was a great game," Bagunas said. "This was our first time as part of the World Championship, and it was a great experience for us. We're very thankful for the support the fans have been giving us, and we count on them for our next two matches."

The Africans outscored their Asian opponents 44-36 and reaped 10 points from blocking, compared to three for the Philippines.