Kyoto, Japan, June 23, 2016 - The FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix head-to-head record between Serbia and Russia is balanced, but as they open the 2016 Group 1 tournament in Kyoto, Russia will be looking for their eighth consecutive World Grand Prix victory.
Head-to-Head
• Serbia and Russia have met four times in the World Grand Prix with both teams winning twice.
• Russia's wins over Serbia in the competition both came in five sets.
• These teams also met in the semifinals of the 2015 European Championship. Russia won 3-1 and eventually won the title after a 3-0 win against Netherlands in the final. Serbia finished in third place.
Serbia
• Serbia last three World Grand Prix were played in five-sets: a 3-2 win against Brazil (17 June), a 3-2 defeat against China (18 June) and a 3-2 win against Belgium (19 June).
• For Serbia it was the first time they played three consecutive five-setters at the World Grand Prix.
• Serbia can win back-to-back World Grand Prix matches in five sets for the first time.
• Jovana Brakocevic leads her teammates in scoring with 88 points (79 spikes, 7 blocks, 2 aces).
Russia
• Russia are unbeaten in seven successive World Grand Prix matches, including their six of this year, their longest run since nine in a row in 2013-2014.
• Russia and China are the only teams left yet to lose a match in Group 1 of the 2016 World Grand Prix.
• Russia can win successive World Grand Prix matches in five sets for the first time since 2007 (v United States and Cuba).
• Coming into this weekend of play, Nataliya Goncharova is the most prolific scorer of Group 1 with 120 points (105 spikes, 12 blocks, 3 aces).
• Irina Zaryazhko is currently the best blocker in Group 1 (1.04 average per set). Teammate Irina Fetisova is in third place (0.74).