Bari, Italy, June 14, 2016 - Although Russia seem to be the pre-favourite to win their FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix 2016 Group 1 match against the Netherlands in Italy, based on their head-to-head record, one should not discount the fact that the Dutch
have won 10 of their last 11 World Grand Prix games.
Head-to-Head
• Russia have won six of their seven World Grand Prix matches against Netherlands, including 3-1 on 10 June.
• Russia's Nataliya Goncharova (29 points) and Netherlands's Lonneke Sloetjes (27 points) were on fire in that match on 10 June.
• Russia have won both matches against Netherlands in 2016: besides the victory at the World Grand Prix, they won 3-1 in the final of the European Olympic Qualification tournament in January.
• Russia's only loss against Netherlands at the World Grand Prix came back on 26 August 2007 (3-2), the only year the Dutch won the tournament.
Russia
• Russia have won their three matches at the 2016 World Grand Prix in all possible scores: 3-1 against Netherlands, 3-0 against Belgium and 3-2 versus Turkey.
• They can win their first four World Grand Prix matches for the first time since they started the 2011 tournament with six wins.
• Nataliya Goncharova is Russia's top scorer with 55 points.
• Irina Zaryazhko and China's Yunli Xu have scored a Group 1 high 11 points from blocks.
Netherlands
• Netherlands have won 10 of their last 11 World Grand Prix matches, including wins in their last two in 2016.
• The Dutch have won 22 of their last 26 matches at the World Grand Prix, a run that started in 2013.
• Lonneke Sloetjes is Group 1 top scorer with 68 points, 66 from spikes. She has already scored 311 points for Netherlands in all competitive matches in 2016.