Kyoto, Japan, June 25, 2016 - Japan have a distant shot at qualifying for the FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix 2016 Group 1 finals, but it goes through a Serbian loss in the earlier match in Kyoto and a home victory over already qualified Russia on Sunday.
Head-to-Head
• Russia have won 18 of their previous 28 meetings with Japan at the World Grand Prix.
• Both teams have not recorded back-to-back wins in their last seven World Grand Prix encounters.
• Japan have only won more World Grand Prix matches against Korea (13) and Germany (12) than against Russia (10).
• Russia have only recorded more victories in the competition against Korea (19) than against Japan (18).
Japan
• Japan lost to Serbia in their last match at the World Grand Prix (3-2).
• Japan have now lost their last five five-setters in the competition, since the 3-2 win against Korea on 16 August 2014. On only one occasion Japan lost six successive five-setters: 1999-2000.
• Yukiko Ebata scored most points against Serbia (21). She is Japan's top scorer in the competition so far with 75 points.
• Saori Sakoda is currently among the best servers in Group 1 of the World Grand Prix with 10 aces and an average per set of 0.32.
• Kanami Tashiro is one of the best setters in Group 1 with an average of 5.39 per set.
Russia
• Russia have lost just one of their eight matches at this year's World Grand Prix, the 3-2 defeat to Serbia.
• Russia scored 22 points from stuff blocks in their last match against Thailand. Irina Zaryazhko scored nine points and Nataliya Goncharova five points from stuff blocks.
• Goncharova (161) is currently among the best scorers and best spikers (43.75%) in Group 1 of the 2016 World Grand Prix.
• Irina Zaryazhko (38) has scored most points from stuff block so far in Group 1, averaging 1.19 per set.
• Anna Malova is currently one of the best diggers in Group 1 with an average of 2.69 per set.