Novi Sad, Belgrade, May 30, 2019 - Last year's finalists France and Russia play first in 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League Pool 4 in Novi Sad on Friday before hosts Serbia take on Japan.
France - Russia (May 31, 2019)
Head-to-Head
· This match-up is a repeat of the 2018 Volleyball Nations League final, when Russia beat France 3-0.
· Earlier in the tournament, France had beaten Russia 3-0 in the preliminary round.
· France won nine of their previous 24 matches against Russia at world level major tournaments, losing 15 (including Soviet Union and Commonwealth of Independent States).
· World level major tournaments are: Volleyball Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
France
· France claimed the silver medal at last year's Volleyball Nations League, after a 3-0 loss in the final against Russia.
· France have finished in the top-3 in each of the last four editions of the World League/Volleyball Nations League, winning the competition in 2015 and 2017 (third in 2016).
· Their victories in the World League in 2015 and 2017 are the only two world level major tournament titles for France.
· Last year in the Volleyball Nations League, France recorded 15 victories and suffered four defeats. Of these 15 wins, eight came in straight sets. Only Russia (12) claimed more straight set victories last year in the VNL.
· Stéphen Boyer (75) and Earvin N'Gapeth (68) were the top scorers in the final round of the Volleyball Nations League last year.
Russia
· Russia won the inaugural edition of the Volleyball Nations League last year, beating France in the final in straight sets.
· The last team to win consecutive World League/Nations League titles was Brazil from 2009-2010.
· Russia (including predecessors) have won 20 world level major tournaments, only trailing Brazil (22) for most.
· Russia have won 11 of their last 12 Volleyball Nations League matches, with a 3-0 loss against France in last year's preliminary round as the only exception.
· Russia have lost their last two world level major tournament matches (at the 2018 World Championship). They have not lost three matches in a row since a run of four successive defeats at the 2017 World League. That run included a 3-1 loss versus France.
· Dmitry Muserskiy was the best spiker of the competition in the preliminary round last year (68.08% success rate).
· Muserskiy was also the team's top scorer in last year's preliminary round on 185 points. In the final round, Maxim Mikhaylov (63) scored the most points for Russia.
Serbia - Japan (May 31, 2019)
Head-to-Head
· Serbia (including predecessors) and Japan have met 24 times at world level major competitions, with Serbia claiming 21 victories and Japan only three.
· World level major competitions are: Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World League, Nations League and Grand Champions Cup.
· Japan won their first two matches against Serbia (at world championships of 1962 and 1966), but have lost 21 of their 22 matches against the Serbians since.
· The only victory for Japan in these last 22 matches against Serbia was at the 2006 World League (3-0).
· In last year's Volleyball Nations League, Serbia beat Japan 3-1 in the preliminary round on 23 June.
Serbia
· Serbia have finished in the top-five in each of their last five participations in world level major competitions, including a fifth place at the 2018 Volleyball Nations League.
· Their other top-five finishes in this run: second at the 2015 World League, first at the 2016 World League, fifth at the 2017 World League and fourth at the 2018 World Championship.
· That win at the 2016 World League is one of two victories for Serbia in world level major competitions, alongside the 2000 Olympic Games (as Yugoslavia).
· At the 2018 Volleyball Nations League, Serbia finished in fourth place in the preliminary round, winning 11 of their 15 matches. In the final round, they lost both matches 3-0 (against France and Brazil).
· Serbia started their 2018 Volleyball Nations League campaign with a 3-0 defeat against Brazil.
· Drazen Luburic was Serbia's top scorer in the 2018 Volleyball Nations League on 156 points.
Pool hosts Serbia take on Japan in the second match in Pool 4 on Friday
Japan
· Japan finished in 12th place at the 2018 Volleyball Nations League, winning six and losing nine of their 15 matches.
· Japan started their 2018 Volleyball Nations League campaign with a 3-1 victory over Australia.
· The last time Japan finished on the podium of a world level major tournament was in 2009, when they finished in third place at the Grand Champions Cup.
· Japan's only victory at a world level major tournament came in 1972, when they won the Olympic title in Munich. They are the only Asian team to have won the Olympic title in men's volleyball.
· Japan are the reigning Asian champions in men's volleyball as they won the Asian title in both 2015 and 2017.
· In the preliminary round of the 2018 Volleyball Nations League, Yuji Nishida scored 187 points, fourth-most of all players.
Quick links - Volleyball:
FIVB.com - Volleyball Nations League
FIVB.com - Volleyball
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