Bangkok, Thailand, July 4, 2016 - Hosts Thailand face a tough task on the first day of the FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix 2016 Group 1 finals in Bangkok. They face South American stronghold Brazil, a team they have only won two sets against in their 11 World Grand Prix encounters so far.
Head-to-Head
• Brazil have won all 11 World Grand Prix matches against Thailand.
• Brazil have not played more World Grand Prix matches without ever losing against any other team.
• Nine of those 11 victories came in straight sets, with Thailand only winning a set in their first ever World Grand Prix encounter in 2002 and their most recent meeting in 2015 (both 3-1).
• It will be their fourth World Grand Prix match in Bangkok: Brazil booked straight set victories in 2011, 2014 and 2015.
Thailand
• Thailand won one of their three matches in the first two weekends of play at the World Grand Prix, but lost all three matches against Japan (3-0), Russia (3-1) and Serbia (3-0) in the last weekend.
• They could lose four in a row for the first time since their defeats in their final three matches of 2015 and their opening two matches of the 2016 World Grand Prix.
• Thailand have won the first set in a World Grand Prix match only once in their last 12 appearances: against Italy on 20 June 2016 (3-2 victory).
• Ajcharaporn Kongyot has scored a team-high 135 points at this World Grand Prix, fourth most of all players in Group 1 of the competition. Her 14 points from aces is most among all Group 1 players.
Brazil
• Brazil have won their last three matches at the World Grand Prix against Italy (3-1), Belgium (3-1) and Turkey (3-0).
• In total, their record at the 2016 World Grand Prix is seven losses and two defeats.
• The last time Brazil lost more than two matches at a single World Grand Prix campaign was 2010 (3).
• Brazil have four players with 75+ points at this World Grand Prix: Natalia Pereira (101), Sheilla Castro de Paula Blassioli (79), Fernanda Rodrigues (78) and Thaisa Menezes (76). Opponents Thailand have only one player with more than 75 points (Kongyot - 135).